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Sarnath

Sarnath (Hindustani pronunciation: [saːɾnaːtʰ], also referred to as Sarangnath, Isipatana, Rishipattana, Migadaya, or Mrigadava)[1] is a place located 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Sarnath
सारनाथ
Historical City
View of Sarnath, looking from the ruins of the ancient Mulagandha Kuty Vihara towards the Dhamek Stupa
Nickname: 
Isipatana
Sarnath
सारनाथ
Sarnath
सारनाथ
Coordinates: 25°22′41″N 83°01′30″E / 25.3780°N 83.0251°E / 25.3780; 83.0251Coordinates: 25°22′41″N 83°01′30″E / 25.3780°N 83.0251°E / 25.3780; 83.0251
Country India
StateUttar Pradesh
DistrictVaranasi
Languages
 • OfficialHindi
Time zoneUTC+5:30
Map of Sarnath in relation to other Eight Great Places Buddhist pilgrimage sites and notable nearby cities

Sarnath is where, circa 528 BCE, at 35 years of age, Gautama Buddha taught his first sermon after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.[2] It is also where the Buddhist sangha first came into existence as a result of the enlightenment of his first five disciples (Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama).[3] According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Sutta 16 of the Digha Nikaya), the Buddha mentioned Sarnath as one of the four places of pilgrimage his devout followers should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence. The other three sites are Lumbini (the birthplace of the Buddha), Bodh Gaya (where the Buddha achieved enlightenment), and Kushinagar (where the Buddha attained parinirvana).[4][5]

Etymology

The name Sarnath derives from the Sanskrit word Sāranganātha (or Sārangnāth in the Pali language),[1] which translates to "Lord of the Deer" in the English language.[6] The name refers to an ancient Buddhist legend, in which the Bodhisattva was a deer and offered his life to a king instead of the doe the king was planning to kill. The king was so moved that he created the park as a deer sanctuary.[7] The term for "deer park" is Mriga-dāva in Sanskrit, or Miga-dāya in the Pali language.[8]

Isipatana is another name used to refer to Sarnath in Pali, the language of the Pali Canon. This name corresponds to the name Rishipattana in the Sanskrit language. The terms isi (Pali) and rishi (Sanskrit) refer to an accomplished and enlightened person. Isipatana and Rishipattana therefore translate to "the place where holy men descended",[9] or "the hill of the fallen sages".[10]

History

5th century BCE - 6th century CE

Buddhism flourished in Sarnath during the second urbanisation (c. 600 – 200 BCE, from the time of the Mahajanapadas through the Nanda and Maurya periods), in part because of patronage from kings and wealthy merchants based in Varanasi. By the 3rd century CE, Sarnath had become an important centre for the Sammatiya school of Buddhism (one of the early Buddhist schools), as well as for art and architecture. However, the presence of images of Heruka and Tara indicate that Vajrayana Buddhism was (at a later time) also practised here. Also, images of Hindu gods as Shiva and Brahma were found at the site, and a Jain temple was located very close to the Dhamek Stupa.[citation needed]

Buddhism further expanded in India during the Gupta (4th to 6th centuries) period. Faxian was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled extensively throughout northern India from 400-411 CE. In his description of Sarnath, he mentioned seeing four large towers and two viharas with monks residing in them.[citation needed]

6th century - 8th century

The influence of Buddhism continued to grow during the Later Gupta (6th–8th centuries). When Xuanzang visited Sarnath around 640 CE, he reported seeing hundreds of small shrines and votive stupas, and a vihara some 61 metres (200 feet) in height containing a large statue of the Buddha.[11] Xuanzang also wrote that "There are about 1500 priests here, who study the Little Vehicle according to the Sammatiya school.[12] In his writings, Xuanzang mentioned a pillar constructed by Ashoka near a stupa that marked the location where the Buddha set the wheel of the law in motion.[13]

8th century - 12th century

During the Pala (8th–11th centuries) period, the rulers built new mahaviharas such as Odantapuri, Somapura, Jagaddala, and Vikramashila and patronised existing ones such as Nalanda and Sarnath. During this time, Buddhist pilgrims and monks from all over Asia traveled to Sarnath to meditate and study. The Palas were the last major Buddhist dynasty to rule in the Indian subcontinent. They were replaced by the Gahadavala dynasty, whose capital was located at Varanasi.[citation needed]

Although the Gahadavala kings were Hindu, they were tolerant of Buddhism. Inscriptions unearthed at Sarnath in the early 20th century indicate that some of the monasteries there enjoyed royal patronage from the Gahadavala rulers. For example, in a mid-12th-century inscription attributed to Queen Kumaradevi (consort of King Govindachandra), she takes credit for the construction or restoration of a living quarters for monks.[14] It is widely asserted that the structure referred to in the Kumaradevi inscription is the Dharma Chakra Jina Vihar, but the evidence for this is inconclusive. Whatever the case, it is likely to be among the last structures to be built at Sarnath prior to its destruction in 1194.[15] The inscription, excavated at Sarnath in March 1908,[16] is currently maintained at the Sarnath Archeological Museum.[17]

late 12th century: the destruction of Sarnath

Along with Sarnath (which is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh), the most important Buddhist mahaviharas in India were Vikramashila, Odantapuri, and Nalanda (all located in present-day Bihar). All four of these centres of learning continued to thrive throughout the 12th century, probably because of the protection, support and tolerance demonstrated by the Pala and Gahadavala rulers. For example, the Kumaradevi inscription mentions that King Govindachandra had protected Varanasi from invasions by the Ghaznavids (which the inscription refers to as Turushkas) in the early to mid-12th century.[18] Apart from North India, Buddhism had been declining throughout the Indian subcontinent and had virtually disappeared by the 11th century.[citation needed]

