Origins, Prophesies and the
Messenger
Origins
1. The origin of Buddhism (Ekayana) lies
in pre-Buddhist times. It starts with the Great Mother Tradition, subsequently followed by
Hinduism. Hinduism is the only religion (apart from Taoism) in which a continuity of the
Original Mother is still visible. Buddhism is a reaction to Hinduism. Logically, in order
to distinguish itself from its predecessor, the former had to change core teachings. At
the same time it was the beginning of patriarchal religion. Hence, especially insights and
concepts related to the "Eternal Feminine" had to be "transformed".
For instance, central to the Mother Religion was the "cycle of life and death".
It corresponded with feminine logic of menstruation, the change of seasons and the moon
phases. Because in archaic times the role of men was secondary (to that of women) - often
related to that of "vegetation god", in which they had to sacrifice themselves
to ensure the next harvest - men were seeking "a way out". They started the
"quest for immortality". However, the underlying Truth, namely the Mother as the
Vacuum - the Cosmic Womb - could not simply be ignored. That's why the Buddha not only
proclaimed his Awakening, but subsequently referred it to something beyond: Nirvana.
According to the Buddha Enlightenment has to be put into the context of Absolute
Emptiness, the Void. The latter, not the former has to be considered the Ultimate. In the
Sukhavativyuhasutra ("Land of Bliss") for instance, the Buddha is asking
Maitreya: "Did you see any being in the Land of Bliss, that has been originating from
the lap?" Few realize that with this the Buddha acknowledged
"Darkness" to be the Origin of Light - a memory of "the old times" - a
hierarchy that under the influence of patriarchal developments within Buddhism was soon
"forgotten". Not surprisingly, knowing that Buddhism originally was an
enterprise entirely aimed at overcoming "the cycle of birth and death" - the
feminine aspect of life - after all, a fact even not fully acknowledged by renowned
feminist scholars*. "Buddhahood" became a dimension for itself and on its own.
The "organic" relationship with the Absolute Void was pushed to the background.
It was the Yogacara school that re-opened the discussion though. It emphasized
"tathagathagarbha", the Womb. This school not only restored the original lineage
("Light born out of Darkness"), but had no problems with feminine connotations
of the Origin. A tendency which later - in a weakened and deviated form - was to be
continued by Vajrayana Buddhism.
* R.Gross "Buddhism
after patriarchy", 1993 State University of New York Press
In Great Mother Buddhism
the "cycle of birth and death" is
reunited with its Origin, overcoming 2000 years
of (hidden) dualism
2. This is confirmed by
insights of those who suffered the Great Death* (Tibetan: delog) as well as by modern
physics. The Ultimate is the dimension beyond Enlightenment and death, and appears to be a
Vacuum. In the old times this was described as the Abyss of the universe, the Womb or the
Great Mother. In recent times quantum physics assumes a "zero-point energy
ocean" beyond the tangible universe. The former, in its turn, originates from the
Abyss beyond. The foundation of life is a Vacuum "in which everything without
exception continuously dies and is being reborn in the selfsame Eternal Moment".
Which leads to the concept of the Absolute Void as the destroyer and creator of all life:
both of Buddhahood (Light, Being) and the relative world. Light is born out of Darkness.
Light continuously returns to Absolute Emptiness. It also dies. Because death and rebirth
of the Light happens in the selfsame Eternal Moment.....it only seems that the former is
"Absolute". In Reality, everything, even the Light is subjected to death and
rebirth. Thus, Buddhahood is born out of the Womb! The difference between the Great Mother
and Nirvana is that the former includes the dynamic aspect of "birth and death",
while the second excludes this. (Apart from the "formal" recognition that
"Nirvana is samsara"). By making "Nirvana" an abstract term the
Mother was stripped from Her dynamic (Womb!) aspects. It points at a fundamental
difference between the official (patriarchal) religion (with the masculine fear of life)
and the more down to earth common people, who instead kept an inclusive (matricentral,
feminine) attitude. The consequence of this is far reaching: do you accept "birth and
death" as belonging to reality or are you trying to escape from it? It is turning
point in contemporary Buddhism.
See: chapter "Threefold Realization"
Miroku Nyorei (Maitreya)
3. From the beginning of Buddhism there
was a notion of the underlying feminine principle, though. The Prajnaparamita is said to
be "The Mother of the Buddha's" or "The Womb of the Tathagatas".
