Maitreya (sanskrit), Metteyya (pali), också känd som Ajita, är namnet på en bodhisattva som lever i tusitahimlen, som i en framtid där buddhismen är bortglömd sägs komma för att bli nästa buddha.
Bland theravadas kanoniska skrifter nämns Maitreya bara en gång, men det finns ett flertal ickekanoniska theravadiska skrifter som talar närmare om Maitreya.
Inom mahayana är Maitreya mycket vanlig inom de kanoniska skrifterna, där han ofta deltar i dialoger eller lär ut. Han är också inom mahayana känd för att ha uppenbarat sig för Asanga i form av en skadad hund, för att lära Asanga om vikten av medlidande.
Maitreya (Sanskrit: मैत्रेय) or Metteyya (Pali: मेत्तेय्य), also Maitreya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of our times, Maitreya's goal would be to reinstate the Dharma. In all branches of Buddhism, Maitreya is viewed as the direct successor of Gautama Buddha. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, the being is referred to as Ajita. Despite many individuals and religious leaders claiming to be Maitreya throughout history, all Buddhists firmly agree these were false claims.
According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who is prophesied to appear on Earth, achieve complete Enlightenment, and teach the Dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya's teachings will be similar to those of Gautama Buddha (also known as Śākyamuni Buddha). The arrival of Maitreya is prophesied to occur during an era when the teachings of Gautama Buddha have been forgotten by most of the terrestrial world.
Maitreya, in Buddhist tradition, presently resides in Tushita heaven. Maitreya is the earliest bodhisattva around whom a cult developed and is mentioned in scriptures from the 3rd century CE. Maitreya has also been employed in a millenarian role by many non-Buddhist religions in the past, such as Theosophy, the White Lotus, as well as by modern new religious movements, such as Yiguandao.
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