Islamic invasions in the late 12th century brought massive plunder and destruction to northern India. Most notable among these were the military campaigns of Muhammad of Ghor, the Ghurid ruler from Ghazni (which is in present-day Afghanistan). Qutbuddin Aibek — the Turkic commander of Muhammad of Ghor's army — led an army from Ghazni to Varanasi and Sarnath in 1194 CE.[19][20] Rai Jai Chand (c. 1170–1194 CE, the reigning Gahadavala dynasty king at that time) was killed during the Battle of Chandawar,[21] and virtually everything of value in Varanasi and Sarnath was destroyed or plundered. Qutbuddin Aibek reportedly carted away some 1400 camel loads of treasure.[22] According to the 13th-century Persian historian Hasan Nizami, "nearly 1000 temples were destroyed and mosques were raised on their foundations, the Rais and chiefs of Hind came forward to proffer their allegiance [to the Ghurids]".[23]

While Qutbuddin Aibek destroyed Sarnath, it was the troops of Bakhtiyar Khalji—another of Muhammad of Ghor's slave generals—that finished the job. They destroyed Vikramashila in 1193, Odantapuri in 1197, and Nalanda in 1200.[24] The Buddhists who survived this genocide in northern India fled to Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet,[25] or South India. By the end of the 12th century, Buddhism had effectively disappeared from the Indian subcontinent, except for these areas.[citation needed]

18th century: rediscovery and looting

Very few Buddhists remained in India after their persecution and expulsion at the end of the 12th century by the Ghurids. Buddhists from Tibet, Burma, and Southeast Asia continued to make pilgrimages to South Asia from the 13th to the 17th centuries, but their most common destination was Bodh Gaya and not Sarnath.[26] Sarnath continued to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains, however. A 17th-century Jain manuscript written in 1612 CE (the Tirthakalpa, by Jinaprabha Suri) describes a Jain temple in Varanasi as being located close to "a famous Bodisattva sanctuary" at a place called dharmeksā. This Sanskrit word translates to "pondering of the law", and clearly refers to the Dhamek Stupa.[27]

India experienced an increase in visitation by European people in the late 18th century. In 1778, William Hodges became possibly the first British landscape painter to visit India.[28] While there, he made careful observations of the art and architecture he encountered. He published an illustrated book about his travels in India in 1794. In his book, he described mosques and other Islamic architecture, Hindu temples, and Greek-inspired columns.[29] Hodges also briefly described the Dhamek Stupa, although he mistook it to be a ruined Hindu temple.[30][31]

In what is the first incontrovertible modern reference to the ruins at Sarnath, Jonathan Duncan (a charter member of the Asiatic Society and later Governor of Bombay) described the discovery of a green marble reliquary encased in a sandstone box in the relic chamber of a brick stupa at that location. The reliquary was discovered in January 1794, during the dismantling of a stupa (referred to by Alexander Cunningham as stupa "K" or the "Jagat Singh stupa",[32] later identified as the Dharmarajika Stupa)[33] by employees of Zamindar Jagat Singh (the dewan of Maharaja Chait Singh, the Raja of Benares).[34] Duncan published his observations in 1799.[35][36][37] The reliquary contained a few bones and some pearls, which were subsequently thrown into the Ganges river.[38] The reliquary itself has also disappeared, although the outer sandstone box was replaced in the relic chamber, where it was rediscovered by Cunningham in 1835.[34] The bricks of the stupa were hauled off and used for the construction of the market in Jagatganj, Varanasi.[39] Jagat Singh and his crew also removed a large part of the facing of the Dhamek Stupa, and removed several Buddha statues which he retained at his house in Jagatganj.[40]

19th century: more looting and early archeological excavations

The next modern description of Sarnath was by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, who visited the site around 1813. He drew a crude map of the site—which he called Buddha Kashi—at that time.[41] Colin Mackenzie was an officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India. Visiting Sarnath in 1815, he was the first to describe a dedicated exploration of the ruins.[34] Throughout the early 19th century, amateur archeologists explored and excavated at Sarnath, removing antiquities, and several artists drew sketches of the site (especially of the Dhamek Stupa).[42]

In 1835-1836, a 21-year-old British Army engineer with the Bengal Engineer Group named Alexander Cunningham conducted the first systematic archaeological excavations at Sarnath.[43] He had carefully studied the writings of Faxian and Xuanzang, two Chinese Buddhist monks who traveled extensively throughout northern India in the early 5th and early 7th centuries, respectively. Based on their writings and those of Duncan, he conducted some careful measurements and excavations at Sarnath in 1835-1836. During the course of these excavations, Cunningham discovered and removed many statues from monastery "L" and temple "M", as well as the sandstone box reported by Duncan from the Dharmarajika Stupa. He presented these items to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, and they are now located in the Indian Museum in Kolkata.[34] By 1836, Cunningham had conclusively identified Sarnath as the location of the Buddha's first sermon.[44][45] In 1861, Cunningham became the founder and first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India.

