What is the status of Maitreya in Buddhism? Are you and Sakyamuni the same person?

In fact, China people's preferred belief is neither Guanyin nor Amitabha, and Maitreya is the first person to gain the belief of China people. As early as the Han Dynasty, the Buddhist scriptures of Maitreya Buddha were translated into Chinese in large quantities. In Xinjiang, a script "Meeting with Maitreya" written in the northeast language was unearthed, which described the story of meeting with Maitreya. This is the oldest writing in China, which was discovered in 1970s, and it is the largest classic unearthed in Northeast China so far. In the Han Dynasty, this belief was quickly recognized and accepted by believers in China, and many people devoted themselves to the pure land of Maitreya.

In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Maitreya belief was still prevalent. Han Shan, a famous monk poet, wrote such a poem: There is no Buddha in the south, and Maitreya Buddha is far away. Xuanzang believed in Maitreya Pure Land from the beginning. He is a devout believer in Maitreya. Wu Zetian and Tang Gaozong worship Xuanzang very much, and they are also Maitreya believers. This is the reason why Xuanzang went to India for advice from a yoga master.

Wu Zetian officially announced that she was born as Maitreya Buddha, which can be used to treat swords in Zitong. There are many strong women in the history of China, such as Lv Hou and Cixi, but they are not emperors. Wu Zetian is the emperor. She turned Emperor Li into her husband. In China tradition, how can a woman become an emperor? Wu Zetian said in Buddhist reincarnation that I am Maitreya. Wu Zetian replaced Li's descendants with Maitreya Buddha and became a justified emperor, which constructed the theoretical basis.

Bai Juyi is a disciple of Maitreya. He organized a society called the Temporary Ascension Society. I hope everyone can rise to the realm of Maitreya together. In order to stay in Maitreya, Bai Juyi wrote a resolution: Yang Cishi, also known as Ci Shi, wishes me to be promoted for a while in the afterlife. Cishi is Maitreya, Maitreya is transliteration, and cishi is free translation. I admire the image of Ci's Bodhisattva. My name is Ci's Bodhisattva. I hope to ascend to Maitreya in the afterlife. It should be said that before the Tang Dynasty, people who believed in Maitreya accounted for the main part of Buddhist believers.

So, how did the belief in Maitreya gradually decline? There is competition between different sects and doctrines of Buddhism. But the fundamental reason is that Maitreya Buddha, as a future Buddha who saves people in from the mire, saves people from suffering and brings people all good wishes and hopes, has already become the spiritual pillar of civil resistance and the source of cohesion. Under the banner of Maitreya, it is not uncommon in the history of China. Therefore, the rulers can't tolerate this belief. Tang Xuanzong banned Maitreya belief, so he gradually became unknown. After Kaiyuan in Tang Dynasty, the number of Maitreya Buddha statues among Han believers decreased sharply.

The name of Maitreya, pronounced in Sanskrit or Pali, has nothing to do with Maitreya. Xuanzang discovered this problem. So Xuanzang said that your translation was wrong. From Sanskrit translation, it should be called Medanliye. Xuanzang believes that Maitreya Buddha should be called the Bodhisattva Medanliye. Just like observing the fate of a bodhisattva, everyone does not accept Xuanzang's opinion and is still called Maitreya Bodhisattva. Maitreya is a transliteration, and the free translation is called Ci's Bodhisattva.