Sarnath is the third major holy place that glorifies Buddhism. It was at Sarnath where Lord Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, gave his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartan) to his five disciples. The five disciples who had followed Him earlier in His quest for truth, were surprised to see the mesmerising glowing countenance of the Buddha, who convinced them and delivered His first sermon before them. Buddha preached the middle path to avoid extremes, the Four Noble Truths, and prescribed the Eight Fold path to remove the causes of sufferings. This sermon set in motion the great Buddhist tradition of the Sangha in order to popularise the Buddha's teachings throughout the world. Every Buddhist in the world feel blessed having paid a visit to Sarnath.

General Information

• Country : India
• State : Uttar Pradesh
• Location : 10 Kilometers from the holy city of Varanasi.
• Climate Winter : Cold (October to January)
• Monsoon : Warm (July and August)
• Summer : Hot (April to June)
• Best time to visit : October to February
• Significance : Lord Buddha preached his first sermon.
• Languages : English and Hindi

Festivals in Sarnath Full Moon day of Vaishakha (April-May) celebrated as Buddha's birth and enlightenment. The Full Moon in the month of Asadh (July-August) rejoiced as the anniversary of Buddha's first sermon.


Major Buddhist Attractions

• Dhamekha Stupa : Dhamekha Stupa signifies 'the seat of the holy Buddha' and occupies the space of the most prominent structure at Sarnath. This is the spot where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. The size of the Stupa is 31.3 meter in height and 28.3 meter in diameter, while its lower part has been beautifully carved with stones.

Other Buddhist Attractions

• Choukhandi Stupa : The Choukhandi Stupa is believed to be the place where the Buddha met his five disciples, including his favourite, Anand.
  
  
• Ashoka Pillar : The great Indian emperor, Ashoka, when converted into a Buddhist, paid a visit to the holy place of Sarnath. A smooth glistening stone pillar, known better as the Ashoka Pillar, commemorates Ashoka's visit of Sarnath. The lion capital that was found on the top of the Ashoka pillar is now the National Emblem of India.
  
  
• Sarnath Museum : The Sarnath museum is the proud owner of the Buddhist artifacts, manuscripts, and statues.
  
  
• Mulagandha Kuti Vihar : This is a modern temple built by the Mahabodhi society and has excellent frescoes by a famous Japanese painter, Kosetsu Nosu.
  
  
• Bodhi Tree : Bodhi tree is another sacred place for the Buddhists as it originated from the sapling of the Sri Lankan Bodhi tree, which is also a branch of the original Bodhi tree (Bodh Gaya) under which the Buddha attained enlightenment in 528 BCE.

Other Attractions

• Digambara Jain Temples : Besides Buddhist temples and monasteries, the holy city of Sarnath boasts of the Digambara Jain temples, a sacred place for the Jains. Besides, a statue of Lord Mahavira, there is a museum related to the life of the Jain 'teerthankars' in the temple's premises.

Nearby Attractions

• Varanasi : Varanasi is situated on the bank of the river Ganges or the Ganga at a distance of 10 kilometers from Sarnath. Earlier known as Banaras, Varanasi is a holy place for the Hindus.

Shopping
Buddhist items and Banarasi Silk Sarees and Handloom clothes are the best buys of the place.