He Comes as . . . The Maitreya
(Buddhist Prophecies)

“At that period, brethren, there will arise in the world an Exalted One named Maitreya, Fully Awakened, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed as a guide to mortals willing to be led, a teacher for gods and men, an Exalted One, a Buddha, even as I am now. He, by himself, will thoroughly know and see, as it were face to face, this universe, with Its worlds of the spirits, Its Brahmas and Its Maras, and Its world of recluses and Brahmins, of princes and peoples, even as I now, by myself, thoroughly know and see them” (Digha Nikaya, 26).

This prophecy by Guatama Buddha is very ambiguous, that is to say, it has very few details that allow us to probe into it and extract details that predict when Maitreya will come.  But there are a few Buddhist prophecies that are more specific to the time when the Maitreya will arise:

“After my decease, first will occur the five disappearances.  And what are the five disappearances?  The disappearance of attainments [to Nirvana], the disappearance of the method [inability to practice wisdom, insight and the four purities of moral habit], the disappearance of learning [loss of men who follow the Dharma], the disappearance of the symbols [the outward forms, the robes and practices of Buddhism], the disappearance of the relics...”

“Then when the Dispensation of the perfect Buddha is 5,000 years old, the relics, not receiving reverence and honor will go to places where they can receive them... This, Sariputta, is called the disappearance of relics” (The Surangama Sutra).

The above passage clearly predicts, as so many other religions of the world have, that when society degrades and God (and His religion) are thought of as second to intellectualism, then the Savior will appear.  Likewise, in the Bible, we find the confusion that must take place before the coming of the Messiah, and in THOTH we find an explanation for it:

“‘Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so. Amen.’ (Rev. 1:7).  ‘Cloud’ means confusion.  He comes whenever confusion comes to humanity.  ‘When righteousness is weak and faints and unrighteousness exults in pride [confusion], then my Soul arises on earth’ (Bhagavad-Gita 4:7).  ‘Every eye shall see him,’ means that those who have their eyes opened (third eyes) will see him.  ‘They also which pierced him’ means that those who pierced him will also see his glory.  When it is said that he will come from the sky, the sky means the same as heaven, and heaven means Pure Consciousness.  So he comes from Pure Consciousness, or he comes as an Avatar (god-man)” (THOTH, Revelation Of The Revelation, T1, V21-24).

We can see that the same conditions are given in all religions.  Each religion gives only a slightly different account of the times before the coming of the Messiah, and each religion likewise gives only a slightly different description of how the Messiah will come. Nevertheless, with all the promises of moral degradation and societal deterioration and likewise with all the promises of a coming Messiah, it must be realized that all the religions of the world, in their own manner, are predicting the same event.  This is to say that the titles Mahdi, Christ, Krishna, Shah-Bahram, Kalki, Maitreya, Muhammad, and the like, are interchangeable just as the prophecies that herald each of their appearances are likewise.  The world, in all its niches and groups, are awaiting the same thing, that they all await Maitreya.

One of the most significant of these prophecies of the world, are the ones that give dates or times by which we may recognize when the Messiah will arise.  The prophecy given by Buddha gives a near to exact date of when the Maitreya will come.  The clue that helps us to understand when the Maitreya will be manifested is:

“ . . . when the Dispensation of the perfect Buddha is 5000 years old.”

Buddha, who was sent to India, spoke to a Hindu audience, in terminology that they could relate to and understand.  Considering that Buddha was speaking to followers of Hinduism, He was speaking in terms of the Hindu system of dating.

Hinduism is expecting the appearance of the Kalki Avatar, shortly after the beginning of the Krita age and the end of the Kali age.  The exact date of when the Kali age ends and the Krita age begins is unknown.  However, it has been estimated that the Kali age ended at noon on the first of August 1943 A.D.  Assuming then that this date is correct, the Buddhist equivalent year (which pertains to the Dispensation of the perfect Buddha lasting 5,000 years) would be approximately the year 2,486 in the Buddhist era.

“If, Ananda, women had not retired from the household life to the houseless one, under the doctrine and discipline announced by the Tathagata, Dharma Ananda would long endure; a thousand years would the good Dharma abide.  But since, Ananda, women have now retired from the household life to the houseless one, under the doctrine and the discipline announced by the Tathagata, not long Ananda, will Dharma endure; but five hundred years Ananda, until the Dharma abide” (Vinya Pitaka II. 253 ff).

