View allAll Photos Tagged Sarnath
This gigantic silo-like building is said to mark where Buddha presented his eightfold path to nirvana and has been here since 500 C.E.
The monumental stupa is a sacred place for Buddhists. Buddhists come from all over the world to circle around it, as it is where Buddha delivered his first sermon.
Formerly known as Isipatana, Sarnath is famous as the site where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, or where Buddha preached his first sermon. It is one of the four main Buddhist pilgrimage destinations and has been developed as a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from India and abroad.
IMG_9640
Archeological site of the oldest stupa - this is a large area that had several temples, hostels, etc.
The annual Dharma gathering in Sarnath was an open event held by Christopher Titmuss in the Thai temple. The gathering was held in februari at the end of retreat season. Many of us had been traveling between meditation retreats held by Open Dharma since september. The visa for India was six months. Those who came to India later could still join the last retreat up in the himalayas. I usually had to go to Nepal and renew my visa.
The Dharma gathering was a semi retreat with a schedule of diskussion groups, meditation, Dharma talks, silent periods and workshops. All centered around realizing the teachings of Buddha, the dharma.
Sarnath is a city located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Gomati rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna.
Ashoka vastly influenced his country, and his legacy is remembered today on both the national flag and the national symbol of India. The national flag has the Buddhist Wheel of Dharma, even though the percentage of Buddhists in India is quite minimal now. And the symbol of the 4 lions will be found on stamps and state bank statements and on almost anything Indian.