Existence is bottomless, hence all dharmas have no self-existing identity. The primary
matrix of existence is called "Mother of Creation". The Mother principle is the
space that gives birth both to all Buddha's and to the phenomenal world. It is an ongoing
process. However, this insight doesn't go far enough. Here "Mother" means
"Essence of the Buddha's", which is equal to the Light, Buddhahood. The
confusion is, that the Light is also called Emptiness. Because in Enlightenment the ego is
dissolved into it. However, it is relative. Because the Light is born out of Darkness,
there must be something beyond "Emptiness", though. That's why the True Mother
is "Emptiness beyond Emptiness" or the Darkness from Which the Light
(Buddhahood) originates. Even in Tibetan Buddhism the insight in the true nature of
existence is confusing, mixing up "Emptiness" with "Emptiness beyond
Emptiness", e.g. in the biography of Machig Lapdron, an enlightened female
(1055-1145). There Tara said:
4. "Listen, yogini, your past is
cleared from your heart but I will explain it to you. The Great Mother is the void state
of all the dharmas which we call Mother of all Creation. The Mother is the Mother of the
Buddhas of the Three Times, the Dharmata of the Absolute State, beyond all obstructions,
the pure essence of egoless voidness-Prajna".*
* T.Allione "Women of
Wisdom", 1986 Arkana
5. Trungpa Rinpoche describes the primordial feminine as
follows. Here the original Mother-principle is already abandoned (e.g.
misunderstood!) in favor of a "consort" of the Buddhas. Rather than
Buddhahood being born out of Her, is she born out of Buddhahood. It corresponds with the
Shakti-principle of Hinduism or Sophia in Gnosticism. How different this being from
pre-buddhist times in Tibet - called "Zan-zun" - in which the Ultimate was
called "Sa-trig er-sans" or "Great Mother of Space", confirming that
originally She alone was the Source of all life. He states:
"In phenominal experience, whether
pleasure or pain, birth or death, sanity or insanity, good or bad, it is necessary to have
a basic ground. This basic ground is known in Buddhist literature as the mother principle.
Prajnaparamita (the perfection of wisdom) is called the mother-consort of all the
Buddhas*...As a principle of cosmic structure, the all-accomodating basic ground is
neither male nor female. One might call it hermaphroditic, but due to its quality of
fertility or potentiality, it is regarded as feminine".
Chögyam Trungpa "Maitreya
IV", pp. 23-4
Predecessor/Goddess of Maitreya (Borobudur)
6. Why is it so important to know
about the true nature of "Emptiness beyond Emptiness?". Although Buddhists use
it as a concept very few know about it from their own Realization....During the centuries
Enlightenment was considered the Ultimate Liberation. Liberation consisted of two
essential parts. First of all, in Enlightenment the ego disappears. Thus, Realization
meant freedom from the (unconscious) identification with the small self. The second part
consisted of the cultural/religious environment. After Enlightenment the tradition would
take care of the newly awakened one, embedding him or her in the context of rules,
practices and conventions. The latter preventing a relapse into self-centered attitudes.
The current situation is totally different though. Enlightenment has become a commodity in
the worldwide "spiritual" market. It is not something to BE, but to HAVE. It has
become the victim of a materialistic attitude. Moreover, instead of leading a
selfless life - dictated by the tradition - spiritual Attainment has become an instrument
of being succesful in a extremely self-centered environment. "To make a
difference" as it is called. Enlightenment is thus often (mis)used for one's own
ego-purposes. A balancing tradition is totally absent. "Self-effort", the core
of the Buddha's preaching, has thus got an unexpected shadow part. With the ego as
underlying motivation the treasure of Attainment degenerated. The result is, that
Enlightenment has lost its liberating power.
