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47-636: Miroku may refer to: Japanese for " Maitreya Buddha": as prophesied by the Buddha before entering nirvana. Miroku , the character in the anime and manga series InuYasha . Miroku Corp. , a gun manufacturer. Miroku, a character in Naruto: Shippūden the Movie . Miroku, a minor character in 07-Ghost . Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

94-468: A Buddha (since the Buddha's teachings have not been forgotten yet). Traditional Buddhists believe that Maitreya currently resides in Tushita heaven. However, Maitreya is not inaccessible, and various Buddhists throughout history have also claimed to have been visited by Maitreya, to have had visions of him, and to have received teachings by him. As such, Mahayana Buddhists traditionally consider Maitreya to be

141-423: A follower of Maitreya Buddha. Maitreya will be born to the chief priest of Sankha, Brahmayu, and his wife Brahmavati. In some sources his family name is Maitreya and his first name is Ajita. Maitreya will live as a householder, have a son, and then renounce the world and achieve Buddhahood like Shakyamuni. In some accounts, Maitreya will meet Mahakasyapa , who has been in samadhi on top of mount Kukkutapada since

188-482: A hope for the future, a time when all human beings could once again enjoy the spiritual and physical environment most favorable to enlightenment and the release from worldly suffering." The Maitreya legend has provided a positive view of the future for all Buddhist cultures, who have adapted and expressed the prophetic myth in different ways. According to Buddhist tradition, each kalpa (a cosmic period lasting millions of years) has several Buddhas . The previous kalpa

235-571: A later date. Maitreya's prophecy also appears in other texts like the Māhavastu , Lalitavistara , the Mūlasarvāstivāda -vinaya and the Divyāvadāna . Due to their similar names, some modern scholars like Przyluski , Lamotte and Levi have speculated that inspiration for Maitreya may have come from ancient Indo-Iranian deities like Mithra and the future Zoroastrian savior figure of

282-487: A painless birth conceived without intercourse; no need for sleep, food, medicine or bathing although engaging in such "in conformity with the world"; omniscience; and, the ability to "suppress karma ." In spite of this school affiliation however, the Theravadin Bhikkhu Telwatte Rahula concludes in his study of the text that its depiction of the Buddha is not that much different than the depiction of

329-558: A palace at the center of Tuṣita Heaven (Pāli: Tusita ). Gautama Buddha also lived here before he was born into the world as all bodhisattvas live in the Tuṣita Heaven before they descend to the human realm to become Buddhas. Though the concept of the bodhisattva is different in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, both traditions of Buddhism share a belief in Maitreya bodhisattva as

376-474: A period of moral and social betterment. It is only then that Maitreya is expected to come. To be able to take part in this golden age, Buddhist devotees hoped to make enough good merit (through good deeds like giving and compassionate acts) which would condition their future rebirth. One mention of the prophecy in the Maitreyavyākaraṇa states that gods, men and other beings: Will lose their doubts, and

423-481: A throne. He is often represented as a northern Indian nobleman or prince with a full head of hair, fine flowing robes and jewels. Gandharan style images present him with a distinctive long hair loop folded at the top of the head. Maitreya is often depicted carrying a vase or bottle ( kamaṇḍalu ), an element which goes back to the Gandharan sculptures and which he shares with depictions of the deity Brahma (along with

470-657: Is a canonical text of the Mahāsāṃghika Lokottaravāda school of Early Buddhism which was originally part of the school's Vinaya pitaka . The Mahāvastu is a composite multi-life hagiography of the Buddha Shakyamuni . Its numerous textual layers are held by scholars to have been compiled between the 2nd century BCE and 4th century CE. The Mahāvastu was first published in the West in an editio princeps by Émile Senart between 1882 and 1897. This edition

