Stele of Maitreya Buddha

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This stele portrays Maitreya, a future Buddha destined to appear on Earth in Buddhist eschatology. In various Buddhist texts, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he is referred to as Ajita. According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who will achieve complete enlightenment and teach the pure dharma upon his arrival. Although small in scale, this intricately carved stele showcases the full iconography found on larger Buddhist statues of the same theme. In addition to the central Maitreya image with its incised halo and flanking bodhisattvas, apsaras and dragons appear at the top and bottom of the flame-shaped mandorla. The small figures on lotuses at the feet of the bodhisattvas represent new souls being born in the Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha. A sixty-nine-character inscription on the rear of the stele names the donors who commissioned this piece and dedicated it in 563. By the sixth century, the cult of Maitreya had a strong following, with him being known as the "compassionate one" and emblematic of universal love. According to Buddhist scriptures, Maitreya will succeed Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha, as the Buddha of the coming age. Maitreya resides in Tusita heaven where he preaches to apsaras. Although theoretically only a bodhisattva, during the late Six Dynasties period (220-589), he was often depicted as a Buddha flanked by bodhisattvas, befitting his future status. In the second year of the Ho-ch'ing reign [563 CE], Zhao Tan Kui's mother passed away. Her children Kang Nuta, Ar Hsing, and Nien Jen and others, all devout Buddhists, had reverently commissioned a stele of Maitreya in the early days of autumn in the first year of Heqing[562 CE]. May this bring salvation to their ancestors, all seven generations of the family, including existing members who worship devoutly. The temple masters, Monk Kui and Monk Jian, oversaw this endeavor. This object was scanned by The Minneapolis Institute of Art.