7. If Enlightenment (relative
Emptiness) cannot save us anymore, liberation has to come from "something" that
is beyond. It is the Dimension of Absolute Emptiness. Only the One who has experienced
Total Annihilation, in which both the I and Enlightenment have disappeared altogether*,
can guide you here. It is corresponding with the notion of the Vacuum, in pre-Buddhist
times called the Great Mother. Buddha called it Nirvana. Contrary to Enlightenment the
Vacuum cannot be attained, realized or possessed. It can only be worshipped or surrendered
to. The ego has no chance to use it for its own purposes. Absolute Emptiness is thus the
true testcase for a truly ego-less attitude. You have no choice but to surrender without
expecting anything back. To give up your ego with the underlying expectation of getting
Enlightenment back isn't very difficult. In fact, you don't give up anything. Surrendering
to the Great Mother, just because of awe, adoration or gratitude, on the other hand, is
the way of true purity. It solves our current ego-problems. Hence, the era of Sakyamuni -
based on self-attainment - is over. It has become (too much) corrupted. Everyone who is
honest admits how deep the Dharma has sunk nowadays....Instead, realizing your Maitreya
Mind through unconditional surrender/ love is the only way true liberation can be
attained. It requires a total renewal of all aspects of the Way. That's why Maitreya isn't
just "a new Buddha". He is a totally new appearence. He hasn't come in his own
right but serves as an instrument of "Something" Beyond, the Dimension that
cannot be named, the true Unknown, the Great Mother. Hence, the new guideline to all
reborn Buddhists: "Take Refuge in the Great Mother, Maitreya Buddha, the new Dharma
and the new Sangha". Those who have eyes, see it.....
* See: "Threefold
Realization"
Buddha, born out of the Mother Lap. Japan 17th? century
Computer-manipulated picture from R.Camphausen "The
Yoni", 1996 Inner Traditions
8. Anne C. Klein in her book
"The Great Bliss Queen" talks about the biography of Yeshey Tsogyel, a Tibetan
female Enlightened One. She seems to coming close to the Truth when she is stating, that
"in Nyingma Great Completeness traditions, the womb imagery associated with Yeshey
Tsogyel suggests a Buddha nature (...) that is "not merely empty, but has the nature
of clear light" and "Here the ultimate empty nature itself is filled with
positive potential".* The confusion is about the identity of Emptiness
("birthless" origin) and awareness, because eventually the "primordial
emptiness proves to be nothing but the internal clear light", e.g.
Enlightenment"**. Not surprisingly though, that she subsequently describes how to
realize this innermost essence.***, probably not realizing that this is the very core of
patriarchal spirituality. She does this in a feminist disguise, since she is talking about
"how to become a Great Bliss Queen". Unfortunately, the primordial Origin (the
Womb, Absolute Emptiness) is mixed up here with Her offspring: the Light e.g. Buddhahood.
What has been overlooked here is the hierarchy of "Mother and Son" (or
Daughter). In reality the Ultimate is Emptiness beyond Emptiness (the "Womb of
Buddhahood"); it is the Great Vacuum going beyond Buddhanature. It appears to be the
Ultimate Bottomlessness. Why is this so important? Obviously, because this is
Reality-As-It-Is. Moreover, the Womb is beyond every Realization, hence, It
("She") cannot be attained, achieved or possessed, only worshipped. It is the
end of a materialistic era, in which identification with Enlightenment is being (mis)used
in favor of influence and power. Buddhanature - the Light - on the other hand, has to be
understood as Her Lightbody, her Cosmic Son (Daughter). Something that is granted to you,
once your surrender is total. It is the foundation of a carefree life based on
effortlessness, grace, joy and gratitude, rather than ego-ambition. Conclusion: The above
mentioned book typically advocates "stealing of the female secret", the
replacement of the Realm of the Mother (Darkness) by masculine values (Light). It
parallels the transition between the original pre-buddhist feminine world and early
patriarchy in historical times. Again, it proves how difficult it is, to really
overcome the hurdles of patriarchy.
* A.C.Klein "Meeting the
Great Bliss Queen", 1995 Beacon Press, p. 160
** This is the core of the
confusion. It arises with identifying the Ultimate with Buddhahood. How did it come? Well,
to the ego Enlightenment is "Emptiness", because in Enlightenment the ego (self)
disappears into it. This is only half the truth, though. Because, in its turn,
Enlightenment (Buddhanature) "dies and is being reborn" in the Beyond, in
"Emptiness beyond Emptiness". Hence, the latter and not Buddhanature being the
Ultimate Reality (which I call the Cosmic Womb, e.g. the Great Mother).
