The Concepts of Eschatology in Buddhist Religion

The word Escatology has been driven from the two Greek words Eschatos which means The Last
and logy means The Study. The Oxford English Dictionary defines Eschatology as the part of
theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. In
Buddhism we find two different Eschatological Views, such as Theravada that is the oldest
surviving branch of Buddhism. It literally means the Teaching of the Elders. Another is
Mahayana this tradition emerged around the 1st century AD and is typically concerned with
personal spiritual practice. Now it is found especially in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea. Both
Theravada and Mahayana are the greatest vehicles to address issues surrounding individual
Eschatology in Buddhism. Generally speaking, Theravada Buddhists claim to preserve
Buddhism in its original form, taking a more conservative stance and emphasizing the practical
aspects of Sakyamuni’s teachings (Sakyamuni is a title used for Siddhartha Gautama). However,
Mahayana is more speculative and free to develop new teachings regarding the life of spirit after
physical death.

Trikaya, (Three Bodies)

In Mahayana Buddhism, the concept of the three bodies, or modes of becoming Buddha are
following.
1. The Dharmakaya (Body of Essence), the unmanifested mode, and the supreme state of
absolute knowledge;
2. The Sambhogakaya (Body of Enjoyment), the heavenly mode;
3. The Nirmanakaya (Body of Transformation), the earthly mode, the Buddha as he appeared
on earth or manifested himself in an earthly king.
The concept of Trikaya applies not only to the historical Buddha, Gautama, but to all other
Buddhas as well.

Karma
Buddhism accepts the Hindu teachings of reincarnation based on the law of Karma. According to
Theravada Buddhism teachings there is good or bad karma, merit or demerit. They believe that,
someone who is close to the reaching of Buddhahood but has not yet fully achieved it, with his
store of good past merits is assisting or helping others to take up the right path.

According to Mahayana Buddhism bodhisattvas (followers of Buddha) share their merits with all
beings. bodhisattvas on account of their spiritual advancement and getting close to enlightenment
are reborn after their physical death in one of the heavens. As spiritual beings, they are ready to
share their great merit with all human beings who ask for assistance.

Cosmology
Mahayana cosmology accepts numerous bodhisattvas, each being assigned to a heavenly region
from which they bestow merit to those who pray for help. Expressed differently, Mahayana
individual eschatology envisions the destiny of human beings as the attainment of sainthood
enlightenment in the spiritual world being free from any physical reincarnation and using their
merit to lead others to such a liberated existence.

Cycle of Creation
Buddhist cosmic eschatology acknowledges its Hindu roots, with the belief in a cycle of creation
and destruction. Even, the historical Buddha the enlightened one, apparently predicted that his
teachings would disappear after 500 years. According to the Sutra Pitaka, the "ten moral courses
of conduct" will disappear and people will follow the ten amoral concepts of theft, violence,
murder, lying, evil speaking, adultery, abusive and idle talk, covetousness and ill will, wanton
greed, and perverted lust resulting in skyrocketing poverty and the end of the laws of true
dharma in Buddhist use the religious teachings about the ultimate order of things.

Conclusion
Buddhist cosmic eschatology affirms the savior figure Maitreya who awaits his final rebirth as a
bodhisattva now in the world, in order to lead human beings to the end of the wheel of rebirth
moksa or the termination of samsara and to enter the new existence of nirvana, the unchanging
eternal state of one’s spiritual quest. Even if ultimate salvation is here perceived as overcoming
the cyclical mindset, one has to remember that the final state of nirvana does not refer to the final
state of history but exists within the Buddhist cosmology of cycles of creation and destruction.
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http://chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Buddhist_eschatology

Bonevac, D. (2009). Introduction world Philosophy . New York : Oxford University press .

Eschatology. (2008, November 5). New World Encyclopedia,.Retrieved, May 14, 2021

from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Eschatology&oldid=845665.