The deity of the temple is Lord Maitreya Buddha, or the future Buddha as per Buddhist eschatology. Maitreya is a bodhisattva, who is meant to appear on the earth, achieve enlightenment and teach the pure dharma. Maitreya will be the successor of Sakyamuni Buddha. It is believed, that the arrival of Maitreya will occur when dharma will be forgotten on Jambudvipa. This belief is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects i.e., Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana. In the monastery there is a 15 feet statue of Maitreya Buddha, depicted seated on a throne, fully attired in the clothes of a Bhiksu, waiting for his time of arrival on Earth. This is opposed to the depiction of a bodhisattva, who is generally shown standing and dressed in jewels. Although he is seated on his throne, but his legs are no longer crossed, as usual, but already set on the ground. It indicates that the time for the Buddha to descend to the earth is approaching and that he is prepared ... More

The deity of the temple is Lord Maitreya Buddha, or the future Buddha as per Buddhist eschatology. Maitreya is a bodhisattva, who is meant to appear on the earth, achieve enlightenment and teach the pure dharma. Maitreya will be the successor of Sakyamuni Buddha. It is believed, that the arrival of Maitreya will occur when dharma will be forgotten on Jambudvipa. This belief is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist sects i.e., Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana. In the monastery there is a 15 feet statue of Maitreya Buddha, depicted seated on a throne, fully attired in the clothes of a Bhiksu, waiting for his time of arrival on Earth. This is opposed to the depiction of a bodhisattva, who is generally shown standing and dressed in jewels. Although he is seated on his throne, but his legs are no longer crossed, as usual, but already set on the ground. It indicates that the time for the Buddha to descend to the earth is approaching and that he is prepared to get up from his throne. Maitreya Buddha is adorned with a stupa in his headdress which represents the stupa of the Sakyamuni Buddha and helps in establishing his identity when his turn comes to lay claim to his succession. On his waist there is a khata, or a ceremonial scarf, which is always tied as a girdle. This is one of the oldest and biggest statues of Lord Buddha in Darjeeling. The statue of the Buddha was created by clay that had been brought from Tibet. It is painted in golden colour and is encrusted with precious jewels. There are two huge oil lamps that keep burning all the time and all through the year in front of this statue.