*** ibid. p. 170
Amida Buddha sitting
on/emerging from the LotusWomb
9. The object of ultimate reverence thus
being the Womb! In Asia, from time immemorial, the Great Mother has been symbolized by a
Lotus flower. "Om mani padme hum" - the jewel in the lotus - means Being
emerging from the Cosmic Womb. A closer look at almost all images of the Buddha, e.g.
celestial Buddhas, Kuan Yin etc. reveals, that he (she) is sitting on a Lotus. It
symbolizes the essence of (Great Mother) Buddhism. The Lotus is the Womb from which
Buddhahood arises! This way the "memory" of the Great Mother has been preserved
throughout the Buddhist world in millions of images. Hence, Great Mother followers both
revering the Mother and the Buddha in the selfsame images. They may whisper "Womb of
Buddhahood" or a similar mantra, while prostrating themselves. In Japanese
Tantrism (Shingon) images could be very direct and concrete - a Buddha born out of the
vulva - as a picture shows.* Furthermore, the supreme all-embracing Matrix is called the
World of the Mother-lap there. It is described in the Dainichi-kyo/Mahavairocana sutra.
Furthermore huge mandala's - with 428 different figures - have been painted in which the
Mother-lap World has been visualized.
* See above.
Womb Mandala
Taizokai (Mahakaruna gharbha mandala)
Even in Nestorian Christianity, the
"sect" that had penetrated China in the first centuries ACE, the key symbol is a
cross emerging from a lotus! It is an indication of the same - deeply hidden in the
archaic layers of consciousness - wisdom: Christ as the Son of the Mother.
10. In Buddhism another "detail"
was "forgotten". Buddha having got "his" Enlightenment under a
BODHI-TREE. Why under a Bodhi-tree? Why not in a sacred place, a meditation hall or just
somewhere? If you read the scriptures one cannot but sense, that there was something
special about the fact, that he was sitting under that tree. Was that tree somehow
essential to his Realization? Couldn't he have realized without it? Could the Bodhi-tree
perhaps have facilitated it.....The fact, that the tree was indispensable makes the latter
very likely. So, what does the Bodhi-tree stands for? Is it just like any tree? You will
guess it, it is not. The BODHI-TREE* connects to very ancient times, hence its
magical/mystical aura. Actually, it symbolizes the Tree of Life, which in turn reflects
the Primal Mother of pre-historic times. It was the key symbol of the Sumerian
MotherGoddess Inanna, later spreading into all directions. To the West (MotherGoddess
Asherah, Canaan), to the North-East (Taoist Mother Hsing Wang Mu) and to the East (the
Harappa culture of the Indus delta). The Tree of Life (think of the Bible-story in
Genesis) stands for the Orgin, from which all life emerges. Apparently, at the time of
Sakyamuni's life it was still such a powerful symbol, that it couldn't be neglected.
Applied to the Enlightenment story it means, that Buddha was GRANTED Enlightenment. It was
granted by the Primordial Mother, symbolized by the Bodhi-tree! Typically, patriarchal
mind subsequently denied its ancestral roots, boasting that Enlightenment is the result of
self-effort, only. You have to pay dearly for cutting yourself off from your maternal
Origin, though. That's why in current Buddhism the elán has dried up. Even Buddhists have
to face the fact, that, if it wants to renew itself, it has to go back to its
(pre-Buddhist) Source.
* The Bodhi-Tree is the symbol of
our new Eco-Dharma! Personally, an indigenous healer of the Caribbean once recommended me
to do the same: to go to Haiti, sit under a sacred tree and wait until he tree would
give my new name.....only then I would b able to becom a healer like herself. It is
equal to the Dragon-Flower tree story of the Maitreya
Dragon-Flower Assembly. Only if that tree starts flowering - if the Mother starts
flowering - then A New Era will evolve.
Buddha: Son of the Mother
11. Even from an angle, where one would expect to find nothing but
"masculine purity", namely Theravada Buddhism, reminiscences of the Great Mother
can still be found. In his excellent essay "The Great Goddess Today in Burma and
Thailand: An Exploration of Her Symbolic Relevance to Monastic and Female Roles"*,
John P. Ferguson makes it clear that "Theravada Buddhism, it would seem, built its
religious edifice upon a preexisting structure in which worship of the Goddess was
fundamental". One of his main thesis is that Buddhism is a reaction to the power of
the Mother. "To the Buddhists the Great Goddess is a veritable matron of suffering
(because of the inability to resist Her attractions), the primal cause to all mankind's
troubles. She makes us love Her more than we should". Hence, nonattachment to be the
core of Buddhist teachings. The interesting nuance, however is, that the Buddha did not
renounce the world because of hatred, but because he loved it too much. That means, that
there is "a positive valorization of the world of the Great Goddess at the very
moment the Theravada Buddhist rejects it". Furthermore it is stated, that the Goddess
appears at crucial moments in (Theravada) Buddhist life. First of all, the Buddha's
Enlightenment would not have been possible, without the Goddess' interference under the
Bodhi tree**, in which She at a crucial moment, after the Buddha touched the Earth
(Goddess) as a cry for help - which ever since became one of the main mudra's -
"made such a fearful sound, that Mara (the god of desire and illusion, trying to
distract the Buddha) fled. "The Buddha's Enlightenment is thereby assured by the
timely intervention of the Great Goddess Herself".
