Building Bridges of Loving-Kindness: Mongolia’s Rich History and Culture of Buddhism

by Michael Fouts, The Buddhist Channel, March 3 2016

Ulan Baator, Mongolia -- Under the spiritual direction of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama the Grand Maitreya Project is working to re-build Mongolia's ancient culture and history of Tibetan Buddhism. While at the same time constructing the worlds largest beacon of Loving - Kindness for peace on Earth.

Mongolia is currently experiencing a nationwide cultural re-connection with their spiritual roots of Buddhism. After many years of occupation, 200 brave Mongolian people staged a peaceful protest that eventually sparked into a nationwide cultural revolution. By 1990 occupying forces retreated and Mongolia once again re-gained their spiritual freedoms. Hoping to re-build and re-connect fully with their ancient culture of Tibetan Buddhism, the Mongolian people have turned to HH 14th Dalai Lama for guidance during this time.
At the heart of the Mongolian people’s spiritual re-connection and under the guidance of a spiritual board led by HH Dalai Lama is the Grand Maitreya Project. The Project aims to help further Mongolia’s cultural revival by building the world’s largest beacon of Loving - Kindness. At the projects center will be a 177 foot tall statue of the standing Maitreya Bodhisattva. Maitreya is the Buddha, or Bodhisattva of Loving - Kindness. Connected to the statue will be a stupa which will house several interior teaching and meditation levels, along with holy relics and other artifacts of the historical Buddha.


Building large statues of Maitreya was an ancient spiritual tradition for many of the high Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhist lamas of the past. Many of the Lamas teach that the larger and more beautiful the statue is, the more people will learn about it, come into contact and benefit from this.

The Project’s intention is that the size and beauty of this Grand Maitreya statue will bring this sacred symbol of Loving-Kindness back to the beautiful people of Mongolia and at the same time to the attention of many people throughout the entire planet, helping to create awareness for peace on Earth.

The statue construction site is located in a place Mongolian people call Heart Hill, just outside of the Mongolian capital city of Ulaanbaatar. The statue site will be home to a new holy place and teaching center for the Dalai Lama, while serving as an educational, spiritual and cultural center for the world.

The statue site will also feature non-sectarian & international Buddhist centers representing many different lineages and traditions from around the world. Making the Project a unique place for all spiritual traditions to come together in peace. Once the statue and stupa are completed, the project will work to help create a culture of Loving-Kindness for the world. One of the goals of the project is to offer free meditation training and many other educational services for people of all faiths and backgrounds.

"I am pleased and happy to know that the main part of the Grand Maitreya Project will be dedicated for supporting education." ~ HH 14th Dalai Lama
The Project has a goal of completing the statue and stupa construction by 2018. The Project is currently conducting a Fundly campaign to help complete the statue construction, with Maitreya Bodhisattva statues and other special gifts for contributors.

The Project is a non-profit, non-government organization with offices in Mongolia and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Project is being conducted under the Spiritual guidance of HH 14th Dalai Lama, leader of Mongolian Buddhism HE Khamba Lama Gyabje Choijamts Demberel, Lama Jhado Rinpoche and Venerable Thupten Ngodup State Oracle of Tibet.