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Maitreya Project Trust Director Virginia Roche with His Eminence Ling Rinpoche during a visit to the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar property, October 2021.
Ling Rinpoche blessing the Maitreya Project land as Virginia Roche explains the project to him.
The creation of Holy Objects for World Peace is an important aspect of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for the FPMT organization. As part of this, Rinpoche envisions the creation of many statues of Maitreya Buddha, the future Buddha, around the world. Currently, there are two separate projects to build large Maitreya Buddha statues in India, one in Bodhgaya, Bihar, and one in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
We are pleased to share some news and causes for rejoicing from Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, including an auspicious visit from His Eminence Ling Rinpoche in October and news of some new initiatives that will benefit the local community.
In October 2021, while His Eminence Ling Rinpoche was in Kushinagar as a special guest of the Indian Prime Minister Modi at the inauguration of a new international airport, Lama Zopa Rinpoche invited him to visit the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar site. Virginia Roche, Maitreya Project Trust director, made the necessary arrangements for this special visit. While on the premises, Ling Rinpoche offered special prayers and pujas in the gompa, and received an update from the director about the entire project, its history, challenges, and current situation.
When asked for advice about the project, Ling Rinpoche expressed that the most important thing to be done to actualize the project as soon as possible is to help the local community in any way that could benefit them. This is the same advice offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The director was also able to receive valuable advice from influencers, government administrative officers, and politicians. Inline with the advice received, the following initiatives are being pursued:
Kopan Monastery monks blessing the land at Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar.
Weekly Income Generating Program for Rural Women: Social Enterprise initiatives that could help rural women earn a livelihood.
Vocational Training for Men: To reskill or upskill unemployed male members of the local community and teach them a trade like carpentry, painting, bricklaying, and plaster work; and also support and facilitate placing them in jobs and eventually to also provide them with jobs within Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar when construction begins.
Education for Children: To make progress in local higher education and encourage good job placement, it is important for every individual to know English. Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar would like to facilitate English courses to students and adults wishing to learn this important language. There are other NGOs that offer such programs. So the idea is to either align with and request them to deliver these learning programs or for Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar to provide them through volunteer programs.
Local Evening Clinic: To provide evening doctor consultation and treatment to local poor and needy individuals in and around the project site. Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar is in the process of shortlisting doctors who could visit at least two times a week for a few hours initially to offer consultation and treatment to the sick and needy.
Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar Meditation Center.
Since 2018, the following highlights have been completed:
- Completion of land fencing for 250 acres
- Construction of gompa/ meditation center
- Construction and completion of site office
- Construction of three guest accommodations
- Construction of bathing rooms and toilets for large gatherings of over 100 visitors
- Planting of 15,000 trees in Kushinagar
- Purchase of vehicles for site
Map of the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar site.
Of course, along with the causes for rejoicing and forward movement, there have also been quite a few challenges as well. Director Virginia Roche remains optimistic that the obstacles faced should be expected given the magnitude of this project, which is being built on the land where Shakyamuni Buddha showed the aspect of passing away. She shares, “One of the lead officers on the assignment of this project was a student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and if it wasn’t for him and all his struggle, the project would not have even come this far. I would really like to express my deep gratitude to all students and benefactors. Thank you for coming this far.”
You can learn more about the Maitreya Projects and read stories in particular about the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar on FPMT.org.
To learn more about the incredible holy objects of FPMT and offer support, visit the Holy Objects Fund page:
fpmt.org/projects/fpmt/holy-objects-fund