* In: James J.Preston "Mother Worship", 1982 Chapel Hill
** As stated above, the Bodhi Tree itself being a symbol of the
archaic Tree of Life, in its turn being a symbol of the Original Great Mother. The
hidden meaning could be, that - contrary to his own claims - the Buddha didn't realize
through self-effort, but rather was granted it by the Great Mother: the Light that was
born out of Darkness. Isn't that fascinating? See literature about Sumeria and
Harappa or Indus culture. See also Pali sources, found mainly in Burma.
Maitreya
12. The second very interesting phenomenon is that of the seasonal retreat
of young Buddhist novices. "It may be merely coincidental with slack labor periods
that males who choose to become temporarily monks pick the period when the rains fall upon
the newly planted rice and come out of the monasteries again at harvest time when labor
demands are greatest. Such an explanation is traditional. Yet there is reason to see the
timing as part of a much deeper and more meaningful statement. In the whole of southern
Asia, the fertility of the crops was often ensured by sacrifice of things dear to the
people. Vegetation rituals were developed that included human sacrifice and dismemberment
for burial in the fields, animal sacrifice with blood poured into the ground for the Earth
Goddess, and various planting and harvesting dramas to please the Goddess with gifts and
kind words.* Theravada Buddhism evolved in the midst of such ancient beliefs and
practices. It is not impossible that the self-denying monks sequestered in their compounds
for the growing season were a revolutionary substitute for the ancient sacrifices to the
Goddess. If such a hypothesis is correct, then the monks of Theravada Buddhism can be seen
as silently but dramatically sacrificing, not their bodies or their blood, but their
desires".**
* These rituals were an important part of almost all prehistoric
Mother-oriented cultures, both in Africa, Europe, India, Indonesia (Rice-Goddess), China
and South America.
** Ibid. p. 289
Prophesies
13. The appearance of Great Mother
Buddhism in modern times has been prophesied by Chinese popular religious literature,
called pao-chüan. Although the origins can be traced
back to the fourteenth century, the first books were composed in the sixteenth and
seventeenth century. The exact meaning of pao-chüan
is "precious book". Quite contrary to the official monastic scriptures, the
precious books were written by religious lay people. Characteristic of this literature is
that they emphasize "the restoration of the primordial unity", both spiritual
and worldly. The members of these Buddhist sects not only hoped for personal liberation,
but also for a "better world". These people were more or less embracing
"all three teachings" (Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism). Hence, respect was
paid to life-giving powers and persons such as heaven, earth, parents and teachers. There
was an awareness about the continuous decline of religion, including monastic and priestly
Buddhism, so that eventually common people became the representatives of the Way. They
bore the true tradition and were neither clerical nor lay.
14. The pao-chüan literature is unique with regard to its mythical background.
Unlike the mainstream Buddhist definitions the Ultimate is described as the "Eternal
Venerable Mother" (Wu-sheng lao-mu). According to these myths the Eternal Mother
sends down to earth ninety-six myriad's of her children. Although they are originally all
"Buddha's and immortals", once on earth they forget their true home in paradise
and become attached to fame, profit and sensual pleasures. Trapped by their desires, they
are immersed in samsara, the "sea of suffering", repeatedly encountering death
and rebirth, and enduring punishments in purgatory. The Venerable Mother, grieved by this,
sends down messenger deities to remind her lost children of their true nature and the way
home*. It is likely that pao-chüan literature links
the ancient notion of the prehistoric Great Mother to the outcome of later spiritual
practice. To it he Void isn't just an "abstraction" (Nirvana), but the Realm
which includes the dynamic aspects of life - birth and death - a "compassionate
Mother" who cares about the world.
"Heaven" (the Light,
Buddha) and earth continuously die
in the Great Mother, while being reborn in the
selfsame eternal moment
The Messenger
15. The main messenger of the Great Mother
is Maitreya Buddha. His mission is "to show the lost and ignorant the way home to the
Eternal Mother". Several texts emphasize his importance as a teacher and a savior. He
is supposed to "take charge of religion (chang chiao) and of the world (chang
shih-chieh). His task is "to restore the original wholeness" (shou-yüen). Maitreya descends in a time of chaos and decay with the promise
of world renewal. In the "Huang-chi- chiu-lien" pao-chüan Maitreya is first protesting against his mission, because of too
much attachment to the joy of paradise in which he resides ("Tusita Heaven").
