Maitreya, the Bodhisattva who is predicted to succeed Śākyamuni as the future human Buddha. His prominent epithet is Ajita which means invincible. Sometimes the epithet is used as his name. He is the first in the list of the Bodhisattva-s, sometimes the second, after Avalokiteśvara. Maitreya is recognised in both the Theravāda and the Mahāyāna. Though he is mentioned only once in the Nikāya-s, abundant references are made to him in the Lalita-Vistara, Divyāvadāna and Mahāvastu. Maitreya is mentioned as the one who is born in the Tuṣita heaven, where in an inner palace he reveals the Law to the Heavenly Beings. In the concluding verse of Visuddhimagga, Buddhaghoṣa has expressed his earnest desire to attain Arhatship in the presence of Maitreya.
Maitreya. (In Pali, Metteyya, "the kind one" or "the friendly one.") According to Buddhist tradition, a Buddha appears periodically to revive knowledge among human beings such as can make available to them the path of enlightenment. Maitreya is the next such Buddha to appear.
Maitreya
(Sanskrit; Pāli, Metteya). One of the great mythical Bodhisattvas whose cult was introduced into Buddhism at a fairly early date, and who is venerated in both Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna forms of Buddhism. Though his name signifies ‘loving-kindness’, some scholars suggest he was orginally linked to the Iranian saviour-figure Mitra and that his later importance for Buddhists as the future Buddha currently residing in the Tuṣita heaven who will follow on from Śākyamuni Buddha derives from this source.
Maitreya 彌勒菩薩 Sanskrit word, literally means friendly and benevolent. He will be the next Buddha in our world. He is now preaching in Tusita Heaven. He is usually represented as the fat laughing Buddha.
【梵】maitreyaḥ
【梵】मैत्रेयः【中】慈氏
【中】彌勒
【藏】byams pa
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