Actually I think there is more to this than contingency Renaldo. The sasana is predicted to last 5000 years and beings are born who have accumulated the merit to be able to assist.
Saccaka met the Buddha but never took refuge. However by hearing the Dhamma this was enough that later he was reborn in Sri Lanka, joined the order and became a master of the Tipitaka and one of the great teachers (Buddharakkhita). His rebirth there and his understanding were due to considering what the Buddha taught hundreds of years earlier..
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