In 1851-1852, Markham Kittoe (1808–1853) conducted further excavations at Sarnath. Kittoe noted the presence of four stupas at Sarnath and excavated a structure he described as a hospital, which was located roughly midway between the Dhamek and Jagat Singh stupas.[46] He also recovered a seated Buddha statue from Jagat Singh's house and transcribed its inscription.[47] In his writings, Kittoe speculated that Sarnath was destroyed as a result of a great fire.[48]

Sometime in the mid-19th century, Sarnath was subjected to further depredations, as 48 statues and a tremendous amount of bricks and stones were removed from the historic site to be used in the construction of two bridges over the Varuna River.[49] A final instance of despoilation occurred around 1898, when many bricks and stones were removed from Sarnath and used as ballast for a narrow-gauge railway that was under construction at that time.[50]

20th century: extensive excavations and restoration

 
Friedrich Oertel's plan of excavation. The lion capital was found in 1905 to the west of the main shrine, which is to the north of the "Jagat Singh" stupa.

Friedrich Oertel conducted extensive excavations in 1904-1905. His team focused on the area near stupa "J" (the Dhamek Stupa), stupa "K" ("Jagat Singh stupa", now known as the Dharmarajika Stupa), monastery "L", temple "M", hospital "N", monastery "O", and the Ashokan pillar. In March 1905, the team exhumed parts of the base and shaft of the pillar with its Schism Edict, lion capital, and remnants of the dharmachakra sculpture.[51] Dating to c. 241-233 BCE,[52] these are the oldest and most important relics discovered at Sarnath thus far.[2] J. Ph. Vogel translated the inscription—which was written in the Brahmi of the Maurya period-and tentatively dated it to 249 BCE.[53]

Present day: archaeological ruins

According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (Sutta 16 of the Digha Nikaya), the Buddha mentioned Sarnath as one of the four places of pilgrimage his devout followers should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence.[4][5] Beginning in the late 18th century, ancient sites such as Sarnath have been subjected to extensive archaeological study and restoration. Consequently, Sarnath has regained its former status as a place of pilgrimage, both for Buddhists and Jains. In 1998, Sarnath was nominated for inclusion on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) list of World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural heritage. The nomination comprises two groups of monuments: group "A" is represented by the Chaukhandi Stupa, while all other monuments (e.g., temples, stupas, monasteries, and the pillar of Ashoka) are included as part of group "B".[54] Sites of greatest importance to Buddhist pilgrims include:

  • The Dhamek Stupa is an impressive structure, 39 metres (128 feet) high and 28 metres (92 feet) in diameter.[citation needed]
  • The Dharmarajika Stupa is one of the few pre-Ashokan stupas remaining at Sarnath, although only the foundations remain. It has been the subject of extensive depredations and archaeological excavations, from the late 18th through the early 20th century.[55]
  • The Ashokan pillar erected here was broken during the invasions of the 12th century but many of the pieces remain at the original location. The pillar was originally surmounted by the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which in turn served as the base of a large 32-spoke sandstone wheel of dharma. The lion capital and the wheel of dharma, presently on display at the Sarnath Archeological Museum, now symbolize the modern state of India. Both of these appear on the emblem of the Supreme Court of India,[56] and the wheel of dharma is incorporated in the flag of India.[57]
  • The ruins of the ancient Mulagandha Kuty Vihara mark the place where the Buddha spent his first rainy season. This was the main temple marked by the presence of the Ashokan pillar at the front. The 5th-century CE sandstone sculpture of Buddha Preaching his First Sermon was found in the vicinity.[citation needed]
  • The Dharma Chakra Jina Vihar, a massive monastery and living quarters for monks believed to have been constructed or restored in the mid-12th century at the behest of Kumaradevi, a wife of Govindachandra (c. 1114–1155 CE).[14]
  • The Chaukhandi Stupa commemorates the spot where the Buddha met up with his first five disciples (Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama). Located 0.8 kilometres (0.50 miles) south of Dhamek Stupa, it is capped with an octagonal brick tower. The tower was erected as a memorial to Emperor Humayun by his son Akbar in 1588 CE.[58]
  • The Sarnath Archeological Museum houses the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka, which miraculously survived its 45-foot drop to the ground (from the top of the Ashokan pillar), and became the State Emblem of India and national symbol on the flag of India. The museum also houses the original 5th-century CE sandstone sculpture of Buddha Preaching his First Sermon, as well as the Kumaradevi inscription.[17]

Modern places of worship

In addition to the archaeological ruins, there are a number of other pilgrimage sites and places of worship in Sarnath. Among these are included:

