पालि परम्परा
में मेत्रेय भावी बुद्ध के रुप में जाने जाते हैं। (संस्कृत ग्रंथों
में इनका नाम मैत्रेय है ) परम्परा
में यह मान्य है कि इनका जन्म तब होगा जब मनुष्यों का औसतन जीवन-काल चौरासी हज़ार वर्षों का होगा।
मेत्रेय का जन्म एक प्रसिद्ध विद्वत्-कुल
में अजित के नाम से केतुमती नामक एक स्थान
में होगा। इनके पिता का नाम सुब्रह्मण तथा
माता का नाम ब्राह्मवती होगा। इनकी पत्नी की नाम चंदमुखी और पुत्र का नाम
ब्रह्मवड्ढन होगा।
अभी मेत्रेय तुसित नामक देवलोक में नाथ के नाम
से निवास कर रहे हैं। इन्हें विश्वपाणि
भी कहा जाता है। महामाया के पेट
में गर्भस्थ होने से पूर्व गौतम ने विश्वपाणि को ही तुसितलोक का
उत्तराधिकार सौंपा था। चूँकि मेत्रेय ने अभी तक
सांसारिकता का त्याग नहीं किया है।
अत: चित्रों व प्रतिमाओं में मुकुट के
साथ ही दर्शाए जाते हैं।
M etteya is the much awaited Future Buddha, who is yet to be born. He will then be reckoned as the twenty-fifth Buddha according to the Pali tradition. Furthermore, He would be counted as the fifth and the last of the Buddhas of the current aeon, i.e., the Bhadda Kappa. It is believed that he would be born when the human life will extend to eighty-four thousand years. The place of his birth would be Ketumati in the reign of Chakkavatti Samkha, who himself shall become a follower of the Buddha and renounce the worldly life.
Maitreya (Metteya)
Thanka no. 3 Collection: Spituk Monastery (Courtesy: Sakyamuni: An Exhibition of Rare Thankas Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Choglamsar Leh; p.25)
Metteya would be born
in an eminent erudite family and his name would be Ajita. The name of his gotta
(clan) would also be Metteya. The name of his father would be Subrahma;
and of the mother Brahmavati. He would be married to Chandamukhi and will
have Brahmavaddhana as his son. He will live in four palaces for eight
thousand years, which shall be called Sirivaddha, vaddhamana, Siddhattha
and Chandaka. He would then renounce the world after seeing the four
signs.
Among his most
noteworthy followers would be his two brothers Isidatta and Purana; and
Jatimitta, Vijaya among the men; and Suddhana and Sanghaa and Visakhaa
among the women. Asoka and
Brahmadeva among the monks; and Paduma and Sumana among the nuns would be
his chief disciples. Siha would be his personal attendant. He would attain
Enlightenment under a Naga tree.
It is held in the tradition that the Future Buddha has his abode in Tusita Deva-world, where he is called Nath. He is often portrayed or sculpted in crowns and jewels as he is yet to renounce the worldly life.
See Digha Nikaya iii.7; Mahavamsa xxx xxxii. 73, 81 f.; Chullavamsa xxxviii. 68,; Milinda Panha159 ; Atthasalini 415.