The Future Buddha
未來的佛陀
”I am not the first Buddha to come upon this earth; nor shall I be the last. Previously, there were many Buddhas who appeared in this world. In due time, another Buddha will arise in this world, within this world cycle.”
When the Buddha was about to pass away, Ven. Ananda and many other disciples wept. The Buddha said, ”Enough, Ananda. Do not allow yourself to be troubled. Do not weep. Have I not already told you that it is in the very nature of things that they must pass away. We must be separated from all that is near and dear to us. The foolish man conceives his idea of Self; the wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the Self. Thus the wise man has a right conception of the world. He will conclude that all component things will be dissolved again; but the Truth will always remain.”
The Buddha continued:” Why should I preserve this body when the body of the excellent law will endure
I am resolved. I have accomplished my purpose and have attended to the work set upon me. Ananda, for a long time you have been very near to me in thoughts, words and acts of much love beyond all measure. You have done well, Ananda. Be earnest in effort and you too will soon be free from bondages! You will be free from sensuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.” Suppressing his tears, Ananda said to the Buddha, ”Who shall teach us when You are gone
” And the Buddha advised him to regard His Teaching as the Master.
The Buddha continued again:” I am not the first Buddha to come upon earth; nor shall I be the last. In due time, another Buddha will arise in this world, a Holy One, a Supremely Enlightened One, endowed with wisdom, in conduct auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of devas and men. He will reveal to you the same Eternal Truths which I have taught you. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and pure; such as I now proclaim.”
”How shall we know him
” asked Ananda. The Buddha replied, ”He will be known as Maitreya which means kindness or friendliness.”
Buddhists believe that those people who at present are doing meritorious deeds by leading a religious life will have a chance to be reborn as human beings in the time of Maitreya Buddha and will obtain Nibbana identical with that of Gautama Buddha. In this way they will find salvation through the guidance of His Teaching. His Teaching will become a hope of the remote future for everybody. However, according to the Buddha devout religious people can gain this Nabbanic bliss at any time if they really work for it irrespective of whether a Buddha appears or not.
”As long as my disciples lead a pure religious life, so long the world will never become empty of Arahantas.”
我不是世間的第一位佛陀，也不是最後一位佛陀，這世間有過很多的佛陀，只要因緣成熟，另一位佛陀將出世。當佛陀即將入滅時，阿難達和衆多弟子在哭泣。
佛陀說：「阿難達啊！夠了，不要再悲恸的哭泣了，不要使自己煩惱。我曾經告訴你們，萬物的本質就是如此，世間的一切都是生生滅滅的，我們必須和我們親近的人分離。愚癡的人執著于『我』，聰明的人放棄『自我』。因此，聰明的人對世間有正確的觀念，他知道所有因緣和合的事物將會消散。只有真理永遠的存在。」
佛陀接著說：「我爲何要保存這因緣假合的肉體呢？有關緣起法的真理，已經流傳下來。我決定了，我已完成我的目的，我已做完了我的工作。阿難達啊！你接近我的思想、語言、行爲已經有一段很長的時間了，你已經做得很好。阿難達啊！再精進努力吧！你將很快的解脫于種種束縛！你將解脫于貪欲、嗔恚和愚癡。」
阿難達仰製內心的悲恸，問佛陀：「世尊！當您入滅後，誰來領導我們？」
佛陀回答道：「我的教義──佛法(Dhamma)，就是你們的導師。」
佛陀接著說道：「我不是世間的第一位佛陀，也不是最後一位佛陀。當因緣成熟時，將另有佛陀降世于此世間，他是純淨和卓越的覺者，他以智慧和慈心聞名于世，他是無與倫比的人天導師，他將爲人間開示不朽的真理，如同我教誨你們一樣。他會引導你們過神聖和純淨的生活，就如我一樣。」阿難達問道：「他是誰呢？」佛陀回答：「他就是美德亞佛(Metteyya，古譯：彌勒佛)，也就是慈悲和親切的佛陀。」《大般涅槃經》
佛教徒相信，如果能過純淨的宗教生活，累積功德，將來會有機緣降生于美德亞佛出世的年代，證得與佛陀相同的涅槃。在那時候，他們根據佛陀的教誨而得到解脫。佛陀的教誨是人類未來的希望。不過，只要依照佛法，努力精進，將來不管是否有佛誕生，都能夠證悟涅槃。
「只要我的弟子過著純淨的八正道生活，世間將永遠不會沒有阿拉漢。」《大般涅槃經》