  • The modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara is a temple constructed by the Maha Bodhi Society; it was opened to the public in 1931. Wealthy Hawaiian philanthropist and benefactor Mary Robinson Foster provided much of the financial support for this project, while Anagarika Dharmapala supervised its construction. Dharmapala was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who was instrumental in the revival of Buddhism in India after it had been virtually extinct in that country for seven centuries.[59] The temple contains a gilded replica of a 5th-century CE sculpture of Buddha Preaching his First Sermon. Its interior walls are extensively decorated with frescoes by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu (1885-1973), depicting important events in the life of the Buddha.[60]
  • Anagarika Dharmapala Museum & offices of the Maha Bodhi Society, located on Dharmapala Road, just south of the modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara
  • A standing Buddha statue, 24.3 metres (80 feet) in height, inspired by the Buddhas of Bamiyan,[61] is located on the grounds of the Thai temple and monastery at Sarnath.[62] Construction began in 1997, and the statue was finally unveiled in 2011.[63]
  • A number of countries and regions in which Buddhism is a major religion (such as Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam) have established temples and monasteries in Sarnath in the style that is typical for their respective cultures, so visitors can gain insight into Buddhism from the perspectives of many different cultures.[64]
  • A bodhi tree planted by Anagarika Dharmapala which has grown from a cutting of the one at Bodh Gaya[citation needed]
  • Padmasambhava Buddhist Center: Padma Samye Chokhor Ling Monastery, Orgyen Samye Chokhor Ling Nunnery, Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche Stupa
  • Vajra Vidya Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies
  • Garden of Spiritual Wisdom, located on the grounds of the Chaukhandi Stupa
 
Buddhist monk in Sarnath

As a Jain pilgrimage site

Singhpur (Simhapuri), a village approximately 1.7 kilometres (1.1 miles) northwest of Sarnath,[27] is believed to be the birthplace of Shreyansanatha, the 11th tirthankara of Jainism.[65] It is also the place where four of the five auspicious life events of Shreyansanatha took place. According to Jain cosmology, the fifth auspicious life event is the attainment of moksha. Shreyansanatha was among the twenty Jain tirthankaras who attained moksha in Sametshikhar.[65]

Sarnath has been an important pilgrimage site for Jains for centuries.[66] A 17th-century Jain manuscript describes a Jain temple in Varanasi as being located close to "a famous Bodisattva sanctuary" at a place called dharmeksā. This Sanskrit word translates to "pondering of the law", and clearly refers to the Dhamek Stupa. The current edifice—Sarnath Jain Tirth (also known as the Shri Digamber Jain Temple or Shreyanshnath Jain Temple)—was constructed in 1824.[27] Located only about 70 metres (230 feet) to the southwest of the Dhamek Stupa, this temple is dedicated to Shreyansanatha.[66] The main deity of this temple is a blue-coloured statue of Shreyansanatha, 75 centimetres (30 inches) in height, in the lotus position.[citation needed]

Other tourist attractions

Tourist attractions unrelated to Buddhism and spirituality in Sarnath include the Sarnath Deer Park and Fish Canal, and the Sarnath Turtle Breeding and Rehabilitation Centre.

Tourist arrival in Sarnath[67]
Year International Domestic Total
2013 362,113 838,566 1,200,679
2014 374,268 899,457 1,273,725
2015 388,102 924,552 1,312,654
2016 409,242 957,320 1,366,562
2017 430,682 1,024,589 1,455,271
2018 435,752 1,070,035 1,505,787
2019 336,136 1,132,615 1,468,751

In English literature

In her 1832 poetical illustration Sarnat, a Boodh Monument, to a picture by Samuel Prout, Letitia Elizabeth Landon compared the four major religions of the world and mentioned the persecution and subsequent expulsion of the Buddhists from India.[68]

Sarnath is one of the locations of Rudyard Kipling's 1901 novel Kim. Teshoo Lama stays at the "Temple of the Tirthankhers" in Sarnath when not on his pilgrimages.[69]

