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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]]".

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]]".

The earliest mention of ''Metteyya'' is in the Cakavatti (Sihanada) Sutta in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digha_Nikaya Digha Nikaya] 26 of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali_Canon Pali Canon]. He occurs in no other sutta in the Pali Canon, and this casts [[doubt]] as to the sutta's authenticity. Most of the [[Buddha]]'s [[sermons]] are presented as preached in answer to a [[question]], or in some other appropriate [[context]], but this one has a beginning and an ending in which the Buddha is talking to [[monks]] about something totally [[different]]. This leads Gombrich to conclude that either whole sutta is [[apocryphal]], or it has at least been tampered with.

The earliest mention of ''Metteyya'' is in the Cakavatti (Sihanada) Sutta in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digha_Nikaya Digha Nikaya] 26 of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pali_Canon Pali Canon]. He occurs in no other sutta in the Pali Canon, and this casts [[doubt]] as to the sutta's authenticity. Most of the [[Buddha]]'s [[sermons]] are presented as preached in answer to a [[question]], or in some other appropriate [[context]], but this one has a beginning and an ending in which the Buddha is talking to [[monks]] about something totally [[different]]. This leads Gombrich to conclude that either whole sutta is [[apocryphal]], or it has at least been tampered with.

Maitreya is sometimes represented seated on a [[throne]] Western-style, and [[venerated]] both in Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism Buddhism]. Some have speculated that [[inspiration]] for Maitreya may have come from the ancient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-Iranian_religion Indo-Iranian] deity [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra Mithra]. The primary [[comparison]] between the two characters appears to be the similarity of their [[names]]. According to a book entitled ''The Religion of the Iranian Peoples'', "No one who has studied the Zoroastrian doctrine of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saoshyant Saoshyants] or the coming [[saviour]]-[[prophets]] can fail to see their resemblance to the future Maitreya.

Maitreya is sometimes represented seated on a [[throne]] Western-style, and [[venerated]] both in Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism Buddhism]. Some have speculated that [[inspiration]] for Maitreya may have come from the ancient [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-Iranian_religion Indo-Iranian] deity [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra Mithra]. The primary [[comparison]] between the two characters appears to be the similarity of their [[names]]. According to a book entitled ''The Religion of the Iranian Peoples'', "No one who has studied the Zoroastrian doctrine of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saoshyant Saoshyants] or the coming [[saviour]]-[[prophets]] can fail to see their resemblance to the future Maitreya.

<center>For lessons on the [[topic]] of '''''Maitreya''''', follow [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Maitreya '''''this link'''''].</center>

<center>For lessons on the [[topic]] of '''''Maitreya''''', follow [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Maitreya '''''this link'''''].</center>

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Williams_(British_professor) Paul Williams] claims that some [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrian Zoroastrian] ideas like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saoshyant Saoshyant] influenced the [[beliefs]] about Maitreya, such as "[[expectations]] of a heavenly helper, the need to opt for positive [[righteousness]], the future millennium, and universal [[salvation]]". Possible objections are that these characteristics are not unique to Zoroastrianism, nor are they necessarily characteristic of the [[belief]] in Maitreya.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Williams_(British_professor) Paul Williams] claims that some [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrian Zoroastrian] ideas like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saoshyant Saoshyant] influenced the [[beliefs]] about Maitreya, such as "[[expectations]] of a heavenly helper, the need to opt for positive [[righteousness]], the future millennium, and universal [[salvation]]". Possible objections are that these characteristics are not unique to Zoroastrianism, nor are they necessarily characteristic of the [[belief]] in Maitreya.

It is also possible that Maitreya Buddha originated with the Hindu [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalki Kalki], and that its similarities with the Iranian Mithra have to do with their common [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Iranians Indo-Iranian] origin.

It is also possible that Maitreya Buddha originated with the Hindu [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalki Kalki], and that its similarities with the Iranian Mithra have to do with their common [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Iranians Indo-Iranian] origin.