Buddha had previously promised that the Dharma would last for 5,000 years, which if broken down is really five periods of one thousand years, each period representing one of the five disappearances.  After the fifth period, that is five thousand years, the Dharma would disappear and the true message of Buddha would be lost.  

However, Buddha contests that because He has allowed women to participate in the fullness of Buddhist life, He would halve the time until the Dharma's expiration from five periods of one-thousand years (5,000 years), to five periods of five-hundred years (2,500 years).  

According to Buddha, and explanation above, the Dharma would disappear 2,500 years after His Dispensation began (1957 A.D.), and shortly after the five disappearances, the Maitreya would come.

This interpretation of Scripture is supported by a number of ancient Chinese's Buddhist commentaries, here is one such example:

"The monks and stream attainers (followers) will be strong in their union with Dharma for 500 years after the Blessed One's Parinirvana.  In the second 500 years they will be strong in meditation; in the third period of 500 years they will be strong in erudition.  In the fourth 500 years period they will only be occupied with gift giving.  The final or fifth period of 500 years will see only fighting and reproving among the monks and followers.  The pure Dharma will then become invisible (disappear)" (Abhidharmakosha, 4.12c. III. p. 41).

From these two examples we may conclude that Maitreya should arise sometime around 1957 A.D.  However, are there any other clues for the date of the Maitreya?  Yes, and we will review one more before we reach our conclusion:

“I have another prophecy, also, Tibetan: It is predicted that the manifestation of Maitreya shall come after the wars...” (Maitreya Lord of the World, by Dr. M. Doreal).

Here is the conclusion that we have reached: (1) The Maitreya would have to arise sometime after the Kali age and at the beginning of the Krita age, which would be sometime after August 1st, 1943.  (2) Around 2,500 years after the beginning of the Dispensation of the Buddha, the Maitreya would arise.  This would be around 1957 A.D.  (3) The Maitreya would come after the great wars, in an age that was beginning to prosper and rebuild.  With these three points we can reach our final conclusion that is: Maitreya will arise between the year 1943 A.D. and 1957 A.D.

[Note: The date of 1957 is based on dating 2,500 years from 544 B.C., one of the possible dates given for Buddha's death (beginning of Buddha's Dispensation, the "Buddhist era").  Another possible date to begin this count is 483 B.C.  In this case, adding 2,500 years leads us to the date 2017.  The overall meaning is the same - we should expect Maitreya to come at this time in history - but the date of 2017 is especially interesting as it is the date Maitreya chose as the end of the 12,000 years of history of present man and beginning of the Golden Age!  For more information, see the Newsbrief article Buddhism and the Year 2017.]

More Hints About Who The Maitreya Will Be:

“The Lord replied, 'Maitreya, the best of men, will then leave the Tushita heavens, and go for his last rebirth.  As soon as he is born he will walk seven steps forward, and where he puts down his feet a jewel or a lotus will spring up.  He will raise his eyes to the ten directions, and will speak these words:  'This is my last birth.  There will be no rebirth after this one.  Never will I come back here, but, all pure, I shall win Nirvana.” (Buddhist Scriptures by Edward Conze)

Buddha tells us several key things about Maitreya and Maitreya’s Message.  The first of these is that Maitreya will leave “the Tushita heavens.”  That is to say that Maitreya comes from heaven to earth.  The same thing was said about Christ in the Bible.  

The words, “and go for his last rebirth,” refers to this being Christ’s final appearance on earth as Messiah that is recorded in all Scriptures.  He will bring the Final Revelation of God to man (Revelation chapter five).  He Opens the Book Sealed with the Seven Seals and Reveals the Unity of all Religions.  So, what Buddha is saying is that Maitreya (Christ Spirit) is the final appearance of the Buddha, as Kalki is the final Avatar of Vishnu and the Seventh Angel, Maitreya is on earth.  

When He comes a jewel will arise which is His Teachings.  The second meaning is concerned with Maitreya's revelation of the unfolding lotus petal, which is the base of the Mission’s sign.  

And finally, in regards to the words, “This is my last birth.  There will be no Great Revelation after this one.  Never will I come back here, but, all pure, I shall win Nirvana,” simply confirms the statement in the Bible said about the Seventh Angel, 

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel… the mystery of God should be finished…(Rev 10:7).”
 

More Buddhist prophecies fulfilled by Maitreya: The Maitreya Prophecy, 'Maitreyavyakarana'