Take the IRCTC Buddhist Circuit Train journey to explore the essence of life, sacred sites, and the culture of Buddhism in India.
Buddhism began with the Buddha. The term 'Buddha' means 'one who is awake' — 'waking up to reality'. Around 2,500 years ago, the Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal. He never claimed to be a god or a prophet. He was a human being who became Enlightened, understanding life to the fullest.
Buddhism is a way of spiritual development and practice that leads to insight into the true nature of reality. Meditation and other Buddhist practices are ways to change yourself in order to develop qualities such as awareness, kindness, and wisdom. Over thousands of years, the experience developed within the Buddhist tradition has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path that ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhism. An enlightened being views the true nature of reality as it is and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that vision. This is the ultimate goal of the spiritual life, and it represents the end of suffering for anyone who achieves it.
Some people do not consider Buddhism a religion in the traditional Western sense because it does not include worshipping a creator god. The fundamental tenets of Buddhist teaching are simple and straightforward: nothing is fixed or permanent, actions have consequences, and change is possible. As a result, Buddhism addresses itself to all people, regardless of race, nationality, caste, sexual orientation, or gender. It teaches practical methods for people to understand and apply its teachings in order to transform their experience and take full responsibility for their lives.
Buddha’s Life
According to legend, Buddha had a privileged upbringing but was shocked to discover that life includes the harsh realities of old age, sickness, and death. This caused him to ponder the meaning of life. He eventually felt compelled to leave his palace and travel the traditional Indian path of the wandering holy man in search of Truth. He learned meditation from various teachers and then began ascetic practices. This was based on the belief that denying the flesh would free the spirit. He practiced austerity with such zeal that he nearly starved to death.
The Buddha had a vision shortly after attaining enlightenment in which he saw the human race as a bed of lotus flowers. Some lotuses were still engulfed in mud, others were just emerging from it, and some were still on the verge of blooming. In other words, everyone has the ability to realize their full potential; some just need a little assistance. So the Buddha decided to teach, and all of Buddhism’s teachings can be seen as attempts to carry out this vision — to help people grow towards enlightenment.
The 'Three Jewels' or 'Three Treasures', are the Buddha (yellow jewel), the Dharma (blue jewel), and the Sangha (green jewel) (the red jewel). You become a Buddhist by making these the central principles of your life.
The Threefold Way of Ethics, Meditation, and Wisdom is another formulation of the path. This is a progressive path because ethics and a clear conscience are required for meditation, and meditation is the foundation upon which wisdom can grow.
The Four Aryan (or Noble) Truths are the Buddha's most basic formulation of his teaching. They are written as follows:
Explore more about Buddhism history & Buddhist architecture aboard IRCTC Buddhist Circuit Train. The train is designed to travel to the most revered Buddhist sites while following the life path of the Enlightened One, the Buddha.
IRCTC has carefully selected pilgrimage destinations for Buddhist tourists. The train takes them on an eight-day journey where they can visit Buddhist tourist sites in India and learn about Buddhist teachings. Everything this religion stands for is felt up close and personal to provide an enriching experience. Tourists travel to both India and Nepal on this destination trip, where Buddhism took root and thrived.
Everything from Buddhist monasteries to the facilities they had to the code of conduct they followed can be found in these Buddhist tourist destinations. We guarantee that after completing this journey, you will be calmer, more optimistic, and have a new perspective on life.
A trip on the IRCTC’s Buddhist Circuit Train is all you need to experience Buddha’s life. Apart from taking you to places associated with the Buddha, the train provides world-class facilities and amenities to ensure your comfort and help you unwind as you discover one gem after another along the way.
The Buddhist circuit train is made up of 12 cutting-edge LHB coaches, including four first AC coaches, two second AC coaches, one kitchen car, two dining cars, one staff car, and two power cars. Individual lockers, fixed ladders, exhaust systems, refrigerators, bathrooms with showers and geysers, a mini library, a kitchen, and fine dining restaurants to enjoy delicious meals onboard.
As icing on the cake, IRCTC takes guests to the Taj Mahal, an Indian Wonder of the World that has maintained its prominence over the centuries. The serene peace that pervades this love monument calms even the most agitated travelers and soothes everyone, body, and soul.
Disclaimer: All information provided on this website is in good faith. While we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we suggest everyone refer to the official website www.irctcbuddhisttrain.com for updated packages and offers.
The exact date of Buddha's birthday is based on the Asian lunisolar calendars. The date of Buddha's birthday varies from year to year in Gregorian Calendars, but it usually falls in April or May. It may be celebrated in June in leap years. This year it's on 5 May 2023.
Wesak/ Vesak: Wesak/Vesak (Buddh Purnima) is the birthday of the Buddha and is one of the most important Buddhist festivals of the year. It is observed on the first full moon day of May, or the fourth lunar month, which is usually in May or, in a lunar leap year, June.
***Package Tariff(Per Person) for 2022-23 and 2023-24***
|
Class of Train Journey |
Capacity |
Per Day |
Full Tour (7N/8D) |
||
|
In USD |
In INR |
In USD |
In INR |
||
|
AC 1st Class |
96 Guests |
171 |
13,500 |
1,368 |
1,08,000 |
|
AC 2nd Class |
60 Guests |
143 |
11,280 |
1,144 |
90,240 |
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, is famous for Buddhist Architecture.
It is important because it follows the route of Buddha’s footsteps from Lumbini, Nepal, where he was born, through Bihar, India, where he attained enlightenment, to Sarnath and Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, where he gave his first teachings and died.
No, Buddhists don’t believe in idol worship.