The Nameless City is a fictional short story published in 1921 by H. P. Lovecraft. When the narrator of this story sees the ruins of the Nameless City, he "thought of Sarnath the Doomed, that stood in the land of Mnar when mankind was young, and of Ib, that was carven of grey stone before mankind existed."[70] Lovecraft had previously described the fictional city of Sarnath in his 1920 story The Doom That Came to Sarnath.[71]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b NRI Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India (2022). "About Sarnath". Sarnath. Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India: NRI Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India. Retrieved 1 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b Sahni 1914, p. 2.
  3. ^ BuddhaNet (2008). "The First Five Monks". Life of the Buddha. Tullera, NSW, Australia: Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Maha-parinibbana Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Total Unbinding (excerpt)". Access to Insight. Translated by Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. Barre, Massachusetts: Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. 1998. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha (Part Five)". Access to Insight. Translated by Vajira, Sister; Story, Francis. Barre, Massachusetts: Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. 1998. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  6. ^ Schumann 2004, p. 67.
  7. ^ BuddhaNet (2008). "Buddha Tales, Volume 1". King Banyan Deer. Tullera, NSW, Australia: Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  8. ^ Sahni 1914, p. 1.
  9. ^ Sarao 2017, p. 581.
  10. ^ Asher 2020, p. 1.
  11. ^ Oertel 1908, pp. 60–61.
  12. ^ Li 1914, pp. 98–100.
  13. ^ Asher 2020, p. 9.
  14. ^ a b Konow 1908, pp. 320, 327–8.
  15. ^ Asher 2020, pp. 6–8.
  16. ^ Konow 1908, p. 319.
  17. ^ a b Archaeological Survey of India (2013). "Accession Number: 33 (Kumaradevi inscription)". Archaeological Museum Sarnath. Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: Archaeological Survey of India - Sarnath Circle. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  18. ^ Konow 1908, pp. 321, 327.
  19. ^ Habib 1981, p. 116 Quote: "In the winter of A.D. 1194-1195 Shihabuddin once more marched into Hindustan and invaded the Doab. Rai Jai Chand moved forward to meet him and came face to face with Qutbuddin Aibek, who was leading the vanguard of the invading army.... Shihabuddin captured the treasure fort of Asni and then proceeded to Banares, where he converted about a thousand idol-temples into houses for the Musalmans".
  20. ^ Chandra 2007 Quote: "In 1194, Muizzuddin returned to India. He crossed the Jamuna with 50,000 cavalry and moved towards Kanauj. A hotly contested battle between Muizzuddin and Jaichandra was fought at Chandawar near Kanauj. We are told that Jaichandra had almost carried the day when he was killed by an arrow, and his army was totally defeated. Muizzuddin now moved on to Banaras which was ravaged, a large number of temples there being destroyed".
  21. ^ Khan 2008, p. 80 Quote: "Jaichandra was defeated and killed by Muhammad Ghauri at Chanwar (40 kilometers east of Agra) in 1193".
  22. ^ Asher 2020, p. 11.
  23. ^ Niyogi 1959, p. 111.
  24. ^ Meston 1915, p. 169.
  25. ^ Sanyal 2012, pp. 130–1.
  26. ^ Asher 2020, pp. 21–22.
  27. ^ a b c Oertel 1908, p. 60.
  28. ^ Pran Nevile (3 May 2009). "India's past on canvas". The Tribune. Chandigarh: Tribune Trust. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  29. ^ Hodges 1794, pp. 59–77.
  30. ^ Hodges 1794, p. 62 Quote: "Surrounding the city are many ruins of buildings, the effects of Mahomedan intolerance. One is a large circular edifice, having evidently been a Hindoo temple, or part of one; there are still vestiges of some of the ornaments; and on one part I found the Grecian scroll".
  31. ^ Ray 2014, pp. 78–79.
  32. ^ Oertel 1908, p. 65.
  33. ^ Archaeological Survey of India (2014). "Dhamek Stupa". Our Monuments. Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: Archaeological Survey of India - Sarnath Circle. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  34. ^ a b c d Oertel 1908, pp. 61–62.
  35. ^ Duncan 1799, pp. 131–133.
  36. ^ Cunningham 1871, pp. 118–119.
  37. ^ Asher 2020, p. 22.
  38. ^ Sahni 1917, pp. 17–20.
  39. ^ Sherring 1868, p. 26.
  40. ^ Oertel 1908, pp. 62–64.
  41. ^ Asher 2020, pp. 12–13.
  42. ^ Asher 2020, pp. 14–15.
  43. ^ Asher 2020, p. 23.
  44. ^ Cunningham 1871, pp. 103–130.
  45. ^ Asher 2020, p. 12.
  46. ^ Asher 2020, pp. 27–28.
  47. ^ Asher 2020, p. 24.
  48. ^ Asher 2020, p. 27.
  49. ^ Sherring 1868, p. 25 Quote: "...in the erection of the bridges over the river Barna, forty-eight statues and other sculptured stones were removed from Sarnath and thrown into the river, to serve as a breakwater to the piers; and that, in the erection of the second bridge, the iron one, from fifty to sixty cart-loads of stones from the Sarnath buildings were employed".
  50. ^ Oertel 1908, p. 64.
  51. ^ Oertel 1908, pp. 68–70.
  52. ^ Phuoc 2010, p. 38.
  53. ^ Vogel 1906, pp. 166–167.
  54. ^ UNESCO World Heritage Centre (2023). "Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh". Tentative Lists. Paris: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  55. ^ Oertel 1908, pp. 61–68.
  56. ^ Wagner 2021, p. 406 Quote: "A slightly different (32-spoke) version of the same wheel adorns the logo of the Supreme Court of India as a visual declaration of righteousness, authority and truth....".
  57. ^ Sadan 2016, p. 177.
  58. ^ Oertel 1908, p. 74.
  59. ^ Nakamura 2001, pp. 267–8.
  60. ^ Nosu 1939, p. 27.
  61. ^ Tricycle 2009.
  62. ^ Shubham Mansingka (11 January 2017). "Thai Temple & Monastery". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  63. ^ "Sarnath gets country's tallest statue of Buddha". The Times of India. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  64. ^ Katherine Tanko (30 April 1999). "Centuries of Pilgrimage:Buddhists Still Flock to Sarnath". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  65. ^ a b Federation of Jain Associations in North America 2021, p. 241.
  66. ^ a b Shubham Mansingka (11 January 2017). "Digambar Jain Temple". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  67. ^ Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department (10 June 2022). "Annual Tourist Visits Statistics - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021". Year-wise Tourist Statistics. Lucknow: Department of Tourism, Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  68. ^ Landon 1832, pp. 16–17.
  69. ^ Kipling 1902, p. 266.
  70. ^ Lovecraft 2011, p. 93.
  71. ^ Lovecraft 2011, pp. 41–44.
  72. ^ Elliott 2014, p. 125.
  73. ^ Smith 1911, pp. 374–5.
  74. ^ Smith 1911, pp. 101–2.
  75. ^ Mani 2012, pp. 60–61.

