Children of the Buddha
Children of the Buddha
仏子 ( Jpn busshi )
The Buddha's disciples; those who believe in and practice Buddhism. In Buddhist scriptures, this term also applies particularly to bodhisattvas, and generally to all living beings. This is because all beings possess the Buddha nature and are therefore potential Buddhas; moreover, the Buddha regards all beings with compassion, as if they are his children. For instance, in the "Simile and Parable" (third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni says: "This threefold world is all my domain, and the living beings in it are all my children. Now this place is beset by many pains and trials. I am the only person who can rescue and protect others." In Buddhist scriptures, where "children of the Buddha" refers to the Buddha's disciples such as Shariputra, it is often translated as "sons of the Buddha."
