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During the winter 2014 months, Maitreya Buddha Kunshinagar Project distributed thick blankets to various institutions, including orphanages, India, 2014. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project.
The Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project, a project to build a very large statue of Maitreya Buddha in Kushinagar, India, continues to make steady progress.
In December 2013, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh commemorated the project with a Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony, attended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and senior Uttar Pradesh officials.
The project is currently completing formalities with the state government. A key part of these was the submission by Maitreya Project Trust of a detailed project report. This was submitted to the government in February 2015. After what is hoped to be a final meeting, the Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project anticipates taking possession of 170 acres of land within a few weeks.
“170 acres is an enormous area,” long-time FPMT student Peter Kedge, who is involved with the project, told Mandala in February. “The land is adjacent to the Buddha Shakyamuni Paranirvana Temple and Shrine, and it borders on three sides the Ramabhar Stupa, the site of Buddha Shakyamuni’s cremation.”
Preliminary master planning of the site has begun, and the social work aspect of the project is already underway. Last year, a mobile health clinic was purchased, and it has traveled to local villages to provide primary healthcare education in aspects of primary health care and sanitation.
Mosquito nets donated by Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project help protect healing patients, India, 2014. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project.
In the summer of 2014, mosquito nets and information on airborne disease control were distributed. In addition, during part of the winter, mosquito nets were being given to hospitals with burn wards to protect patients healing from burns. Burn accidents, especially among children, occur more often during cold months due to open fires in the home. The nets are set up around patients with open wounds to protect them from flies and mosquitos that may be in the hospital itself.
Over the recent winter months, the project distributed 2,400 high quality heavy wool blankets in three villages near the project, as well as to homeless people, street sleepers, beggars, a leper colony, orphanages, and widows homes. Many blankets were distributed to hospital patients and their families who have to stay in and around hospitals to care for their them.
Now that the weather is becoming warmer, the project plans to begin distributing mosquito nets again.
In 2014, Lama Zopa Rinpoche through the Lama Zopa Rinpoche Bodhichitta Fund offered US$16,000 towards the project’s social service work.
Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project workers distribute mosquito nets, India, 2014. Photo courtesy of Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project.
The project’s team is optimistic about their progress. According to Peter, there is a great team in India and there are plans to enlarge the team as soon as the project takes possession of the land as there will be a huge amount of work to do. Boundaries will have to be established and fenced; and on-site infrastructure, including roads, power, water, communications and facilities for a site office, and site security have to be set up.
There are plans to move the 24-foot [7-meter] Maitreya Buddha statue currently on the Maitreya Project Bodhgaya land to the land in Kushinagar. The installation of the statue will provide a temporary focal point for visitors, as well as a site for pujas, ceremonies, teaching, and meditation classes.
In India, generally people only acknowledge one Buddha – Shakyamuni Buddha. Maitreya Buddha is little known or acknowledged in Indian culture. It will be imperative for the project to establish a resonance with Indian culture by reflecting, acknowledging, and linking Shakyamuni Buddha’s life, teaching, and sacred parinirvana and cremation sites, with Maitreya, a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha, the future buddha of our world, and the embodiment of loving kindness.
“It’s incredible!” Peter said, “Kushinagar is the place where both past and future buddhas meet,” noting that according to a text discovered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kushinagar is not only the place of Buddha Shakyamuni’s passing into parinirvana, it is also the place where Maitreya Buddha will manifest.
Maitreya Buddha Kushinagar Project welcomes anyone to learn more about and support the project.
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