Sarnath

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Sarnath (Hindi: सारनाथ, Sarnath ) is a town in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, 10 kilometers north of Varanasi. In Wildlife Park at Sarnath after his enlightenment Siddhartha Gautama taught the Dharma, and founded the Sangha. The monk Kondanna attained his enlightenment here.

Importance

After Siddhartha Gautama in Bodhgaya 45 B.B.E. ( 589/525 BC) gained his enlightenment, he preached in the Deer Park ( Migadaya ) to Sarnath for the first time the so-called Four Noble Truths (these contain the eight- fold path to Nirvana ) and thus founded Buddhism. (M. 141, Saccavibhanga Sutta )

The five former companions from the years of strict asceticism ( Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama and Assaji ) were ordained on this occasion by the Buddha to monks ( bhikkhu ) and thus justified the Buddhist Order ( Sangha ).

Through excavations of the Archaeological Survey of India since the early 19th century Sarnath was established as an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world. Remains of stupas, monasteries and one of the pillars of Ashoka are evidence of the importance of the site until it was destroyed in the 12th century.