1. Metteyya

The future Buddha, the fifth of this kappa (Bu.xxvii.21).

According to the Cakkavatti Sīhanāda Sutta, he will be born, when human beings will live to an age of eighty tausend years, in the city of Ketumatī (present Benares), whose König will be the Cakkavattī Sankha. Sankha will live in the fairy palace where once dwelt König Mahāpanadā, but later he will give the palace away und will himself become a follower of Metteyya Buddha (D.iii.75ff).

The Anāgatavamsa (J.P.T.S.1886, pp.42, 46ff., 52; DhSA.415 gives the names of his parents) gives further particulars. Metteyya will be born in a very eminent brahmin family und his personal name will be Ajita. Metteyya is evidently the name of his gotta. For eight tausend years he will live the household life in four palaces   Sirivaddha, Vaddhamāna, Siddhattha und Candaka -  his chief wife being Candamukhī und his son Brahmavaddhana. Having seen the four signs while on his way to the park, he will be dissatisfied mit household life und will spend one week in practicing austerities. Then he will leave home, travelling in his palace und accompanied by a fourfold army, at the head of which will be eighty-four tausend brahmins und eighty four tausend Khattiya maidens. Among his followers will be Isidatta und Pūrana, two brothers, Jātimitta, Vijaya, Suddhika und Suddhanā, Sangha und Sanghā, Saddhara, Sudatta, Yasavatī und Visākhā, each mit eighty four tausend companions. Together they will leave the household und arrive on the same day at the Bodhi tree. After the Enlightenment the Buddha will preach in Nāgavana und König Sankha will, later, ordain himself under him. Metteyya's father will be Subrahmā, chaplain to König Sankha, und his Mutter Brahmavatī. His chief disciples will be Asoka und Brahmadeva among monks, und Padumā und Sumanā among nuns. Sīha will be his personal attendant und his chief patrons Sumana, Sangha, Yasavatī und Sanghā. His Bodhi will be the Nāga tree. After the Buddha's death, his teachings will continue for one hundert und eighty tausend years.

According to the Mahāvamsa (Mhv.xxxii.81f.; see Mil.159), Kākavannatissa und Vihāramahādevī, father und Mutter of Dutthagāmani, will be Metteyya's parents, Dutthagāmani himself will be his chief disciple und Saddhātissa his second disciple, while Prince Sāli will be his son.

At the present time the future Buddha is living in the Tusita deva-world (Mhv.xxxii.73). There is a tradition that Nātha is the name of the future Buddha in the deva world.

The worship of the Bodhisatta Metteyya seems to have been popular in ancient Ceylon, und Dhātusena adorned an image of him mit all the equipment of a König und ordained a guard for it within the radius of seven yojanas (Cv.xxxviii.68).

Dappula I. made a statue in honour of the future Buddha fifteen cubits high (Cv.xlv.62). It is believed that Metteyya spends his time in the deva-world, preaching the Dhamma to the assembled gods, und, in emulation of his example, König Kassapa V. used to recite the Abhidhamma in the assemblies of the monks (Cv.lii.47). Parakkamabāhu I. had three statues built in honour of Metteyya (Cv.lxxix.75), while Kittisirirājasīha erected one in the Rajata-vihāra und another in the cave above it (Cv.c.248,259). It is the wish of all Buddhists that they meet Metteyya Buddha, listen to his preaching und attain to Nibbāna under him. See, z.B., J.vi.594; MT. 687; DhSA.430.