The bodhisattva Maitreya is predicted to be the one who will succeed Śākyamuni (Gautama) as the next Samasambuddha. Found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects (Theravāda, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna), it is predicted that he would be a "world ruler" and expound the Dharma when "the teachings of the current Buddha Gautama, the Dharma, are no longer taught and are completely forgotten."
After reading about Maitreya, the entire foundations of my belief and notions about Buddhism seems to have convulsed and cracked as I have always thought that Buddhism was free from eschatological doctrines and melodramas like these, unlike the Abrahamic religions. Things like Tushita Heaven and prophecies like the one above seem to have made Buddhism just like every other organized religion out there, which was something I thought it wasn't.
So what should I make of this? And with Buddhist teachings stressing on the present and the 'here-and-now', what should I do about this future coming?
2007-04-04 05:10:52 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya
http://www.ubakhin.com/uchittin/arimet/ARIMET01.html
And please don't give me bullshit like "The truth is only in Christianity / Islam / Hinduism / blah... blah... blah...
2007-04-04 05:13:18 · update #1
Some really constructive answers! Thank you very much Sybil, Vinslave and Ven. Hong Yang for the great answers.
2007-04-04 05:52:55 · update #2
The Buddha Dharma as taught by Sakyamuni has not died out. It has continued to this day. The monastic Sangha has preserved the Buddha Dharma for over 2600 years. Our lineage is the the oldest continuous monastic order in the world today.
When you read the english translations you need to keep in mind they are not always in the present tense; they skip around in time.
Take another look, some events occured in the Buddha's past life that related to his teachings in his present life.
Read widely from all schools of buddhism, not just popular books and texts at the bookstores, go to the temple web sites, like buddhanet.net or e-sangha.com; there are many kinds of Buddhism, so read more from practitioners not from scholars who don't practice.
It is nice to be in the here and now but if you ignore the Karmic seeds of cause and effect you don't have a clear view of the here and now.
Your questions of what to do about the future coming are valid. You do your best to raise your awareness of Buddha nature within yourself. Maitreya and any other Buddha is already present within our own natures, we just cloud them over with delusions. Now, its important to not compare other religions with this idea. It is not somebody else, or a spirit, or a god that you have awareness of. It is your own true buddha nature.
It would be more useful to stop using christian terms and thinking in understanding Buddhism. It is better for you to think about things with Buddhist terms, not other religons words. The reason you have trouble understanding Buddhism and practicing it is that you did not abandon your fixed thinking about it as a form a christian religion.
2007-04-04 05:42:13 · answer #1 · answered by Ven. Hong Yang 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What should you make of it? NOTHING... (wink) if you like the Dharma and wish to practice it, then the next Buddha doesn't matter right now. Seriously. He's supposed to come after the Dharma (as it is taught now) disappears from the world... we still have some good teachers still alive, and while they're dwindling you still have a chance to make good use of this human life to practice the Dharma.
Be in the present moment and meditate on the object of concentration... mindfulness.
Hope this helps.
_()_
2007-04-04 05:29:12 · answer #2 · answered by vinslave 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
On the surface Buddhism seems to be one thing but when looked at in depth, it turns out to be something else, doesn't it? I was once at the point where you stand. Now it is up to you to decide if you are truly Buddhist. I recommend you just keep studying and meditating. The answer will come to you about what you should do.
As I have said many times, Buddhism is NOT an atheistic belief.
2007-04-04 05:18:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I've actually never heard of that. I always saw Buddhism as an Atheistic practice, but some people interpret it differently. Thank you. That's something for me to follow up on.
2007-04-04 05:15:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
That's interesting. And I'm glad to hear you are venturing out and learning there are other things out there. I would make him Vegetable Lo Mein when he gets to your house. Make sure he has a big bed, not that he is a little dude or anything. Funny, I believe Buddah's doings than I do in Jesus's doings.
2007-04-04 05:16:36 · answer #5 · answered by Spring loaded horsie 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
there were countless buddhas before Gautama.it takes aeons(movement thru the present moment) to become "fully" enlightened(awake)./is there any experience that you have ever had that isn't in the present moment? the past and future are just thoughts that past thru the present moment./also, i have no original ideas.i just repeat what i have read and ive read alot.
2007-04-04 05:25:11 · answer #6 · answered by robertbobbybob 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i advice you to research further about this.....and understand it.
as far as i know...if something like this was going to happen and you didn't know about it. then it is your fault right?.
buddhism is a great religion. believe in it. everything else doesn't matter.
2007-04-04 05:17:32 · answer #7 · answered by *~Hope~* 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