As the Mappo period nears, Miroku (Maitreya) Belief that Miroko Bosatsu (Buddha of the Future, Bodhisattva of the Present) would come down to the earth to save people 5.67 billion years after Shaka's death was widespread.
末法の時代が近づくにつれ、釈迦入滅後56億7,000万年を経たのちに弥勒菩薩が地上に下って衆生を救済するという弥勒信仰が広まった。