Lucky BOBI: Thai Buddha Amulets: Maitreya Buddha

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Origin of Maitreya Buddha

1. Maitreya - Wikipedia (English) : Maitreya (Sanskrit), Metteyya (Pāli), or Jampa (Tibetan), is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. The name Maitreya (Metteyya in Pāli) is derived from the Sanskrit word maitrī (Pāli: mettā) meaning "loving-kindness", which is in turn derived from the noun mitra (Pāli: mitta) in the sense of "friend".

Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor of the historic Śākyamuni Buddha. The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya references a time when the Dharma will have been forgotten on Jambudvipa. It is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects (Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna), and is accepted by most Buddhists as a statement about an event that will take place when the Dharma will have been forgotten on Earth.

2. Maitreya - Wikipedia (Thai) :

Maitreya Buddhais known as Phra Sri Ariya Metrai (Thai: พระศรีอริยเมตไตรย) in Thailand. Below is information regarding Maitreya Buddhawritten in Chapter 11 in Tripitaka and Chapter 3 in Sutta Pitaka:

When Maitreya reincarnated, he would reborn as Brahmin caste. After Maitreya is contented with Buddha wisdom, he would be in 44 meters height, shines through the night and retreat the darkness. Everyone is full of joy and has Buddha in mind.

Gautama Buddha said that in the Siddhartha Gautama Buddha (Buddha of the present) age, the Citta Monk (Thai: พระอชิตภิกษุ) will be Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the future), the successor of Gautama Buddha. According to records of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand, the Citta Monk is the one who asked Gautama Buddha 16 questions.

Here are Buddhist records with regard to the cause of Maitreya Buddha becoming the Buddha of the future.

"Why will Maitreya Buddha be the Buddha of the future?" Sariputta, one of the chief disciples of the Gautama Buddha, asked.

Gautama Buddha answered, "In his previous life, Maitreya Buddha was a king. One day, knowing that Gautama Buddha had arrived in the city near his palace, the king delightedly walked barefoot out of the palace to go to worship Gautama Buddha. Even if his heel blooded as long walking, he even painstakingly crawled on the road simply for the purpose of meeting Gautama Buddha in person. Gautama Buddha, realizing his sincerity, deployed a cart to ride the king, namely Maitreya Buddha, who after hearing the teaching of Gautama Buddha beheaded himself to make offerings to Gautama Buddha and since attained enlightment."

In the Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the future) age, it will be a world of peace and harmony, where religions will get more achievements and benevolent people will live more joyful and lives. With everyone bearing the same decent appearance, it's difficult to recognize each other except one's own family members. On the shoulder of the road grow rows of pink shower trees upon which wishes could be made.

Appearances of Maitreya Buddha

1. Baidu Encyclopedia: In Chinese Buddhism, there are three principle appearances of Maitreya Buddha:

(1) In the era of Sixteen Kingdoms (304–439 AD), Maitreya Buddha showed a sitting cross-legged image, which was derived from the The Sutra on the Ascent of Maitreya saying that Maitreya Buddha was at first an ordinary human being who, receiving the prophecy of the Buddha, ascended to Tushita (one of the six deva-worlds of the desire realm) and became a bodhisattva attaining the enlightenment.

Maitreya, Mogao Caves, Cave 275, Northern Liang (a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms), 412-460 AD

(2) In Northern Wei Dynasty (386–535 AD), the image of Maitreya Buddha evolved into a meditation posture or a sitting-against-a-wall posture. This image, derived from The Sutra on the Descent of Maitreya, means that Maitreya Buddha, upgraded from a bodhisattva to a Buddha, had descended from Tushita to the secular world and succeeded Gautama Buddha as the next Buddha.

Copper Maitreya Buddha statue, Shanghai Museum, Northern Wei, Yongan period (529 AD)

(3) In the period of Five Dynasties (907-960 AD), the image of Maitreya Buddha became an obese monk with big head and ears, abdomen bare, carrying a cloth bag, and always laughing. According to Chinese history, this depiction came from an eccentric monk during the Later Liang Dynasty (907–923 AD) whose Buddhist name was Qieci (Chinese: 契此, literally "Promise this") and who was identified as an incarnation of Maitreya carrying. Getting away from the serious and solemn indication, this image made Maitreya Buddha more casual and worldly.