Chapter 2: Shakyamuni Buddha as the Manifestation of the Supreme God

There are five additional arguments that you can recognize through the study of scriptures.

1️⃣ The Udumbara Flower and the Universal Monarch

In the Huilin Phonetics and Meanings Sutra, Buddha stated: “When sentient beings see the Udumbara flower, they will witness the appearance of a Universal Monarch or a Buddha in the world.”

He described the Udumbara flower as having a body as fine as a dust particle, pure white in color, and minuscule in size. Now, this phenomenon has manifested exactly as described in the scriptures.

This is not a mere coincidence, nor should it be interpreted as Buddha using supernatural abilities to foresee the future; rather, it should be understood as a preordained plan that has already been set in motion.

2️⃣ “I am a Buddha who has attained enlightenment; sentient beings are Buddhas to be” (Excerpt from the words of the Buddha)

This is Buddha’s prophecy, not mere words. Only the Supreme Being, who has ordained and arranged all things, could declare with certainty that “sentient beings will attain Buddhahood in the future”.

Without divine governance—without a preordained plan—sentient beings would be entirely subject to the law of cause and effect and the force of karma, which would inevitably trap them in the endless cycle of the Three Realms: the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm.

It is He who has ordained this path and will guide us to transcend the six realms of samsara.

3️⃣ “Nothing Comes into Being from Nothing, and Nothing That Exists Can Become Nothing” (Excerpt from the words of the Buddha)

These words carry a deeper, veiled meaning—yet we have failed to uncover the profound truths hidden within each of His teachings.

• “Nothing comes into being from nothing” – This subtly implies an unspoken acknowledgment of God’s existence as the Creator of all things; nothing in this world arises on its own.
• “Nothing that exists can become nothing” – This conveys that God’s grand program of cultivating sentient beings into Buddhas ensures that no soul is ever destroyed.

Once a spiritual essence has been created by Him, it will exist eternally, embarking on the journey of cultivation, enlightenment, and ultimately attaining Buddhahood.

Only temporary and illusory forms, such as the physical bodies of sentient beings or material existence, will eventually dissolve—for they are merely tools borrowed for the training of the soul.

4️⃣ Prophecy of Disciples Attaining Buddhahood

A prophecy (Vyākaraṇa) is a promise made by the Buddha. He could not make an empty promise unless He was certain that those individuals would attain Buddhahood.

This implies that there was already a preordained arrangement—it was Shakyamuni Buddha Himself who orchestrated this plan, which is why He could confidently affirm that His disciples would eventually become Buddhas.

5️⃣ Foretelling Many Things About Vietnam in the Lotus Sutra

In the “Parable” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha mentions the Goat, the Deer, and the Ox as symbolic references to the land where He would later manifest once again in this world.

• The Chinese character for “goat” (Dê) is 羊, which belongs to the “yang” (dương) radical, carrying a metaphorical meaning of the ocean, as “dương” is also an implicit reference to “đại dương” (great ocean).

Observing satellite images, particularly of the Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, and Khanh Hoa regions, one can see the figures of an ox, a deer, and the sea. Each animal appears with only half of its face visible, while the sea represents the hidden symbolism of the goat.

This should not be interpreted as Buddha using divine power to foresee the future. We cannot predict the future, as it consists of events that have yet to occur.

Rather, the fact that Buddha encoded these meanings within the Lotus Sutra long ago is evidence that He had already arranged and ordained these events in advance.

Commentary

Depending on each person’s spiritual capacity, one may or may not be able to recognize the half-face of the ox, the deer, and the surrounding sea within this imagery. Those with a lower spiritual foundation may find it difficult to perceive these forms.

Thus, Minh Nguyet will provide some visual guidance to help readers imagine these shapes more easily.

The half-face of the ox

The half-face of the deer, with the sea (yang) surrounding its right side

At present, the Udumbara flower has bloomed, and the Buddha has also manifested in this world.

Readers who are interested may observe the geographical regions of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, and Khanh Hoa, while also studying the Prophecies of Trang Trinh to uncover the physical embodiment (golden body) of Buddha Shakyamuni.