Acts of Apostle Thomas

XV CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE ON BUDDHISM: M. M. NINAN
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The French artist Paul Ranson's Christ et Buddha (1880) juxtaposes the Christ and Buddha
Returning of Maitreya
In the 3rd century AD the concept of Maitreya Buddha, a future Buddha was developed who presently a
bodhisattva residing in the Tusita heaven, will descend to earth to preach anew dharma. – an obvious
reflection of the second coming of Jesus.
The name Maitreya is derived from the Sanskrit maitri ("friendliness"); in Pali , Metteyya; in Chinese Milo-fo,
in Japanese Miroku, and in Mongolian Maidari; and in Tibetan the bodhisattva is known as Byamspa
("kind," or "loving"). His worship was popular during the 4th to 7th century
Romila Thapar in her book "A History of India," (Volume 1, pages 131-134) writes,
There were other aspects of Mahayana Buddhism, which appear to have had their origin outside India.
Among these is the idea of the coming of the Maitreya Buddha to save the world, with which was
connected the concept of ‘the suffering savior’ - the bodhisattva who redeems humanity through his own
suffering: evidently the new beliefs current in Palestine were known to the Buddhists by this time.
"Vishnu assumes various forms or incarnations and enters the world of men in order to save them from
evil. The tenth and final incarnation has yet to come, and on this occasion he will come in the form of
Kalkin riding a white horse, which suggests a connection with the idea of the Messiah and the coming of
the Maitreya Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism."
Gandhara Buddha
236
Lord Maitreya