Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future

Maitreya, whose name translates as "the Friendly One," is the Buddha of the future. In Buddhist thought, Maitreya will be born on Earth during a period when Buddhism has largely been forgotten; his presence will inaugurate a new era for the Buddhist path (dharma). Accordingly, Maitreya holds in his raised right hand a wheel that symbolizes the Buddhist Eightfold Path. On top of a lotus held in his left hand appears his characteristic emblem, the water pot that symbolizes purification and renewal. Just as Maitreya renews Buddhist history, he also appears at the New Year festival in Mongolia, where this sculpture was created. Maitreya's standing posture reveals that he presently resides in the heaven called Tushita, "the Joyous Place," in preparation for his future descent to Earth.