Saviour figures in Christianity and Buddhism: A comparative study on the eschatological roles of Jesus and Maitreya

This study, which examines the savior figures in Buddhism and Christianity, comparatively analyzes the expectations of a savior in these two religious traditions through the figures of Maitreya and Jesus. The research aims to comparatively examine the eschatological roles of Maitreya, who occupies an important place in Buddhist traditions within the context of the understanding of salvation and the expectation of the future Buddha, and Jesus, who holds a central position in Christianity, with a particular focus on their similarities and differences. The study employs qualitative research methods, specifically literature review and document analysis. Accordingly, the principal doctrinal literature of Buddhism and the scriptural sources of the Christian tradition are examined through the comparative history of religions method. The findings of the comparative analysis indicate that Maitreya assumes a periodic mission, whereas Jesus undertakes an eternal mission of redemption, and it has been determined that they promise humanity a new order. Nevertheless, the conceptions of time within the religious traditions to which these savior figures belong constitute a significant point of divergence. While the linear conception of time in Christianity portrays Jesus as the judge who will accomplish ultimate salvation, the cyclical conception of time in Buddhism attributes to Maitreya the role of a periodic teacher. Consequently, this study demonstrates that, despite belonging to different geographical and cultural contexts, the Buddhist and Christian traditions have generated similar eschatological events, and similar expectations and hopes, in response to periods of crisis experienced by humanity. Alongside these similarities, however, the two traditions exhibit significant differences both in terms of their fundamental doctrinal structures and the missions they undertake with regard to the realization of salvation.