Example of the prototype of the Bodhgaya Maitreya statue. Photo by Ven.Roger Kunsang

One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions is to build 1,000 statues of Maitreya Buddha around the world. Two such projects are currently underway: one in Kushinagar, one in Bodhgaya.

Maitreya Buddha Project in Kushinagar, overseen by the Maitreya Project Trust, originated around 1999. The site adjoins the Parinirvana Temple, the place where Shakyamuni Buddha passed into Parinirvana, as well as the Ramabhar Stupa. After years of complexity involving fragmented land, the project now centers on a contiguous 3-acre site, with renewed momentum from a partnership with the International Buddhist Confederation, supported by His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche.

In addition we are building a Maitreya Statue in Bodhgaya, the project is being developed in close conjunction with the Dalai Lama Trust and is situated on land in Bodhgaya that was originally offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama in 2020.

Kushinigar  |  Bodhgaya

Maitreya Buddha Project in Kushinagar: A Clear Path Forward

Director of the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, Virginia Roche, with His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche in Kushinagar. Photo by Maitreya Project in Kushinagar.

We are pleased to share an update on the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, bringing together its rich history and the latest insights that show its direction and the meaningful path ahead.

The project originated around 1999 when the Uttar Pradesh government repeatedly proposed Kushinagar as the site for the Maitreya statue through His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama. This offer was made three times, and on the third occasion His Holiness presented the proposal to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Rinpoche responded that he would follow whatever His Holiness decided, after which a traditional divination mo was conducted at the Great Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, with several high lamas present. The outcome of this process established Kushinagar as the appropriate location for the Maitreya Project, providing it with strong spiritual and symbolic importance, as it is situated on the sacred ground where Shakyamuni Buddha manifested the passing into Parinirvana. 

Despite this auspicious beginning, the initiative faced major practical obstacles over the following decades. The central challenge has been the nature of the land originally offered by the UP government, which consisted of numerous small, privately owned plots held by farmers whose livelihoods depended on them. This resulted in ongoing difficulty in consolidating an adjoining site suitable for large-scale development. Significant portions of the land are also located within regulated no-construction zones because of the site’s proximity to two Buddhist monuments: the Ramabhar Stupa and the Mahaparinirvana Temple. Administrative discontinuities within government agencies, regulatory constraints, broader political dynamics, and changing internal financial realities further compounded these challenges, resulting in prolonged delays and ultimately preventing the realization of the original large-scale vision.

However, over the years, substantial foundational work has already been conducted on the ground. This includes the completion of land fencing and a project office, the construction of a meditation center, and the building of three guest accommodations. Facilities have also been established to support large gatherings, including bathing rooms and toilets for over 100 visitors. In addition, around 15,000 trees have been planted across the site, contributing to long-term environmental sustainability, and vehicles have been procured to support its operations. The most recent update provides important clarity on the situation after some years of stagnation. It confirms that the project does hold valid legal documentation for its land rights, but that the land remains fragmented, which continues to limit development of the original master plan envisioned for a much larger 280-acre (113 hectares) site. At the same time, there has been noticeable progress in rebuilding institutional support. In 2025, engagement with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) – a global umbrella body headquartered in New Delhi that unites over 320 Buddhist organizations, monasteries, and federations across 39 countries – led to the establishment of a formal memorandum of understanding defining roles and responsibilities. This partnership, supported by His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, greatly enhances the project’s ability to engage effectively with the UP government going forward. 

Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar Meditation Center. Photo by Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar

The Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar occupies a uniquely auspicious location between two of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in the Buddhist world associated with the present Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha. To one side lies the Ramabhar Stupa, traditionally revered as the cremation site where the Holy Body of Shakyamuni Buddha was cremated following His Mahaparinirvana more than 2,500 years ago. To the other side stands the Mahaparinirvana Temple, which enshrines the reclining Buddha statue marking the place where Shakyamuni Buddha entered Mahaparinirvana. For Buddhists of every tradition, the opportunity to pay respect to the prophesied future Buddha, Maitreya, in a location between the Ramabhar Stupa and the Mahaparinirvana Temple – both associated with Shakyamuni Buddha – carries profound devotional significance.

