Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated)

 

C XII

i-o-wo

aitreya uddha

Maitreya, “e Friendly and Benevolent One” or “One Who

Possesses Loving-kindness” is widely adored by the Chinese

Buddhists for his willingness to grant help to those who direct

their minds towards him. He is also known as Ajita, ‘the Un-

conquered’ and ranks equal with the other great Bodhisattvas

such as Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, Samanthabadra, Mahastham-

aprata and Ksitigarbha. As the next Buddha-to-be he alone en-

joys the distinction of being the only Bodhisattva recognised

and popularly accepted by both Mahayanist and eravadin

countries.

Maitreya has taken numerous incarnations in the various Buddhist

countries and China has had quite a fair share of them. Histori-

cally, the most important amongst them, is said to be that as the

son of a King of Varanise in Central Asia. Record has it that he

was born with the full thirty-two marks of a superior being who

subsequently became a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha and was

one of the main interlocutors in the Mahayana Sutras where he

conversed with some of the great disciples of the Buddha.

Although he is, strictly speaking, still a Bodhisattva of the nineth
stage, the tenth being that of a fully Enlightened Buddha, he is