Sponsorship of Sacred Art

The skin of the Maitreya Buddha Statue

The skin of the Maitreya Buddha Statue will be made of thousands of cast bronze plates, each unique to its position on the form of Maitreya Buddha. By sponsoring sections of cast bronze plate, one is in essence sponsoring the actual form of the Buddha.

Sponsorship is offered in the following categories:

• 10 square-centimetres of cast bronze plate
  Donation € 8 (or the equivalent in other currencies).
• 930 square-centimetres of cast bronze plate
  Donation € 650 (or the equivalent in other currencies).
• One square-metre of cast bronze plate
  Donation € 6,500 (or the equivalent in other currencies).

Prajnaparamita Sutra

To Mahayana Buddhists, the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) texts are the most holy of sutras taught by the Buddha. There are three versions of this sutra: the long, medium and short. The long version of the text (12 volumes, totalling 12,865 pages) will be hand-written in pure gold ink on archival paper. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has painted by hand a full-colour border which will be printed on every page of the text. Once completed, the pages will be held between hand-carved and gilded, one-inch thick, teak wood covers and will be placed in the Heart Shrine of the Maitreya Buddha statue.

• Donation € 35 per page (or the equivalent in other currencies)

Million Buddha Shrine

The One Million Buddhas Shrine Room will be located within the Maitreya Temple. The walls of this shrine room will be lined with one million small relief sculptures, each one-inch / 2.5-centimetres tall.

Sponsors may choose from the following:

• Maitreya, the future Buddha
• Guan Yin, a female emanation of the Buddha of Compassion
• Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha
• Donation € 65 (or the equivalent in other currencies)

Prayer Wheels

Prayer wheels, are turned to create benefit for all beings. They are filled with printed prayers and mantras, most often that of the Buddha of Compassion, Avelokiteshvara (Sanskrit), who is also known as Chenrezig (Tibetan): OM MANI PADME HUM

The Maitreya Project Park and Sanctuary will contain thousands of copper prayer wheels, each 18-inches / 45.5-centimetres tall. The prayer wheels will be located on the paths surrounding the 500-foot / 152-metre Maitreya Buddha statue and will be turned by pilgrims and other visitors to the Maitreya Project park.

• Donation € 160 (or the equivalent in other currencies)

Stupas

The stupa represents Buddha's enlightened mind and each part of the stupa represents a step along the path to enlightenment. When viewed from above, a stupa resembles a mandala, a pure representation of a perfect universe. Traditionally, stupas are filled with prayers, holy symbols and the relics of spiritual masters.

The Buddha taught by his example that stupas are powerful objects of purification and transformation. Just before his passing away he instructed his disciples to place his relics in a stupa so that, in future, others could experience his blessings.

Maitreya Project will contain 100,000 stupas of varying sizes and traditional styles. They will be placed inside the Throne Building, along the Stupa Terrace on the Circumambulation Path of the Sanctuary and within the Maitreya Project Park.

Sponsors may choose from the following sizes:

• Small Stupa - 15-centimetre stupa
  Donation € 325 (or the equivalent in other currencies)
• Medium Stupa - 60-centimetre stupa
  Donation € 1,300 (or the equivalent in other currencies)
• Large Stupa - 1.8-metre stupa
  Donation € 9,750 (or the equivalent in other currencies

Tara Relief Sculptures

Tara is called both "Mother" and "Liberator". She is one of the most beloved of Buddhist deities and is the female aspect of Avelokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. With a loving gaze she looks at all sentient beings as a mother regards her only child. She is said to have arisen from Avelokiteshvara's compassionate tears which he shed as he gazed upon the suffering of living beings.

There are 21 manifestations of Tara, each devoted to different needs such as overcoming obstacles, saving beings from danger, and bringing protection, long life and peace.

A shrine room dedicated to Tara will be built within the 500-foot / 152-metre statue of Maitreya Buddha. Lining the walls of this shrine will be 2,000 beautiful relief sculptures of Tara, each approximately 15-centimetres tall.

• Donation € 900 (or the equivalent in other currencies).