But finally he is giving in and descends to earth and - because of "his weaknesses in
the past" - manifests himself as an ordinary human. His call to the people is to
"realize their true nature, recognize the true savior (himself) and their way home to
the Eternal Mother". These promises gain momentum, as they are placed against a time
of terrible chaos, the end of the world, warfare and death...with the hope that the true
Buddha (Maitreya) will appear, so that the Mother's children "can escape all forms of
calamity and difficulty". Maitreya is said to put "the world in order",
which suggests a radical, militant and political role as well. It used to be the reason
for suspicion from the side of authorities.
Maitreya
16. "At that period, brethren, there will arise in the world an Exalted One named
Metteya, Arahant, 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 see and
know, as it were face to face, this universe, with its world of the spirits, its Brahamas,
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. The truth (the Norm) lovely in its origin,
lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation, will he proclaim, both in the spirit
and in the letter; the higher life will he make known, in all its fulness and all its
purity, even as I do now. He will be accompanied by a congregation of some thousands of
brethren, even as I am now accompanied by a congregation of some hundreds of brethren.
Cakkavatti-Sihanada Suttanta. The Mahabodhdi Society Translation.
(From the Chinese-Sanskrit sources.)
17. "In the old days when the Tathagata was living at Rajagriha (Wang-she), on the
Gridhra-kuta(others think at "Benares") mountain, he spoke thus to the Bhikshus:
'In future years, when this country of Jambudvipa shall be at peace and rest, and the age
of men shall amount to 80000 years (sic), there shall be a Brahman called Maitreya
(Sse-che). His body shall be of pure gold, bright, glistening and pure. Leaving his home
he shall become a perfect Buddha, and preach the threefold("Thrice repeated")
Law for the benefit of all creatures. Those who shall be saved are those who live, in whom
the roots of merit have been planted through my bequeathed Law. These all conceiving their
minds in profound respect for three precious objects of worship, whether they be already
professed disciples or not, whether they be obedient to the precepts or not, will be led
by the converting power (of his preaching) to acquire the fruit (of Bodhi) and final
deliverance. Whilst declaring the threefold Law for the conversion of those who have been
influenced by my bequeathed Law, by this means also hereafter others will be
converted."
Si-Yu-Ki. Vol. 2. Pp. 46-7.
According to Buddhist scripture, Gautama predicted that at some future time another
Buddha would come to help men set up an ideal kingdom of righteousness and peace. The
coming Buddha is called Mettaya, (Sanskrit: Maitreya) meaning "love." In
Theravada temples he is portrayed as a king rather than a monk because of his role as a
ruler in the new world order. Most of the time the Maitreya hope has not been a major part
of Buddhist piety. However, when Theravada monks and laymen were freed from colonial
subjection after World War II, in the excitement of win- ning their independence, a new
age seemed at hand. If the first 2500 years was a time of toil and trial for them, the
next 2500 years would be filled with dazzling victories.
According to the oldest texts, Buddha does not promise to come back; what he promises
is that Maitreya will become the next Buddha whose success will be far greater than his
own. Also, Maitreya will bring to fulfillment the Buddhist Dhamma and inaugurate an era of
cosmic bliss; he will do so as a teacher and holy man. As the Dialogues of the Buddha
report, Maitreya will be "fully awakened, full of wisdom and a perfect guide, himself
having trodden the path to the very end; with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed as an
educator, teacher of gods and men, an Exalted Buddha.... From his own understanding and
penetration of it, he will proclaim (the nature of) this universe...and (the nature of)
living beings. And he will proclaim the teaching that is lovely in its origin, lovely in
its progress, and lovely in its consummation...the higher life will be made known in all
its fullness and in all its purity.... He will be the head of an order of many thousand
monks, just as in the present period I (Gautama) am the head of an order of many
hundred."
In the past Buddhism offered to the Orient the hope for the highest kind of individual
contentment based on liberation from worldly cares. Without denying this supreme goal,
Buddhists today stress the value of creating a just and prosperous social order. This is
the necessary prerequisite for the pursuit of the higher joys of the spirit; only in a
just environment will men have the security and leisure they need for spiritual
advancement. Gautama Buddha and Maitreya Buddha actually complement each other, the first
reminding us of individual self-perfection, the second challenging us to bring about the
messianic age of justice and material abundance for all.
