Maitreya

Buddhism
Basic terms
Three Jewels Four Noble Truths Dukkha Suffering Samudaya Cause of Suffering Nirodha Cessation of Suffering Magga Noble Eight Fold Path Buddhahood Enlightenment Nirvana
People
Gautama Buddha Dalai Lama Bodhisattva Sangha
Schools
Theravada Mahayana Zen Vajrayana Nyingma Kagyu Sakya Gelug
Practices
Dharma study Noble Eightfold Path Meditation Chanting Metta

Maitreya, in Buddhist tradition, is the future Buddha. He is presently a bodhisattva living in the Tushita heaven. It is believed that they will descend to Earth to preach the dharma (“law”). This will happen when the teachings of Gautama Buddha have completely decayed. The name Maitreya is derived from the Sanskrit maitrī (“friendliness”).

Maitreya Media

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  Schist Greco-Buddhist statue of Maitreya, Gandhara, c. 3rd century

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  11th century Maitreya, Bihar, India

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  Greco-Buddhist standing Maitreya

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  Nepalese Maitreya sculpture, c. 11th century

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  Maitreya, 13th century, Kamakura period, Tokyo National Museum, Important Cultural Property of Japan

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  Maitreya depicted as the founder of the Hosso (Japanese Yogacara) school, c. 16th century

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  Bodhisattva Maitreya, Gandhara, 2nd-3rd cents., National Museum of Korea, Seoul

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  11th century CE, Basalt sculpture, Bihar

• Rituals in Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery Nepal