In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhist_art Greco-Buddhist] art of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhara Gandhara], in the first centuries CE in northern India, Maitreya was the most popular figure to be represented, together with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha Buddha Śākyamuni]. In China, in the 4th–6th Centuries "Buddhist artisans used the names Shakyamuni and Maitreya interchangeably... indicating both that the distinction between the two had not yet been drawn and that their respective iconographies had not yet been firmly set" An example is the stone [[sculpture]] found in the Qingzhou cache dedicated to Maitreya in 529 CE as recorded in the inscription (currently in the Qingzhou Museum, Shandong). The [[cult]] of Maitreya apparently developed around the same time of that of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitabha Amitābha], as early as the 3rd century CE.

In the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhist_art Greco-Buddhist] art of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhara Gandhara], in the first centuries CE in northern India, Maitreya was the most popular figure to be represented, together with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha Buddha Śākyamuni]. In China, in the 4th–6th Centuries "Buddhist artisans used the names Shakyamuni and Maitreya interchangeably... indicating both that the distinction between the two had not yet been drawn and that their respective iconographies had not yet been firmly set" An example is the stone [[sculpture]] found in the Qingzhou cache dedicated to Maitreya in 529 CE as recorded in the inscription (currently in the Qingzhou Museum, Shandong). The [[cult]] of Maitreya apparently developed around the same time of that of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitabha Amitābha], as early as the 3rd century CE.

==Description==

==Description==

'''Maitreya''' ([[Sanskrit]]), Metteyya (Pāli), or Jampa (Tibetan), is foretold as a future [[Buddha]] of this world in Buddhist [[eschatology]]. In some Buddhist literature, such as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitabha_Sutra Amitabha Sutra] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra Lotus Sutra], he or she is referred to as Ajita [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva Bodhisattva].

'''Maitreya''' ([[Sanskrit]]), Metteyya (Pāli), or Jampa (Tibetan), is foretold as a future [[Buddha]] of this world in Buddhist [[eschatology]]. In some Buddhist literature, such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitabha_Sutra Amitabha Sutra] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra Lotus Sutra], he or she is referred to as Ajita [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva Bodhisattva].

Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist [[tradition]] is to appear on [[Earth]], achieve complete [[enlightenment]], and teach the pure [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism) dharma]. According to [[scriptures]], Maitreya will be a successor of the historic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha Śākyamuni Buddha]. The [[prophecy]] of the arrival of Maitreya references a time when the Dharma will have been forgotten on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambudvipa Jambudvipa]. It is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Theravāda], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Mahāyāna], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana 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.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya]

Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist [[tradition]] is to appear on [[Earth]], achieve complete [[enlightenment]], and teach the pure [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism) dharma]. According to [[scriptures]], Maitreya will be a successor of the historic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha Śākyamuni Buddha]. The [[prophecy]] of the arrival of Maitreya references a time when the Dharma will have been forgotten on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambudvipa Jambudvipa]. It is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Theravāda], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Mahāyāna], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana 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.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya]

==See also==

==See also==

*'''''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Bailey#Teachings_regarding_the_Maitreya Alica Bailey re: Maitreya]'''''

*'''''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Bailey#Teachings_regarding_the_Maitreya Alica Bailey re: Maitreya]'''''

*'''''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya_%28Benjamin_Creme%29#Benjamin_Creme.27s_claims_regarding_Maitreya Benjamin Creme re: Maitreya]'''''

*'''''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya_%28Benjamin_Creme%29#Benjamin_Creme.27s_claims_regarding_Maitreya Benjamin Creme re: Maitreya]'''''

*'''''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya_%28Theosophy%29 Theosophy re: Maitreya]'''''

*'''''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya_%28Theosophy%29 Theosophy re: Maitreya]'''''

[[Category: Religion]]

[[Category: Religion]]