Dipankara's Prediction of Buddha's Enlightenment
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One story shown in Buddhist art stupas has Gautama Buddha (also known as Shakyamuni) in a former incarnation known as Sumedha, a rich Brahmin turned hermit kneeling and laying his long black hair on the ground, in an act of piety that the prophet Dipankara could cross a puddle of mud without soiling his feet.
This story between Dipankara Buddha and Shakyamuni, occurred many lifetimes before Shakyamuni's eventual enlightenment.
From this act, Dipankara told Sumedha "In the ages of the future you will come to be a Buddha called 'Shakyamuni'", to which Sumedha replied, "I am to become a Buddha, awakened to enlightenment; may you tread with your feet on my hair - on my birth, old age, and death."
Dipankara Buddha then said, "Freed from human existence, you will become an effective teacher, for the sake of the world. Born among the Shakyas, as the epitome of the Triple World, the Lamp of all Beings, you will be known as Gauthama.
You will be the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya. Shariputta and Moggallana will be your chief disciples. Your caretaker will name as Ananda."
In the 40-plus years of his life after enlightenment, the Buddha Shakayamuni is said to have recounted almost 554 past life stories, (called Jataka tales) of his prior existences. Gauthama Bodisatta is quoted as saying a person starts the journey to become a Buddha filling 10 Paramita or "perfections".
Some sources and scriptures recount that Shakayamuni Buddha was born in the time of Dipankara Buddha, and was rich and gave away all his wealth to become a Monk.
It is said that Gauthama Bodisatta received his first Niyatha Vivarana, (or definite foresighting by a Buddha) from Dipankara Buddha. This encounter, among many other predictions of Shakyamuni Buddha's future enlightenment, can be found in a Mahayana text named the Sangatha Sutra.