This 23″ Maitreya Buddha statue is one of the most sculptually ambitious pieces in the Golden Buddha collection — a fully fire-gilded figure seated on an elaborate prabhavali throne, the ornamental backframe visible in the photographs rising behind and above the figure with densely carved detail across its entire surface. The statue is cast in copper alloy using the traditional lost wax method by Shakya caste master artisans in Patan, Nepal, and fully gilded in 24K gold with a hand-painted face. At 23″ including the throne frame, this is a shrine-room centerpiece or monastery-grade altar piece — not a decorative object but a fully consecrated-quality sculptural representation of the Buddha of the Future.
Maitreya (Sanskrit: Maitreya; Tibetan: Jampa; Chinese: Mílè; Japanese: Miroku) is the future Buddha — the fifth and final Buddha of the current world age according to Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist cosmology. He currently abides in Tusita Heaven in a constant state of preparation, awaiting the appointed time to descend to the earthly realm. Mahayana tradition holds that he will first appear in a city called Ketumati, within the Chakravarti Kingdom, at a time when human beings have a lifespan of 80,000 years. By that time the Dharma teachings of Shakyamuni will have been entirely forgotten — and Maitreya, like Shakyamuni before him, will attain enlightenment independently and reteach the Dharma to all sentient beings from the beginning. He is in this sense not merely a future teacher but a self-realized Buddha whose coming represents the renewal of the entire Buddhist path for a future age.
Maitreya Buddha Statue Features
Maitreya is the only Buddha or Bodhisattva in the Tibetan Buddhist iconographic canon depicted seated upright in a chair with both feet on the ground — a posture of readiness, reflecting his status as the Buddha-in-waiting who has not yet descended to the earthly realm. All other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are depicted in the lotus posture of meditation or repose. This seated-upright posture is therefore Maitreya’s primary iconographic identifier and is clearly visible in this statue.
He wears the crown and jeweled ornaments of a Bodhisattva rather than the simple monk’s robes of a fully realized Buddha — reflecting his present status as a great being who has not yet taken his final birth. He displays the Dharmachakra mudra (turning the Wheel of Dharma), the gesture of teaching, because it will be his responsibility to set the Wheel of Dharma in motion once again for a new age. Between the thumb and index finger of each hand he holds the stem of a lotus flower — the lotus being the universal Buddhist symbol of enlightenment, the seed that grows from the mud of the pond floor through murky water to blossom in clear air and sunlight. The lotus represents the path of all sentient beings through the difficulties of samsara toward the clarity of Nirvana.
The prabhavali — the elaborate mandorla or backframe surrounding the figure — is a hallmark of the Newar sculptural tradition of Patan and one of the most technically demanding elements of this piece. The frame is cast separately and integrates dragons, scrolling foliage, offering figures, and flame motifs across its surface, all gilded in the same 24K gold as the central figure. Explore the full range of Maitreya Buddha statues in the Golden Buddha collection, or learn more about the Maitreya prophecy and its significance in Buddhist tradition. For a broader overview of the Buddhist pantheon, visit our complete guide to Buddhist gods and deities.
Authentic, Handmade in Nepal
Every statue and ritual item is handcrafted in Patan, Nepal, using traditional lost wax casting and comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by Nepal's Department of Archaeology, verifying its materials, technique, and origin.
