An impossible to measure long time ago is when the Buddha became the Buddha. It wasn’t when he sat under the tree. That sitting under the tree event is what we, in our rational, physical-evidence-based minds attach to. It is an event, however, that is probably the least important for us to consider. It was merely the beginning of a small part of the entire story. However, until we can break free of the need to have Buddhism tied to this realm and plane of existence that event under the tree will only limit us. What the Lotus Sutra requires us to do is begin to understand that Buddha is not tied to one person, not tied to one point in time, and not tied to one realm of existence, or even one planet. The Buddha transcends all of that though it is in every bit of it too. It is beyond but not outside.