Cited works

External links

  •   Sarnath travel guide from Wikivoyage
  • Entry on Isipatana in the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names


  • Description of Sarnath by the Chinese pilgrim monk Faxian (399-414 AC)
  • Sarnath Temple

sarnath, this, article, about, indian, city, lovecraft, fictitious, city, doom, that, came, hindustani, pronunciation, saːɾnaːtʰ, also, referred, sarangnath, isipatana, rishipattana, migadaya, mrigadava, place, located, kilometres, miles, northeast, varanasi, . This article is about the Indian city For H P Lovecraft s fictitious city see The Doom That Came to Sarnath Sarnath Hindustani pronunciation saːɾnaːtʰ also referred to as Sarangnath Isipatana Rishipattana Migadaya or Mrigadava 1 is a place located 10 kilometres 6 2 miles northeast of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh India Sarnath स रन थHistorical CityView of Sarnath looking from the ruins of the ancient Mulagandha Kuty Vihara towards the Dhamek StupaNickname IsipatanaSarnath स रन थShow map of IndiaSarnath स रन थShow map of Uttar PradeshCoordinates 25 22 41 N 83 01 30 E 25 3780 N 83 0251 E 25 3780 83 0251 Coordinates 25 22 41 N 83 01 30 E 25 3780 N 83 0251 E 25 3780 83 0251Country IndiaStateUttar PradeshDistrictVaranasiLanguages OfficialHindiTime zoneUTC 5 30Map of Sarnath in relation to other Eight Great Places Buddhist pilgrimage sites and notable nearby cities Sarnath is where circa 528 BCE at 35 years of age Gautama Buddha taught his first sermon after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya 2 It is also where the Buddhist sangha first came into existence as a result of the enlightenment of his first five disciples Kaundinya Assaji Bhaddiya Vappa and Mahanama 3 According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta Sutta 16 of the Digha Nikaya the Buddha mentioned Sarnath as one of the four places of pilgrimage his devout followers should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence The other three sites are Lumbini the birthplace of the Buddha Bodh Gaya where the Buddha achieved enlightenment and Kushinagar where the Buddha attained parinirvana 4 5 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 5th century BCE 6th century CE 2 2 6th century 8th century 2 3 8th century 12th century 2 4 late 12th century the destruction of Sarnath 2 5 18th century rediscovery and looting 2 6 19th century more looting and early archeological excavations 2 7 20th century extensive excavations and restoration 3 Present day archaeological ruins 4 Modern places of worship 5 As a Jain pilgrimage site 6 Other tourist attractions 7 In English literature 8 Gallery 9 References 10 Cited works 11 External linksEtymology EditThe name Sarnath derives from the Sanskrit word Saranganatha or Sarangnath in the Pali language 1 which translates to Lord of the Deer in the English language 6 The name refers to an ancient Buddhist legend in which the Bodhisattva was a deer and offered his life to a king instead of the doe the king was planning to kill The king was so moved that he created the park as a deer sanctuary 7 The term for deer park is Mriga dava in Sanskrit or Miga daya in the Pali language 8 Isipatana is another name used to refer to Sarnath in Pali the language of the Pali Canon This name corresponds to the name Rishipattana in the Sanskrit language The terms isi Pali and rishi Sanskrit refer to an accomplished and enlightened person Isipatana and Rishipattana therefore translate to the place where holy men descended 9 or the hill of the fallen sages 10 History Edit5th century BCE 6th century CE Edit Buddhism flourished in Sarnath during the second urbanisation c 600 200 BCE from the time of the Mahajanapadas through the Nanda and Maurya periods in part because of patronage from kings and wealthy merchants based in Varanasi By the 3rd century CE Sarnath had become an important centre for the Sammatiya school of Buddhism one of the early Buddhist schools as well as for art and architecture However the presence of images of Heruka and Tara indicate that Vajrayana Buddhism was at a later time also practised here Also images of Hindu gods as Shiva and Brahma were found at the site and a Jain temple was located very close to the Dhamek Stupa citation needed Buddhism further expanded in India during the Gupta 4th to 6th centuries period Faxian was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled extensively throughout northern India from 400 411 CE In his description of Sarnath he mentioned seeing four large towers and two viharas with monks residing in them citation needed 6th century 8th century Edit The influence of Buddhism continued to grow during the Later Gupta 6th 8th centuries When Xuanzang visited Sarnath around 640 CE he reported seeing hundreds of small shrines and votive stupas and a vihara some 61 metres 200 feet in height containing a large statue of the Buddha 11 Xuanzang also wrote that There are about 1500 priests here who study the Little Vehicle according to the Sammatiya school 12 In his writings Xuanzang mentioned a pillar constructed by Ashoka near a stupa that marked the location where the Buddha set the wheel of the law in motion 13 8th century 12th century Edit During the Pala 8th 11th centuries period the rulers built new mahaviharas such as Odantapuri Somapura Jagaddala and Vikramashila and patronised existing ones such as Nalanda and