Prabhutaratna

Prabhutaratna
Abundant Treasures Buddha
Sanskrit	प्रभूतरत्न Prabhūtaratna
Chinese	多寶 (Duō băo)
Japanese	多宝如来 (Tahō Nyorai)
Korean	다보 (Dabo)
Tibetan	རིན་ཆེན་མང་ rin chen mang
Information
Venerated by	Mahayana, Vajrayana
Attributes	Witness to the Lotus Sutra

Prabhūtaratna (Skt: प्रभूतरत्न; Traditional Chinese: 多寶; Simplified Chinese: 多宝; pinyin: duō bǎo; Japanese: 多宝如来 Ta takara nyorai or Tahō nyorai), translated as Abundant Treasures or Many Treasures, is the Buddha who appears and verifies Shakyamuni's teachings in the Lotus Sutra and the Samantabhadra Meditation Sutra.

In the 11th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Prabhūtaratna is described as living in a land "tens of millions of billions of countless worlds to the east" called "Treasure Purity.". Here he resides within a stupa translated variously as the "Precious Stupa," the "Treasure Tower," the "Jeweled Stupa," or the "Stupa of the Precious Seven Materials." Prabhūtaratna is said to have made a vow to make an appearance to verify the truth of the Lotus Sutra whenever it is preached in the present or future.

In the chapter, as Shakyamuni is preaching, Prabhūtaratna's stupa arises from under the earth and hangs midair. It is of unimaginable height and length, Traditionally stupas were edifices where relics of Buddhas are stored. Those gathered to hear Shakyamuni preach at Vulture Peak assumed the stupa from below the earth would contain relics. Instead, it contained within a living Prabhūtaratna who verified the truth of the teaching.

At this point Shakyamuni summons from around the universe countless Buddhas who are his emanations, lifts the entire assembly into the air, and opens the stupa. Prabhūtaratna praises Shakyamuni and invites him to sit next to him. Shakyamuni then continues to preach the Dharma. In the 22nd "Entrustment" chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Prabhūtaratna and his stupa return to under the earth.

Nikkyō Niwano states Prabhūtaratna's stupa symbolizes the buddha-nature which all people possess, while the springing-up of the stupa from the earth is said to imply the discovery of one's own buddha-nature.