Why do Tibetan Buddhists focus on Maitreya rather than the present buddha?
Personally, I can’t say there is a greater devotion to or focus upon the forthcoming Buddha Maitreya in Tibetan Buddhism than to, say, the Five Dhyani-Buddhas, Green Tara, Vajrasattva, Chenresig, etc. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama stated, “Relying on certain Mahayana Buddhist citations and quotations, we believe that in this fortunate aeon one thousand Buddhas will appear. This is the time of the fourth Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni, whose teaching is still existing, and the fifth Buddha will be Maitreya Buddha.” It is believed in Buddhism that we are already in a period of steady decline of the Dharma as recorded in the sutras: that negativity and misfortune will continue to grow and finally the Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings will disappear. Eventually the future Buddha, the Buddha Maitreya, will appear to re-establish the Dharma and loving-kindness. If anything, in my opinion, the focus is on anticipating a positive event that will occur after a period of austerity and doubt. I liken it
