Sarnath
Location
About
Located 13 km from Varanasi, Sarnath is where the Buddha delivered his first sermon (the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta — 'Setting the Wheel of Dharma in Motion') to his first five disciples in 528 BCE, establishing the Buddhist sangha (community). The Deer Park at Sarnath contains the great Dhamekh Stupa (34m high), built under Emperor Ashoka, and the Lion Capital of Ashoka, now the national emblem of India.
Significance
Sarnath is the site of the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma — where the Buddha formally began teaching the path of liberation after his enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. The four noble truths and eightfold path were taught here. Ashoka's Lion Capital discovered here in 1905 — featuring four back-to-back lions on an abacus with the wheel of dharma — became the national emblem of independent India in 1947.
History & Historical Arc
The Buddha walked from Bodh Gaya to the Deer Park at Sarnath (Isipatana/Mrigadava) to teach his five former companions. …
Archaeological Notes
Oertel's 1905 excavations yielded the Ashoka Lion Capital (now in the Sarnath Museum), Ashoka's pillar shaft, and the Dh…
Key Features & Structures
- Dhamekh Stupa (34m)
- Ashoka Pillar base
Visitor Information
Open daily. Museum open Sat-Thu. 13 km from Varanasi. Combine with Varanasi visit. Best October-March.
Related Figures
In the Bible
Source References
- Pali Canon, Samyutta Nikaya 56.11
- Ashoka Pillar Inscription at Sarnath