517-547: Is allowed to enter Maitreya's palace (Vairocanakutalamkara-garbha), where he has a grand vision of the entirety of Maitreya's bodhisattva career. In addition, there are also several Mahāyāna sūtras which focus specifically on Maitreya, his teachings and future activity. Some key Maitreya sutras in the Chinese canon are the following: The Tibetan Buddhist canon meanwhile contains the following Maitreya sutras: Maitreya also appears in other literary works. The Maitreyasamitināṭaka

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564-611: Is based around when and how a devotee expected to encounter the figure of Maitreya: In all Buddhist traditions, Maitreya is prophesied to be the next Buddha who will arise in this world. He will attain Buddhahood far in the future (proximally 2000 years from now - 5000 years after Sakyamuni's Parinirvana). Since attaining enlightenment is thought to be much more likely while studying under a living Buddha, many Buddhists have hoped to meet Maitreya and train under him. As Buddhist studies scholar Alan Spongberg writes, Maitreya "came to represent

611-701: Is derived from the Sanskrit word maitrī "friendship", which is in turn derived from the noun mitra , signifying "friend". The Pali form Metteyya is mentioned in the Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta ( Digha Nikaya 26) of the Pāli Canon , and also in chapter 28 of the Buddhavamsa . Some modern scholars like Richard Gombrich argue that the sutra is a later addition to the Pali Canon or that it has been edited at

658-518: Is in a language which has been termed Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit . The text is a composite one which includes past life narratives, stories of previous Buddhas , stories of Gautama Buddha 's final life, embedded early Buddhist sutras and two prologues ( nidānas ). Over half of the text is composed of Jātaka and Avadāna tales, accounts of the earlier lives of the Buddha and other bodhisattvas . The Mahāvastu opens with two prologues ( nidānas ),

705-410: Is not imminent and instead will happen millions of years in the future. In spite of this, Buddhist believers can hope to accumulate good karma so that when the time comes, they will be reborn to meet the future Buddha Maitreya and reach enlightenment under him. Scriptures which describe the future coming of Maitreya also describe the paradise like conditions of the world during Maitreya's time. His coming

752-516: Is said to usher in a "golden age" of religion and civilization. Buddhist scriptures do not exhort believers to work to bring about this golden age (what Nattier calls "active apocalypticism "). This might be due to the Buddhist view of the cyclical nature of time and history. The cyclical nature of history is thus part of the Maitreya myth. Buddhists believe that there will come a time of Dharma decline in which social order and morality will decline and

799-565: Is traditionally said to have revealed to the 4th century Indian Buddhist master Asanga . These texts are important in the Yogacara tradition and are considered to be part of the third turning within the Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma . They teach the "consciousness-only" idealist philosophy of Yogacara Buddhism. Buddhist tradition associates Asanga (c. 4th century), one of the founders of

846-672: Is viewed as the direct successor of Gautama Buddha . As the fifth and final Buddha of the current kalpa (eon), Maitreya's teachings will be focused around re-establishing the Buddha's Dharma on Earth. According to scriptures, Maitreya's teachings will be similar to those of Gautama (Śākyamuni). The arrival of Maitreya is prophesied to occur during an era of decline when the teachings of Gautama Buddha have been disregarded or largely forgotten. Despite many religious figures and spiritual leaders claiming to be Maitreya throughout history, diverse Buddhist sects insist that these are false claims, while underscoring that Maitreya has yet to appear as

893-544: The Cakkavatti Sutta: The Wheel-turning Emperor ( Digha Nikaya 26), Maitreya Buddha will be born in a time when humans will live to an age of eighty thousand years, in the city of Ketumatī (present Varanasi), whose king will be the Cakkavattī (wheel-turning emperor) Sankha. Sankha will live in the palace where once dwelt King Mahāpanadā, but later he will give the palace away and will himself become

940-746: The Vimanavatthu and the Buddhavaṃsa . The more recent layer of the Mahāvastu is the Daśabhūmika , a text which contains teachings on a scheme of bodhisattva bhūmis (stages). According to Vincent Tournier, this text was grafted into the Mahāvastu (which itself does not contain any teaching on bodhisattva stages) during the last period of textual formation (ca. 4-6th centuries CE). The Daśabhūmika seems to have originally been considered an appendix or supplement (parivāra, parisara) which later made its way into