By Theol. Prof. Young Oon Kim
The most prominent text
revealing Maitreya's descent to the earth is the "Ku Fo tang-lai hsia-sheng Mi-le
ch'u-hsi" (Cause of Suffering and the Arrival of Maitreya Buddha from the West to the
World)...It says:
18. The Buddha of the past, Dipamkara, the
historic Buddha Sakyamuni the younger and Maitreya the eldest, all three sons of the same
Eternal Mother, all three working at the Dharma and each successful in their own Way are
gathered to discuss the succession. Who is most suitable to rule the world and to save the
people, that is the question. All three decide to go into meditation, each with a golden
staff in the hand. He, to whose staff will first sprout the dragon flower, will be sent to
the world. Who will have his flowering later has to wait. Against the rules Sakyamuni
opens his eye already after one day, seeing that Maitreya's staff is decorated with the
dragon flower with the ten thousand golden light rays. He sneakily steals the flower
putting her on his own staff. Immediately the flower feels unhappy, is sagging and looses
her light and radiation. Two days later Maitreya's heavenly eye opens and sees that his
brother has stolen the dragon flower. Thus He spoke to Sakyamuni: "today the entire
world has been given to you, but how can you be a refuge to the people? Because of this
theft nothing will ever reach its perfection. Under your rule of 3000 years the people
will be tossed about between wealth and poverty, happiness en suffering, needs and
discord. There will be conflicts between states, crime and unrest. The people will be
misled by the king of the devils. There will be big disasters, like the eight big problems
and the last big catastrophe of the earth. Everything because of your deceit
Sakyamuni". Shortly after the Eternal Mother, Kuan Yin and several other Buddha's
meet on the Holy Mountain. They are moved by the suffering of the people on earth.
Although the 3000 years are not yet completed, Maitreya is requested to move forward from
his "Western forest" in order to save the people.
Maitreya: the Buddha with
many appearances. His main task
is to bring spiritual deliverance, restoring primordial unity,
while taking charge of religion (chang chao)
Maitreya
Another text ("Li-chih pao-chüan": the precious book on establishing a new world) puts it
like this:
19.
...the Buddha Maitreya comes to take
charge of religion, he has put aside his immortal clothing and descended to the secular
world. When Sakyamuni Buddha saw him his mind was scorched (hsin chiao-tsao)...Now the
time has come, the red flower withers, and the white flower blooms; only now does
Sakyamuni withdraw from his position, and Maitreya laughs out loud. The great kalpa has
arrived, and Maitreya has ascended to the throne (teng liao chi). He kept his hair, and
changed his clothing. He put on the gauze hat and round-collared robe (of an
official),...and appeared in the world (ch'u-shih). Who in the world knows this? Maitreya
Buddha is in charge of the world (chang ch'ien-k'un)...
20.
A country in which Maitreya (Mireuk-sa) is
particularly revered is Korea. Because Koreans originally came from Central Asia and
because Central Asia still had memories of Mesopotamia, the Korean Mireuk-sa includes a
variety of "functions", formerly belonging to the Vegetation Gods. First of all,
claimed to be a member of a youth organization ("Hwarang"), he stands for a
compassionate caretaker, later to be changed into a famous warrior. His original aspect of
"bringer of renewal" wasn't forgotten, though, hence, in later centuries
embodying fruitfulness and even fertility. As such he became very popular with women, in
fact, to this very day. It lasted until the last centuries before Maitreya also took upon
him the mission of political reform. However, because of the strong fragmentation of the
Maitreya sangha, it never came to any coordinated action in the social arena. Throughout
the country, one may find several outstanding Mireuk statues and temples. Some are
depicted with a kind of platform on their heads, someting that could possibly be linked to
his oldest "manifestation", in which he was considered to take care of
("bear") the world. Because of the interreligious situation, Korea could (again)
become an important factor in spiritual renewal, not only for the own country, but for the
world, as well.
Candi Mendut Java
Hotei-Maitreya
Goddess Hariti-Maitreya
21.
The "Laughing Hotei Buddha",
this popular image of Chinese lay people typically incorporates motherly characteristics.
