Why are there so many Buddhas in Buddhism?

Good evening, Kameko.
I read it.
My name is Kasugai Ritsuru.
That's a very interesting question!

Why don't we believe in Buddha alone?

Below is my answer.

The God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are actually common and unique. We are all the same God.
However, other objects of worship include Moses, Christ, Muhammad, and many other angels and humans.
It is God's nature that the above 3 religions are called monotheistic religions.
God created the world, and the world is in God's hands. The only absolute. There's no other room for God to get in.

It is grouped together with Buddhism, but its amplitude is wide enough to be called a different religion for each denomination.
As you said, as it spread to various regions, it mixed with the gods of that land. There is a theory that Kannon is from Iran.

The reason for this is that Buddha in Buddhism is just a human who died at the age of 80.
I'm just a human being who answered people's concerns.
Therefore, there was plenty of room for gods to enter the Buddhist worldview.
Therefore, I think all gods and Buddhas were incorporated and reconciled as convenient when spreading to that land.

Speaking of personal impressions, primitive Buddhism and Kannon beliefs are in great contradiction.
But I really like both ideas.

I'm sorry for the uncancelled response.
This is an answer while drinking in the evening with the question as a side dish (^^)
Thank you for your question.
Have a nice day off.

Even if you say Buddhism in a nutshell, it can be roughly divided into two currents: [Theravada] and [Mahayana]. Theravada Buddhism, which is still worshipped in Southeast Asia, etc., is so-called “old-fashioned” Buddhism, and the only principal image that is the object of worship is Buddha. On the other hand, as you know, many characters appear in Mahayana Buddhism.

For example, if the Theravada department ranges from compulsory education to higher education, then Mahaya is a university's faculty of education. In other words, until high school, you learn how to solve problems, and in the Faculty of Education, you learn how to “teach” how to solve problems.” As for the contents of “teaching methods,” of course, there is a learning system called how to solve problems that are easy to understand, and there is also a student guidance system that encourages and comforts students who are about to get frustrated and guide students who run delinquent to the right path. However, there are many differences among students, and there will be good kids, bad kids, normal kids, and children who fall behind if you teach everyone the same way. Therefore, we must prepare textbooks, reference materials, and study courses according to each ability and situation, and devise ways so that everyone can graduate safely.

In other words, in order for the students (sentient beings) to properly graduate (liberate), it was necessary to prepare a variety of teachers (Buddha, Bodhisattva, Myō, Tenshi), textbooks (sutras), and study courses (religious denominations) that were perfect for each level and type.

For example, when it comes to Amitabha Buddha, according to the sutras, the Buddha introduced the existence of Amida Buddha to his disciples and followers, and the existence of the Pure Land of Paradise where Amida Buddha was created.
If there really were many Buddhas in pure lands other than the Earth, those Buddhas would have wanted to teach Buddhism to people on Earth.
However, until Buddha appeared, earthlings probably didn't have the soil to understand the teachings of the Buddhas.
Thanks to the establishment of a contact point called Buddha, other Buddhas may have had the opportunity to disseminate their teachings to earthlings.
I'm sure there are an immeasurably large number of Buddhas in space.
The most recent Buddha to appear on Earth was the Buddha, and he has already passed away, but even those of us who have lost Buddha can worship countless Buddhas from other pure lands.

Kameko-sama

The reason why there are various Buddha statues is because just as each person's heart is different, so is the state of mind of each Buddha.

Of course, the goal of enlightenment is the same. However, the “function” after enlightenment differs depending on differences in the mental experience during the ascetic process leading up to becoming a Buddha.

In detail, there are differences in how to develop a “bodhi heart” for enlightenment, and the details of “vows” in the age of the Bodhisattva.

Simply put, it can be said that it is a difference in ambition to “do zero if you understand”?

Therefore, the powers possessed by the Buddha are also different, and each power can be used to save sentient beings.

Also, Myo-sama and Bodhisattva also “work” according to their respective states of mind, such as “working” as incarnations of Buddha and “working” during ascetic practices leading to enlightenment.

Certainly, there are various Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Myoo, and there are aspects where it is unavoidable to receive a polytheistic feeling, but I would be grateful if you could think that they have various “functions” for the salvation of sentient beings.

Kawaguchi Hidetoshi Gassho