The eschatological content of the images of Kalki and Buddha Maitreya: the comparative analysis.

Abstract

In the medieval Indian mythology, based on the texts of the Pali canon of Ttipitaka and the Puranas, there are images there are images depicting eschatological religious and philosophical ideas. One of the main images is Kalki - the tenth avatar of Vishnu, the Hindu Messiah, whose coming, according to the Puranas, must put an end to the moral and religious decay in the last days of Kali-yuga. The myth of the bodhisattva Maitreya, whose worship is widespread among the various schools of Buddhism, is connected with the prophecy about the future rebirth of Maitreya, who awaits his time in Tushita Heaven. This article presents the eschatological content of myths about Maitreya and Kalki and how it realized in the sequence of the mythological plot, associated with the ultimate destiny of the world at the time of completion of the next time cycle. Comparing the myths of Maitreya and Kalki, shows the certain similarity between the images of Maitreya and Kalki, which raises the question of which of the mythological plots was primary Proceeding from the earlier origin of the myth about Maitreya, it should be noted that the image of Kalki in the literature of the Puranas was formed by the influence of the inclusivist strategies of the Vishnu tradition.Despite the unity of mythological functions and active interaction, the images of Kalki and Maitreya are contrasted in relation to each other, since they show two different scenarios of cyclic eschatology : the Kalki court and his cruel retribution, and the preaching of Maitreya, that bring salvation for all beings.

Keywords

• Калки
• Майтрея
• мифологическая функция
• циклическая эсхатология
• пурана
• инклюзивизм
• компаративный анализ