The infinite lifespan of the Buddha

"In the sixteenth chapter, "Duration of the Life of the Buddha," the sutra also declares: ‘As I said before, it is immeasurably long since I, Sakyamuni Buddha, obtained Buddhahood. My life spans an innumerable and incalculably long period of time. Nevertheless, I am always here and I shall never pass away.’" -- The True Object of Worship

"Finally in the sixteenth chapter, the Buddha sometimes appears as a Buddha in the realm of Buddha but other times appears as some of the others who reside in the other Nine Realms. This indicates that the ten realms are included in the realm of Buddha." [ibid]

"Born to the human world, Prince Siddhartha, young Sakyamuni, became the Buddha. This evidence should be enough to convince you to believe that the realm of Buddhas exists in the realm of men." [opcit]

"In fact Sakyamuni began to preach, planting the seed of Buddhahood in the eternal past... Sakyamuni Buddha continued to guide His disciples until they were all sure to attain Buddhahood during the preaching of the Lotus Sutra in His present life, completing the series of His preaching which began in the eternal past."

"It means that Sakyamuni Buddha, within our minds, is an ancient Buddha without beginning, manifesting Himself in three bodies, and attaining Buddhahood in the eternal past described as 500 dust-particle kalpa ago." 

"In the same chapter, another passage reads: ‘The duration of My Life, which I obtained through the practice of the way of bodhisattvas, has not yet expired. It is twice as long as the length of time stated above: 500 dust-particle kalpa.’ This reveals the bodhisattva-realm within our minds. The bodhisattvas described in the fifteenth chapter, ‘Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground,’ who have sprung out of the great earth, as numerous as the number of dust-particles of 1,000 worlds, are followers of the Original Buddha Sakyamuni who resides within our minds."  -- [the preceding passages are from the True Object of Worship

These passages mean that Sakyamuni Buddha, Taho Buddha, and all Buddhas are in our minds, and that we, the upholders of the Lotus Sutra, follow in their footsteps and inherit all their merits.

"Now , when the Eternal Buddha was revealed in the essential section of the Lotus Sutra, this world of endurance (Saha-world) became the Eternal Pure Land, indestructible even by the three calamities of conflagration, flooding, and strong winds, which are said to destroy the world. It transcends the four periods of cosmic change: the kalpa of construction, continuance, destruction and emptiness. Sakyamuni Buddha, the Lord-preacher of this pure land, has never died in the past, nor will He be born in the future. He exists forever throughout the past present and future. All those who receive His guidance are one with this Eternal Buddha." -- The Opening of the Eyes

"How lucky I am to be able to go to the Pure Land of Mt. Sacred Eagle and extinguish within one life my sin of slandering the true dharma ever since the eternal past! How glad I feel to be able to go to the Pure Land of Mt. Sacred Eagle and wait on Lord Sakyamuni Buddha, whom I have not yet seen! May I guide first of all those rulers of this land who have persecuted me. May I tell Sakyamuni Buddha about my disciples who have assisted me. May I present this great merit to my parents, who gave birth to me, before I die." -- On the buddhas Prophecy

"I, Nichiren, of Awa Province graciously received the teaching of the Lotus Sutra from three masters (Sakyamuni, T’ien-t’ai, and Dengyo) and spread it in the Latter Age of the Decadent Dharma. -- [ibid]

Taking guidance directly from Sakyamuni Buddha who resides in our mind, we reveal the truth of Buddhahood in the World of Men. We who chant Namu Myoho renge kyo with a correct faith in the Gohonzon, Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Nichiren Daishonin, are the Tom Bradys of the religious realm. Does Tom Brady takes guidance from the local high school football coach? He may be civil when listening to the coach's advice but in his heart he knows that he is Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback who ever lived. We are the greatest living beings who ever lived since we embody the Three Great Secret Laws inherited from the Original Buddha and we follow Nichiren Daishonin the Supreme votary of the Lotus Sutra.