Reading a concise history of Buddhism by Andrew Skelton and wanted to get you alls thoughts on a couple points he made about todays Theravadens in linking them to older schools.
They hold to a belief in Maitreya
They believe gaining enlightenment today is improbable because of the degenerate age.
Does any of this sound accurate and if so where did the teaching if Maitreya originate?
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Dīgha Nikāya #26 The Wheel-Turning Monarch
“And the Blessed One named Metteyya [Maitreya] will arise in the world — perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed — just as I have arisen today. He will realize with his own insight this world — with its gods, Māras and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans — and make it known to others, just as I do today. He will teach the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he will reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure, just as I do today. He will look after a Saṅgha of many thousand mendicants, just as I look after a Saṅgha of many hundreds today.”
Ven. Sujato, trans.
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I’ve always wondered if Meitreya may be infact the internet. Sounds crazy but how many countless people including myself have come to the Dhamma because of it. Just have to take into account that it’s not quite self realized. But I’m sure that before computers the Dhamma probably fell away a lot.
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