Cult of Maitreya Duì Mílèfó De Chóngbài 对弥勒佛的崇拜

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Cult of Maitreya Duì Mílèfó de chóngbài 对弥勒佛的崇拜

In early medieval China the cult of Maitreya presence of Maitreya so that Daoan’s doubts about the was an important focus of Buddhist belief. scriptures could be resolved. The Buddhist pilgrim Xu- The cult originally was associated with the anzang (Hsuan-tsang, c. 596–664) was a devout devotee goal of monk-scholars to be reborn in “Tusita of Maitreya who wished to be reborn in Tusita, thus the cult became closely associated with his school of Chinese heaven” and to hear the dharma directly from Yogacara. the future Buddha Maitreya. In early medieval China the cult of Maitreya was an important focus of Buddhist belief. Because the sutras (precepts summarizing Vedic teaching) about Maitreya he cult of Maitreya (Mile) in China originally suggested that he would descend from Tusita to being a was associated with the vows of monk-scholars peaceful Buddhist millennium after years of warfare and to be reborn in what they called “Tusita heaven.” the decline of the Buddhist teaching (mofa), worship of Their goal was to hear the dharma (divine law) directly Maitreya spread throughout Chinese society. During the from the mouth of the future Buddha Maitreya and thus chaos that reigned at the end of the Sui dynasty (581– attain Buddhahood. These elite monk-scholars and the 618 ce) and the rise of the Tang dynasty, a few Buddhist royalty and aristocrats who patronized them commis- monks and laymen justified their rebellions by claiming sioned images of Maitreya, both sitting and standing in to be Maitreya, thus drawing upon the beliefs and imag- meditation, as objects of worship and as aids for contem- ery common to the cult. The Empress Wu Zetian (624– plation and visualization. Images of Maitreya standing 705) later justified her usurpation of the Tang dynasty were indicative of his preaching in Ketumati (generally throne by identifying herself with Maitreya. Through- thought to be modern Varanasi, India) and images of out the Song dynasty (960–1279) followers of Maitreya Maitreya sitting were indicative of his waiting in Tus- rebelled frequently, and rebels drew upon Maitreya cult ita. The styles were closely connected in the art of the imagery to lend religious fervor and authority to their North and South Dynasties (220–589 ce) and the Tang rebellions. dynasty (618–907 ce) and show that these two aspects The cult of Maitreya and his image have gone through of the cult of Maitreya were related in early medieval many transformations in Chinese society. He eventually China. was reinterpreted iconographically, changing from a slim The beginnings of the monastic aspect of the cult of and sleek figure in earlier dynasties to theroly- poly Budai Maitreya in China can be traced to the exegete (relating (Pu-tai) of the Song dynasty. The “Laughing Buddha,” as to exposition) Daoan (312–385), whose worship was fo- he is commonly known, spread throughout Chinese pop- cused on his desire to be reborn in Tusita heaven in the ular culture during the late imperial period (1368–1912).

Maitreya carved into a mountain, Gansu Prov- ince. The iconography of Maitreya and his cult have gone through many transformations in Chinese society, from slim and sleek in the Northern Dynasties period to roly- poly in the Song era. Photo by Joan Lebold Cohen.

It is a staple image of traditional Chinese culture that has Istituto Universitario Orientale Seminario di Studi been exported to the West through immigrant Chinese. Asiatici. Lee Yu-Min. (1984). Ketumati Maitreya and Tusita Mai- Richard D. McBRIDE II treya in early China: Part 1. National Palace Museum Bulletin, 19(4), 1–11. Lee Yu-Min. (1984). Ketumati Maitreya and Tusita Mai- Further Reading treya in early China: Part 2. National Palace Museum Ch’en, Kenneth. (1964). Buddhism in China: A historical Bulletin, 19(5), 1–11. survey. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Sponberg, A., & Hardacre, H. (Eds.). (1988). Maitreya, the Forte, A. (1976). Political propaganda and ideology in future Buddha. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Univer- China at the end of the seventh century. Naples, Italy: sity Press.

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