The Buddha is said to have passed away about two thousand five hundred years ago, but really He lives here as the Eternal Buddha, and is saving people everywhere in different forms. This story is expounded for the first time in the final teaching, the Lotus Sutra.

“Since I became the Buddha, I have been expounding the teachings to hundreds of millions of living beings for many hundreds of innumerable aeons to lead them into the Way to Buddhahood. In order to save the people, I expediently showed them my passing away. In reality I shall never be extinct. I always live here, and expound the teaching according to people’s capacities. I am always thinking: ‘How shall I cause all living beings to enter into the unsurpassed Way and quickly become Buddhas?’ ”
– The Lotus Sutra, Chapter XVI

With devoted faith to the Eternal Buddha, we will naturally be endowed with Buddha’s wisdom, be lead to approach Buddhahood and have a good life.