Maitrya buddha

Maitrya Buddha

Maitreya is derived from the word maitri (Sanskrit) meaning ‘loving-kindness’ and according to Buddhist eschatology, Maitreya Buddha is regarded as the future Buddha of this world which means He will be the successor of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

In Buddhist and Taoist forklore tradition, many believed that an eccentric Chinese Zen monk, Budai, who lived during the Later Liang Dynasty (907-923 AD) of China, was an incarnation of the Maitreya Buddha. This was because he was a man of good and loving character and also of the Buddhist hymn which he sang before his death: -

“Maitreya, the true Maitreya has billions of incarnations.

Often he is shoen to people at the time;

other times they do not recognize him.”

Therefore, most statues of Maitreya Buddha which depict of a stout and laughing bald man in robes with a largely exposed pot belly stomach were based on Budai’s appearance and is also because of this jolly smile, Maitreya Buddha, is commonly known as the ‘Laughing Buddha’. 

As Maitreya Buddha is a representation of contentment and abundance, His statue can often be found gracing in temples, restaurants and businesses.

One popular belief is that if one rubs the belly of Maitreya Buddha, it will bring forth wealth, good luck and prosperity and so on the 1st day of the Lunar Year which is the birthday of the Maitreya Buddha, devotees will gather at temples to pray and rub the belly of Maitreya Buddha, for wealth, good luck and prosperity in the new year.

- from fb.com post of Shanmugasundaram Palanisamy