Sarnath

Sarnath
Historical Town
View of Sarnath, looking from the ruins of the ancient Mulagandha Kuty Vihara towards the Dhamek Stupa
Nickname:  Deer Park
Sarnath Show map of India Sarnath Show map of Uttar Pradesh
Coordinates: 25°22′41″N 83°01′30″E / 25.3780°N 83.0251°E / 25.3780; 83.0251
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
District	Varanasi
Languages
• Local	Bhojpuri
Time zone	UTC+5:30

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Sarnath (also referred to as Deer Park,^[1][2][3] Sarangnath, Isispatana, Rishipattana, Migadaya, or Mrigadava)^[4] is a town located 8 kilometres (5.0 miles) northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. According to the Lalitavistara sutra, the Gautama Buddha chose "Deer Park by the Hill of the Fallen Sages, outside of Varanasi"^[1] for the location of his first teachings of Buddhism, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana sutra, after he attained enlightenment ^[1] at Bodh Gaya.^[5] It is one of eight most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, and has been nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[6]

Sarnath is also where the Buddhist sangha first came into existence, as a result of the first teaching given to the Buddha's first five disciples Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama,^[7] known as The First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma.^[1] This teaching occurred circa 528 BCE when the Buddha was approximately 35 years of age.

Several sources state that the name Sarnath is derived from Saranganath that translates as, “Lord of the Deer”. According to Buddhist history, during the local king's hunting trip, a male deer (buck) offered to sacrifice himself to save the life of a female deer (doe) that the king was aiming to kill. Impressed, the king then declared his park would thereafter be a deer sanctuary.^[8][9]

According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Sutta 16 of the Digha Nikaya), the Buddha mentioned Sarnath as one of the four places of pilgrimage his devout followers should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence. The other three sites are Lumbini (the traditional birthplace of the Buddha), Bodh Gaya (where Buddha achieved enlightenment), and Kushinagar (where the Buddha attained parinirvana).^[10][11]