DharmaJiva tours include an eleven-day pilgrimage to North India – the ancient homeland of the Buddha. Our delegations travel to the place of his Enlightenment, the monasteries and parks where he taught and the place where he died. It is an extraordinary experience to walk on the same roads traveled by Shakyamuni Buddha and meditate in the places where he lived. Buddhists from all over the world come to these places in a harmonious coming-together of different traditions.

A pilgrimage to the Buddhist sites in northern India is an opportunity to connect with the historical roots of the Buddhist tradition and see the places described in the scriptures. The traditional stories come alive, and one can imagine the famous monks and nuns, kings, farmers and trades people who met the Buddha.

During our pilgrimage there is time for individual reflection and meditation, and there are opportunities for the group to read sutras together and participate in simple rituals from the Pali Canon. Our guides provide expert commentary on the sites we visit, and we visit the beautiful Thai, Tibetan and Japanese temples that have been built at these places.