The Lotus Sutra presents Buddhahood as universally accessible by reinterpreting the entire Buddhist path through the lens of the “One Vehicle” (ekayāna). What earlier traditions regarded as distinct and final paths—those of the śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva—are recast as provisional skillful means (upāya), tailored to differing capacities yet all converging on a single Buddha Vehicle. This doctrinal move dissolves rigid hierarchies among practitioners and asserts that no path terminates in a merely partial liberation. All roads, however diverse in appearance, are said to be stages within one comprehensive process that culminates in complete Buddhahood for all beings.

This universal horizon is reinforced through the sutra’s repeated predictions of future Buddhahood for a wide range of disciples. Even those regarded as arhats, who once believed they had reached a final nirvāṇa, receive prophecies that they will eventually attain full Buddhahood. The text extends such assurances beyond the conventional spiritual elite, offering examples where beings of seemingly limited capacity are likewise destined for awakening. In this way, the sutra portrays enlightenment not as a rare privilege but as the ultimate destiny implicit in every sincere engagement with the Dharma.

Underlying these teachings is the implication that all beings possess an inherent capacity or potential for Buddhahood, often associated with the idea of Buddha-nature. Delusion and karmic obstruction are treated as temporary veils rather than permanent barriers, suggesting that the ground of enlightenment is already present, awaiting realization. The doctrine of skillful means serves to explain how diverse teachings, practices, and even apparent limitations are woven into a single compassionate strategy aimed at revealing this latent potential. Far from being a patchwork of unrelated methods, the Dharma is portrayed as a coherent, purposeful guidance toward one universal goal.

The sutra further deepens this vision through its portrayal of the Buddha as an eternal presence whose enlightenment occurred in the inconceivably distant past and who continuously works to guide beings across vast stretches of time. This revelation expands the scope of Buddhist salvation beyond a single historical lifetime, suggesting an unbroken, cosmic activity dedicated to leading all beings to Buddhahood. Grand visionary scenes—Buddhas from all directions, innumerable beings gathered, and vast assemblies of bodhisattvas—symbolically underscore that no realm or category of existence lies outside this salvific embrace. Taken together, these elements form a sweeping affirmation that Buddhahood is not the preserve of a spiritual few, but the shared, ultimate vocation of all sentient life.