Sarnath During this time Buddhist pilgrims and monks from all over Asia traveled to Sarnath to meditate and study The Palas were the last major Buddhist dynasty to rule in the Indian subcontinent They were replaced by the Gahadavala dynasty whose capital was located at Varanasi citation needed Although the Gahadavala kings were Hindu they were tolerant of Buddhism Inscriptions unearthed at Sarnath in the early 20th century indicate that some of the monasteries there enjoyed royal patronage from the Gahadavala rulers For example in a mid 12th century inscription attributed to Queen Kumaradevi consort of King Govindachandra she takes credit for the construction or restoration of a living quarters for monks 14 It is widely asserted that the structure referred to in the Kumaradevi inscription is the Dharma Chakra Jina Vihar but the evidence for this is inconclusive Whatever the case it is likely to be among the last structures to be built at Sarnath prior to its destruction in 1194 15 The inscription excavated at Sarnath in March 1908 16 is currently maintained at the Sarnath Archeological Museum 17 late 12th century the destruction of Sarnath Edit Along with Sarnath which is located in present day Uttar Pradesh the most important Buddhist mahaviharas in India were Vikramashila Odantapuri and Nalanda all located in present day Bihar All four of these centres of learning continued to thrive throughout the 12th century probably because of the protection support and tolerance demonstrated by the Pala and Gahadavala rulers For example the Kumaradevi inscription mentions that King Govindachandra had protected Varanasi from invasions by the Ghaznavids which the inscription refers to as Turushkas in the early to mid 12th century 18 Apart from North India Buddhism had been declining throughout the Indian subcontinent and had virtually disappeared by the 11th century citation needed Islamic invasions in the late 12th century brought massive plunder and destruction to northern India Most notable among these were the military campaigns of Muhammad of Ghor the Ghurid ruler from Ghazni which is in present day Afghanistan Qutbuddin Aibek the Turkic commander of Muhammad of Ghor s army led an army from Ghazni to Varanasi and Sarnath in 1194 CE 19 20 Rai Jai Chand c 1170 1194 CE the reigning Gahadavala dynasty king at that time was killed during the Battle of Chandawar 21 and virtually everything of value in Varanasi and Sarnath was destroyed or plundered Qutbuddin Aibek reportedly carted away some 1400 camel loads of treasure 22 According to the 13th century Persian historian Hasan Nizami nearly 1000 temples were destroyed and mosques were raised on their foundations the Rais and chiefs of Hind came forward to proffer their allegiance to the Ghurids 23 While Qutbuddin Aibek destroyed Sarnath it was the troops of Bakhtiyar Khalji another of Muhammad of Ghor s slave generals that finished the job They destroyed Vikramashila in 1193 Odantapuri in 1197 and Nalanda in 1200 24 The Buddhists who survived this genocide in northern India fled to Nepal Sikkim Tibet 25 or South India By the end of the 12th century Buddhism had effectively disappeared from the Indian subcontinent except for these areas citation needed 18th century rediscovery and looting Edit Very few Buddhists remained in India after their persecution and expulsion at the end of the 12th century by the Ghurids Buddhists from Tibet Burma and Southeast Asia continued to make pilgrimages to South Asia from the 13th to the 17th centuries but their most common destination was Bodh Gaya and not Sarnath 26 Sarnath continued to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains however A 17th century Jain manuscript written in 1612 CE the Tirthakalpa by Jinaprabha Suri describes a Jain temple in Varanasi as being located close to a famous Bodisattva sanctuary at a place called dharmeksa This Sanskrit word translates to pondering of the law and clearly refers to the Dhamek Stupa 27 India experienced an increase in visitation by European people in the late 18th century In 1778 William Hodges became possibly the first British landscape painter to visit India 28 While there he made careful observations of the art and architecture he encountered He published an illustrated book about his travels in India in 1794 In his book he described mosques and other Islamic architecture Hindu temples and Greek inspired columns 29 Hodges also briefly described the Dhamek Stupa although he mistook it to be a ruined Hindu temple 30 31 In what is the first incontrovertible modern reference to the ruins at Sarnath Jonathan Duncan a charter member of the Asiatic Society and later Governor of Bombay described the discovery of a green marble reliquary encased in a sandstone box in the relic chamber of a brick stupa at that location The reliquary was discovered in January 1794 during the dismantling of a stupa referred to by Alexander Cunningham as stupa K or the Jagat Singh stupa 32 later identified as the Dharmarajika Stupa 33 by employees of Zamindar Jagat Singh the dewan of Maharaja Chait Singh the Raja of Benares 34 Duncan published his observations in 1799 35 36 37 The reliquary contained a few bones and some pearls which were subsequently thrown into the Ganges river 38 The reliquary itself has also disappeared although the outer sandstone box was replaced in the relic chamber where it was rediscovered