987-568: The Kushan Empire period (30–375 CE). He also appears in Mathura to a lesser extent. Maitreya is already depicted at Sanchi before the Kushan period. But art depicting him becomes much more numerous during the Kushan era, when his cult seems to have grown in popularity. In 4th- to 6th-century China, Buddhist artisans saw Shakyamuni and Maitreya as interchangeable, which indicates that the iconography of

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1034-411: The Mahāvastu itself. A similar case occurred with the second Avalokitasūtra which shows similarities with Mahayana scriptures . The Mahāvastu is considered a primary source for the notion of a transcendent ( lokottara ) Buddha, common to all Mahāsāṃghika schools. According to the Mahāvastu , over the course of many lives, the once-human-born Buddha developed supramundane abilities including:

1081-684: The Nidānanamaskāras (dating to around the 3rd century CE) and the Nidānavastu (c. 1st century CE). Four sections of the Mahāvastu contain texts of the Bahubuddhaka sūtra genre. This includes a bahubuddhasūtra in chapter XXI of Jones' translation, Volume III and Chapter V in Jones Volume I. The Bahubuddhakasūtras are sutras which contain narratives of past Buddhas and these narratives often served as sources for Buddhist doctrines relating to

1128-554: The Saoshyant . However, David Alan Scott points out numerous differences in their artistic portrayals (even in the same geographic region) and discrepancies which make this direct link unlikely. He specifically points out the very ancient Buddhist roots of Maitreya in the earliest Buddhist texts . Scott does point out that both deities are personifications of the virtue of friendship , so they do have that in common ( maitrī ). There are many Mahāyāna sūtras which describe and discuss

1175-420: The Yogacara school, with the bodhisattva Maitreya. According to traditional accounts, after twelve years of retreat and meditation, Asanga encountered a dying dog and treated his wounds by removing the maggots from the wounds to a piece of Asanga's own flesh. It was only after his act of love and compassion that Asanga had a vision of Maitreya, who turned out to be that very dying dog. Maitreya then took Asanga to

1222-650: The Dharma. Chinese Buddhists consider the rotund monk Budai as an emanation of Maitreya in China. Buddhist yogis and scholars, like Dao'an , have also sought to receive visions, teachings, or guidance from Maitreya in this present life. Various stories are recorded of individuals ascending to meet Maitreya (through meditation and samadhi ) or of Maitreya descending to meet them here on earth. The most famous of these revelations in Mahayana Buddhism are five scriptures Maitreya

1269-950: The Middle and the Extremes"), Abhisamayalankara ( "Ornament for clear realization"), and the Ratnagotravibhaga (Exposition of the Jeweled lineage). The Chinese tradition meanwhile maintains that the five revealed scriptures are: the Yogācārabhūmi , *Yogavibhāga [now lost] , Mahāyānasūtrālamkārakā , Madhyāntavibhāga and the Vajracchedikākāvyākhyā. Mahayana sources contain various mantras and dharanis of Maitreya. His common name mantra (as taught in Shingon Buddhism ) is: oṃ maitreya svāhā Another Maitreya mantra taught in

1316-979: The Tibetan tradition is: oṃ āḥ maitrī sarva siddhi hūṃ Two other mantras from the Chinese canon (in a text translated by Kūkai ) include: Namaḥ samanta-buddhānāṃ aparājite jayanti svāhā Namaḥ samanta-buddhānāṃ ajitaṃjaya sarva-sattva-āśaya-anugata svāhā A popular dharani taught in Tibetan Buddhism is the Incantation of Noble Maitreya's Promise (Ārya-maitri-pratijñā-nāma-dhāraṇī ): Namo ratnatrayāya namo bhagavate śākyamunaye tathāgatāyārhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya. Tadyathā: oṃ ajite ajite aparājite ajitañjaya hara hara maitri avalokite kara kara mahāsamayasiddhe bhara bhara mahābodhimaṇḍabīje smara smara asmākaṃ samaya bodhi bodhi mahābodhi svāhā Mah%C4%81vastu The Mahāvastu (Sanskrit for "Great Event" or "Great Story")

