‘미륵’이란 본래 ‘자비’를 뜻함. 석가모니 부처님이 입멸하신 후, 56 억 7 천만년 후에 나타나시어 석존 (釋尊)의 교화에서 빠진 모든 중생을 제도 (濟度)하신다는 미래불. 지금은 욕계사천 (欲界四天)인 도솔천에서 천인 (天人)들을 교화하고 계시다. 수인 (手印)은 사무외인 (四無畏印) 또는 여원인 (與願印). 미륵전 (彌勒殿)에 모셔있음

Maitreya: The Bodhisattva of Future Buddha at the Hall of Maitreya Buddha. Maitreya (lit. "Loving One") was predicted by Sakyamuni Buddha to be the next Buddha on earth. In order to save all living beings who did not find salvation through the teachings of the Sakyamuni Buddha, he was designed to reign in the Tushita heaven and preach to heavenly beings until his incarnation, which, according to Buddhist belief, will occur 5670 million years after the Lord Buddha's demise. His hand seals are the fulfilling-wishes mudra and the dispelling-fear mudra.