Buddha as he attained Parinirvana. The Mahaparinirvana Stupa is surrounded by ruins of ancient monasteries. The Maitreya Project is building a 500ft/152m bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha near Kushinagar (previously planned in Bodhgaya ). The ancient excavated Buddha-image inside the Parinirvana Temple, Kushinagar References ^ Census of India 2001: Data from