Sarnath, 10 kilometers north of Varanasi (Benares) in Uttar Pradesh State, India, is the site of the deer park (still extant) where Siddartha Gautama the Buddha (c. 566–486 BCE) preached his first sermon nearly 2,500 years ago. The message he revealed there formed the basis for the entire future development of Buddhism, hence its and Sarnath's tremendous importance. In Sarnath, Buddha also established the order of monks, the Sangha, which is today the world's oldest still-functioning association. Dhamekh Stupa, a Buddhist shrine constructed in the fifth and sixth centuries CE, marks the spot where this sermon was supposed to have been given. Other important monuments are five monasteries; a column erected by the Emperor Asoka (reigned c. 273–232 BCE), with an inscription threatening dissident monks; the main shrine (third century BCE and fifth century CE) and the Dharmarajika Stupa (attributed to Asoka, but enlarged until the twelfth century). A modern addition is the superb Archaeological Museum nearby. It contains the famed lion capital, which has become a symbol of modern India.
Further Reading
Agrawala, V. S. (1984) Sarnath. Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India.
Michell, George. (1989) "Sarnath." In The Penguin Guide to the Momuments of India. New York: Viking, 186–189.
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