The project is now centered on a clearly defined, contiguous 3-acre site (1.2 hectares) near the existing project office. At the heart of the current plan is a purposeful vision: a Maitreya Buddha stone statue whose scale reflects both available resources and regulatory realities, there is also a growing intention to create a space that supports learning and community engagement, ensuring that the project serves both spiritual purposes and the wider community. Pilgrims and visitors will have the opportunity to pay homage, engage in study and contemplation, participate in teachings and meditation, and cultivate the causes of wisdom, compassion, and inner peace. In many ways, this represents a natural maturation of the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, which is now moving forward in a manner that is realistic, sustainable, and faithful to its founding aspiration: to establish an enduring center of spiritual inspiration and benefit in one of the most sacred places in the Buddhist world. It is no longer defined by its original scale, but by its ability to take shape authentically and sustainably within what is possible today – offering a clear and hopeful path forward after many years of complexity.

Maitreya Statue, Bodhgaya: A Sacred Site Takes Shape

Example of the prototype of the Bodhgaya Maitreya statue by night. Photo by Ven.Roger Kunsang

We are excited to provide an update on the long-term plan to build a Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya, which, after many years of complexity and delay, has now reached a pivotal and encouraging stage.

For a long time, the project has faced significant obstacles, making it difficult to establish a clear and viable direction despite the strength of its original vision. However, recent developments have created a meaningful breakthrough that now allows the project to move forward on a practical and realistic basis. The project is being developed in close conjunction with the Dalai Lama Trust and is situated on land in Bodhgaya that was originally offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama in 2020. This land, covering approximately 30 acres (12.14 hectares), is currently being developed for a major initiative led by the Dalai Lama Centre for Tibetan and Indian Ancient Wisdom (DCTIAW). 

DCTIAW site plan showing the open, unutilized area (in white) designated for the Maitreya Project in Bodhgaya.

As of May 2026, construction of the Centre has already progressed beyond the halfway mark and continues steadily across multiple components. Work is actively underway on staff housing and the girls’ hostel. Across all areas, construction remains on track despite varying weather conditions, with each phase bringing the project closer to fulfilling the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, deeply inspired by ancient Indian wisdom. Within this broader development, the Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya is now taking shape in coordination with the Trust. While much of the land – around 20 acres – is in active use, a remaining portion has been identified as suitable for the Maitreya statue project. During a recent visit in February 2026 in Bodhgaya, Ven. Roger Kunsang met with Samdhong Rinpoche and the Centre’s Chancellor Geshe Tashi Tsering, and together with representatives of the Dalai Lama Trust, these discussions helped clarify a specific location for the development. This area lies outside the main university construction zone and has separate access, making it especially appropriate for the project. 

The current concept envisions a sandstone Maitreya statue, designed to harmonize with the surrounding environment and endure for generations. The statue will be constructed above a foundation that includes a gompa housing sacred objects collected by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, including life-sized statues of the Twenty-One Taras and the Sixteen Arhats made in Tibet. The surrounding land will be developed into a peaceful environment with gardens, trees, and landscaped areas to support pilgrimage, contemplation, and community use. Preparation for implementation is already well underway. A qualified vendor has been identified to construct the statue in sandstone, and architects along with a dedicated project team are in place. The projected timeline suggests that, once approvals and site plans are confirmed, the statue itself could take approximately 24 to 30 months to complete. The next steps emphasize continued coordination with the Dalai Lama Trust. Upon receiving a detailed digital site plan, work will proceed on design development, regulatory approvals, and submission of plans to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for final approval, in accordance with the conditions of the land agreement. 

This renewed momentum reflects Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision to bring lasting benefit to sentient beings. Although the journey has been long and complex, the current developments in Bodhgaya signal that this aspiration is now steadily moving toward realization. With a defined site, an active partnership, and a committed implementation plan, the Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya is evolving into a place of continued spiritual significance, service, and inspiration for generations to come.   

We invite you to rejoice in the progress made on both of these powerful Maitreya projects! 

“Maitreya Buddha is the embodiment of each buddha’s loving kindness, and the symbol of all the bodhisattvas’ loving kindness for all sentient beings.” Lama Zopa Rinpoche

If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels, and statues.  

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.