Thank you for doing that research, corboy. I've always wondered how Buddhism got from 1 Buddha, the historical, human Buddha, to a pantheon of Buddhas: the Medicine Buddha, Manjushri, Avalokitishvara, and so many other Buddhas.
My original attraction to Buddhism was that it was very logical, it wasn't faith-based, but Mahayana, and even more so: Vajrayana, are very faith-based. Even Theravada teachings include the Buddha's teachings on the 32 realms of existence, heaven, hell, and so forth.
By the way, the business of saving relics of the deceased "prophet" or teacher,or saint, is a holdover from shamanism. Another manifestation of cultism.
My original attraction to Buddhism was that it was very logical, it wasn't faith-based, but Mahayana, and even more so: Vajrayana, are very faith-based. Even Theravada teachings include the Buddha's teachings on the 32 realms of existence, heaven, hell, and so forth.
By the way, the business of saving relics of the deceased "prophet" or teacher,or saint, is a holdover from shamanism. Another manifestation of cultism.