1363-766: The bodhisattva Maitreya. He appears as a supporting character in several important Mahāyāna sūtras such as the Lotus Sutra , Vimalakirti Sutra , the Golden Light , the King of Samadhis Sutra , and the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines . In the Gaṇḍavyūha Sutra meanwhile, Maitreya has an entire chapter in which he preaches the Dharma to the pilgrim Sudhana in one hundred and twenty one verses. Then Sudhana

1410-517: The bodhisattva path. Parallel examples of Bahubuddhakasūtras have been found in Gandharan Buddhist text collections. One of these manuscripts dates to the 1st century BCE. Another parallel Bahubuddhaka sūtra is the Chinese translation Fo benxing ji jing (Taisho 190). The Mahāvastu 's Jātaka tales are similar to those of the Pali Canon although significant differences exist in terms of

1457-473: The celestial realm of Tushita and transmitted to him several Buddhist scriptures (the so called "five dharmas of Maitreya"). The Chinese and Tibetan traditions disagree on which scriptures are included in the "Five Dharmas of Maitreya". In the Tibetan tradition, the five texts are: Mahāyānasūtrālamkārakārikā , ("The Adornment of Mahayana sutras"), Dharmadharmatāvibhāga ("Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being"), Madhyāntavibhāgakārikā ("Distinguishing

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1504-561: The current regent of the Buddha's Dharma in Tusita. Many Buddhists throughout history have cultivated merit through good deeds in order to be reborn in Tusita and meet Maitreya bodhisattva there in their next life. This may be combined with the wish to descend back down to earth as part of Maitreya's future entourage. Mahayana Buddhists such as Dao'an , Xuanzang , Yjing , and other masters of East Asian Yogacara , have expressed devotion for Maitreya and have sought to be reborn in his pure land ,

1551-592: The founder of the Yogacara tradition through his revelation of various scriptures like the Mahāyānasūtrālamkārakā , and the Madhyāntavibhāga . Maitreya has also been employed in a millenarian role by many non-Buddhist philosophies and religions, such as Theosophy , New Age , the White Lotus , as well as by modern new religious movements , such as Yiguandao and Falun Gong . The name Maitreya

1598-441: The hair loop). Because of this, some scholars argue that the water bottle and hair loop are symbols of his brahminical origins, and indeed, some stories depict Maitreya as being born to a Human family during his last life. Maitreya is also often shown in a heaven realm, indicating his current location (Tushita). In Indian symbolism, the kamaṇḍalu pot symbolizes immortality ( amrita ), fertility, life and wealth. In Buddhism,

1645-401: The human lifespan will also decline. There will be war, sickness and famine. The Buddha's Dharma will then be lost. After some time, the world will begin to improve again, and human lifespans will begin to increase. It is at the peak of this rise in goodness in the far future that Maitreya will arrive. As such, in the traditional Buddhist view, first there will be a period of decline, followed by

1692-418: The net of the passions, they will manage to enter into trances, and theirs will be an abundance of joy and happiness, for they will lead a holy life under Maitreya's guidance. Thus, many Buddhists throughout history have sought to develop the necessary merit to meet Maitreya on Earth during the life of his final Buddhahood. This includes many Theravada Buddhists. One famous Theravadin who expressed this wish

1739-457: The next 180,000 years. According to the commentary of Anāgatavamsa, his teaching will last for 360,000 years. Buddhists believe that Maitreya is currently a spiritually advanced bodhisattva (a being who is practicing the path towards full Buddhahood ) in Tuṣita heaven where he will remain until it is the right time for him to descend to earth to attain Buddhahood. Maitreya currently resides in

