In [Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground], countless Bodhisattvas sprang up from underground. [Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata] tells why they appeared. It is presented as an answer to the questions posed by Maitreya Bodhisattva, when he wondered about the marvelous phenomenon which he and his companions had witnessed. It asserts that the Buddha’s lifetime is eternal.

This eternal and immortal Sakyamuni is called the Original Buddha (Hombutsu), because he is the true form of the Buddha. On the other hand, all kinds of limited Buddhas are called duplicates, because they are traces or shadows reflecting the true form. Buddhism believes in many Buddhas, but they are all manifestations of the Original Sakyamuni Buddha. In this way, all religious faiths are seen as one.