Dictionary Definition :
Definition[1]
:
The eight sons of the last of the 20,000 shining Buddhas 燈明佛 born before he left home to become a monk; their names are given in the first chapter of the Lotus sūtra. In Japan there are also eight sons of a Shinto deity, reincarnated as one of the six Guanyin.
Source
:
A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms, William Edward Soothill and Lewis Hodous
Definition[2]
:
梵語 astaurāja-kumārāh。即過去日月燈明佛未出家時之八位王子。(一)有意王子(梵 Mati),又作有志王子。(二)善意王子(梵 Sumati)。(三)無量意王子(梵 Ananta-mati),又作加勸王子。(四)寶意王子(梵 Ratna-mati),又作寶志王子。(五)增意王子(梵 Viśesa-mati),又作持意王子。(六)除疑意王子(梵 Vimati-samudghātin),又作除慢王子。(七)響意王子(梵 Ghosa-mati)。 (八)法意王子(梵 Dharma-mati)。 法華經卷一序品載,過去無量劫有佛號日月燈明,後有二萬同名之佛相次出世,於最後之日月燈明佛未出家時,有八位王子,聞父王出家成正覺,亦皆捨王位出家,隨文殊師利之前身妙光菩薩學佛道,復供養無量百千萬億佛,皆成佛道。〔法華經文句卷三上〕
Source
:
佛光電子大辭典
Page
:
p278
Definition[3]
:
(雜名)法華經序品曰:「其最後佛未出家時有八王子。」
Source
:
丁福保《佛學大辭典》