He reminds us of the Great Mother: "feminine appearance", the images with many
children on his/her lap and arms. He is often portrayed with the symbols of the
"raised arms" (pre-historic origin) supporting the boat with the cosmic egg,
which in Chinese mythology symbolizes the "Yüanbao"
or Original Treasure, which stands for the overflowing Emptiness, the Womb with Her
offspring, e.g. Buddhahood. His historic background can be traced to the Great Mother of
the Middle East. In the Indus-Valley Culture She was transformed to a fertility goddess,
who much later became part - as the goddess Hariti - of Buddhism. A Chinese pilgrim
"took her" to China, where she was transformed into a man: our Hotei (Maitreya)
Buddha. A clear example how feminine myths were changed into masculine ones! As is often
the case, male redefinitions upgraded his status: from servant to being "a
God". However, the name Maitreya still reminds us of the original situation. It
could very well mean "servant of the Mother", from Maitri or Matri
("Mother"). Hotei's appearence clearly shows feminine traits. He therefore can
be considered as a happy inner "marriage" between femininity and masculinity,
indeed, a true androgynic avatar.
22.
True insight includes Maitreya as a
servant of the Great Mother. It is the turning point in Buddhism as we know it. Sakyamuni
propagated "Enlightenment as the fruit of self-effort"*. However, in these
materialistic times greed has devaluated Buddhism's most cherished treasure. Maitreya came
into this world without any effort on his part, though. He descended rather than ascended.
His Enlightenment is a gift. But there is more about it. Because "he was sent"
to earth, he knows about his background, his "ancestry". His Light Body
originates from Primordial Darkness, from the Cosmic Womb or Great Mother. Hence, he is
not a Buddha in his own right, but acts according to Mother's instructions. He teaches
people - often after a period in which you have exhausted yourself in self-effort - how to
"return Home". It is a true breakthrough, in which the age of decline is turned
into renewal. Hence, every Maitreya Temple/ Center/ Organization/ Group around the world
may request for initiation into the true mystery: to (re)link Maitreya as the servant of
the Great Mother, thus becoming part of the worldwide Mission of transforming Self and
Society.
* However, the imagery of the Bodhi
Tree - the ancient Tree of Life, symbol of the Great Mother, under which the Buddha
attained Enlightenment - suggests, that the Mother "facilitated" him......
Maitreya
23.
Your Prayers Have Been Answered!
Friends, as you know Maitreya
is one of the manifestations of the Ultimate...... others are e.g. "Servant/Messenger
of the Great Mother", "Green Man" or "the Friend"......after 33
years of preparation and reluctance he is overjoyed with the prospect of meeting you
soon.....So, you don't have to wait for his coming, anymore......In fact, he has already
descended......After many years of reluctance the Mother didn't give him a choice......She
revealed Herself to him, not as a concept, idea or image, but through Her very
Essence...... Therefore, a New Era has begun......He is very happy to see, that his
arrival has been expected......You worked so hard to make his coming a joyful
event......You have prepared the people well!.......On the other hand, his appearance will
not entirely comply with your ideas of how the Messenger looks like.......The
Transcendence has its own way of manifesting itself!......Being Nothing, he is
everything......Emptiness is including all forms, after all......Be sure, the prophesy
will materialize itself in a wonderful way......The world is in desperate need of peace
and happiness, love and friendship, healing and justice, prosperity and
sustainability.....he is about to depart from his Western Forest and will soon be welcomed
in your Beautiful Country......green is his color......he is sure your reception will be
overwhelming......Send your messages to all directions, so that everybody can
participate.......Once a beginning is made, through mutual cooperation his WorldWide
Mission will start spreading all over the globe.......
Her Blessings to you all!
Literature
* Daniel L.Overmyer
1. "Attitudes Toward the Ruler and State in Chinese Popular Religious
Literature", Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol.44., NR.2.
2. "Religions of China", 1986 HarperSanFrancisco
3. "Messenger, Savior, and Revolutionary" in A.Sponsberg & H.Hardacre in
"Maitreya, the future Buddha", 1988 Cambridge University Press
4. "Folk Buddhist Religion", Dissenting Sects in Late Traditional China, 1976
Harvard University Press
5. "The Flying Phoenix" (with David K.Jordan), Aspects of Chinese Sectarianism
in Taiwan, 1986 Princeton University Press
6. "Precious Volumes", An Introduction to Chinese Sectarian Scriptures from the
Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, 1999 Harvard University Press
* Chun Fang Yu
"Kuan Yin", 2001 Columbia University Press
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