1786-499: The palace at the center of Tuṣita. One Theravada example is the legend of the monk Malaya-Mahadeva, who is said to have traveled to Tushita and met Maitreya according to the 11th century Rasavāhinī . Modern figures like Xuyun , and Taixu  have also expressed the wish to meet Maitreya in Tushita. Maitreya is also believed by Buddhists to manifest "emanation bodies" ( nirmanakayas ) on earth in order to aid living beings and teach

1833-587: The passing of Shakyamuni. According to some accounts, Mahakasyapa will then hand Shayamuni's robe to Maitreya. Buddhist texts from several traditions say that beings in Maitreya's time will be much bigger than during the time of Sakyamuni. To these gigantic beings, Buddha's robe barely covers two fingers and a modern human appears insect sized. Some sources state that Maitreya will be 88 cubits (132 feet, 40 meters) tall and will live for 88,000 years. Like Maṅgala Buddha , his rays will make people hard to distinguish between day and night. His teachings will preserve for

1880-401: The similar pūrṇa- kumbha (full bottle) also symbolizes "auspicious abundance", wisdom, health, longevity, wealth, prosperity, and the Buddha's infinite quality of teaching the Dharma. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is termed a bumpa (wisdom urn, ritual vase). According to Jan Nattier , there are four main types of the Maitreya myth which we find throughout the history of Buddhism . The typology

1927-733: The tales' details. Other parts of the Mahāvastu have more direct parallels in the Pali Canon including from the Digha Nikaya ( DN 19, Mahāgovinda Sutta ), the Majjhima Nikaya ( MN 26, Ariyapariyesana Sutta ; and, MN 36, Mahasaccaka Sutta ), the Khuddakapātha , the Dhammapada (ch. 8, Sahassa Vagga ; and, ch. 25, Bhikkhu Vagga ), the Sutta Nipata ( Sn 1.3, Khaggavisā ṇ a Sutta ; Sn 3.1, Pabbajjā Sutta ; and, Sn 3.2, Padhāna Sutta ),

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1974-476: The title Miroku . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miroku&oldid=544106969 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Maitreya In all branches of Buddhism, Maitreya

2021-400: The torrents of their cravings will be cut off: free from all misery they will manage to cross the ocean of becoming; and, as a result of Maitreya's teachings, they will lead a holy life. No longer will they regard anything as their own, they will have no possession, no gold or silver, no home, no relatives! But they will lead the holy life of oneness under Maitreya's guidance. They will have torn

2068-529: The two figures were not fully established at an early date. 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 religious belief of Maitreya apparently developed around the same time as that of Amitābha , as early as the 3rd century CE. Maitreya is often depicted standing or sitting on

2115-679: Was an extensive Buddhist play in pre-Islamic Central Asia (c. 8th century). The Maitreyavyakarana (a poem in śatakam form) in Central Asia and the Anagatavamsa of South India also mention him. In the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara , in the first centuries CE in northern India, Maitreya was the most popular figure to be represented along with Gautama Buddha . Numerous sculptures of Maitreya have been found in Greater Gandhara from

2162-414: Was the vyuhakalpa (glorious aeon), and the present kalpa is called the bhadrakalpa (auspicious aeon). The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity ( saptatathāgata ) are seven Buddhas which bridge the last kalpa and the present kalpa, they begin with Vipassī and end (so far) with Gautama (Shakyamuni). Maitreya is thus the eighth Buddha in this line. According to traditional Buddhist sources Maitreya's advent

2209-627: Was the Sinhalese king Duṭṭhagāmaṇī . In Mahayana Buddhism, Buddhas preside over pure lands , such as Sukhavati . Once Maitreya becomes a Buddha, he will rule over the Ketumati pure land, an earthly paradise sometimes associated with the city of Varanasi (also known as Benares) in Uttar Pradesh , India, and in other descriptions, the kingdom of Shambhala . Various Buddhist sources give details about Maitreya's birth, family and country. According to

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