buddhahood in mahayana

[klqv]

so maitreya is the next buddha, but other practitioners since sakyamuni have reached perfect enlightenment and will not be reborn again.


right?

[catmoon]

Almost. The common thinking is that a non returner may spend considerable time in a pureland doing the final tune-up . One who does not return is not neccesarily fully enlightened, but is sure to get there.

There are probably endless variations on these ideas.

[klqv]

ok, cool. any contemporaries at a stage beyond not returning?

[catmoon]

I have my suspicions about a few.