Maitreya's General description
Maitreya is typically pictured seated, with both feet on the ground, indicating that he has not yet completed ascending his throne, which is believed to be a style of western throne, not Indian as previously believed. He is dressed in the clothes of either a Bhiksu or Indian royalty. As a Bodhisattva, he would usually be standing, and dressed in jewels. Usually he wears a small stupa in his headdress, and could be holding a chakra wheel resting a lotus. A scarf is always tied around his waist. In the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandharan the first centuries AD in northern India, Maitreya is represented as a [[Wikipedia:Central Asian|Central Asian]] or northern Indian nobleman, holding a water phial in his left hand. He is flanked by his two acolytes, Asanga and his brother, Vasubandhu.