by Cunningham in 1835 34 The bricks of the stupa were hauled off and used for the construction of the market in Jagatganj Varanasi 39 Jagat Singh and his crew also removed a large part of the facing of the Dhamek Stupa and removed several Buddha statues which he retained at his house in Jagatganj 40 19th century more looting and early archeological excavations Edit The next modern description of Sarnath was by Francis Buchanan Hamilton who visited the site around 1813 He drew a crude map of the site which he called Buddha Kashi at that time 41 Colin Mackenzie was an officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India Visiting Sarnath in 1815 he was the first to describe a dedicated exploration of the ruins 34 Throughout the early 19th century amateur archeologists explored and excavated at Sarnath removing antiquities and several artists drew sketches of the site especially of the Dhamek Stupa 42 In 1835 1836 a 21 year old British Army engineer with the Bengal Engineer Group named Alexander Cunningham conducted the first systematic archaeological excavations at Sarnath 43 He had carefully studied the writings of Faxian and Xuanzang two Chinese Buddhist monks who traveled extensively throughout northern India in the early 5th and early 7th centuries respectively Based on their writings and those of Duncan he conducted some careful measurements and excavations at Sarnath in 1835 1836 During the course of these excavations Cunningham discovered and removed many statues from monastery L and temple M as well as the sandstone box reported by Duncan from the Dharmarajika Stupa He presented these items to the Asiatic Society of Bengal and they are now located in the Indian Museum in Kolkata 34 By 1836 Cunningham had conclusively identified Sarnath as the location of the Buddha s first sermon 44 45 In 1861 Cunningham became the founder and first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India In 1851 1852 Markham Kittoe 1808 1853 conducted further excavations at Sarnath Kittoe noted the presence of four stupas at Sarnath and excavated a structure he described as a hospital which was located roughly midway between the Dhamek and Jagat Singh stupas 46 He also recovered a seated Buddha statue from Jagat Singh s house and transcribed its inscription 47 In his writings Kittoe speculated that Sarnath was destroyed as a result of a great fire 48 Sometime in the mid 19th century Sarnath was subjected to further depredations as 48 statues and a tremendous amount of bricks and stones were removed from the historic site to be used in the construction of two bridges over the Varuna River 49 A final instance of despoilation occurred around 1898 when many bricks and stones were removed from Sarnath and used as ballast for a narrow gauge railway that was under construction at that time 50 20th century extensive excavations and restoration Edit Friedrich Oertel s plan of excavation The lion capital was found in 1905 to the west of the main shrine which is to the north of the Jagat Singh stupa Friedrich Oertel conducted extensive excavations in 1904 1905 His team focused on the area near stupa J the Dhamek Stupa stupa K Jagat Singh stupa now known as the Dharmarajika Stupa monastery L temple M hospital N monastery O and the Ashokan pillar In March 1905 the team exhumed parts of the base and shaft of the pillar with its Schism Edict lion capital and remnants of the dharmachakra sculpture 51 Dating to c 241 233 BCE 52 these are the oldest and most important relics discovered at Sarnath thus far 2 J Ph Vogel translated the inscription which was written in the Brahmi of the Maurya period and tentatively dated it to 249 BCE 53 Present day archaeological ruins EditAccording to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta Sutta 16 of the Digha Nikaya the Buddha mentioned Sarnath as one of the four places of pilgrimage his devout followers should visit and look upon with feelings of reverence 4 5 Beginning in the late 18th century ancient sites such as Sarnath have been subjected to extensive archaeological study and restoration Consequently Sarnath has regained its former status as a place of pilgrimage both for Buddhists and Jains In 1998 Sarnath was nominated for inclusion on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural heritage The nomination comprises two groups of monuments group A is represented by the Chaukhandi Stupa while all other monuments e g temples stupas monasteries and the pillar of Ashoka are included as part of group B 54 Sites of greatest importance to Buddhist pilgrims include The Dhamek Stupa is an impressive structure 39 metres 128 feet high and 28 metres 92 feet in diameter citation needed The Dharmarajika Stupa is one of the few pre Ashokan stupas remaining at Sarnath although only the foundations remain It has been the subject of extensive depredations and archaeological excavations from the late 18th through the early 20th century 55 The Ashokan pillar erected here was broken during the invasions of the 12th century but many of the pieces remain at the original location The pillar was originally surmounted by the Lion Capital of Ashoka which in turn served as the base of a large 32 spoke sandstone wheel of dharma The lion capital and the wheel of dharma presently on display at the Sarnath Archeological Museum now symbolize the modern state of India Both of these appear on the emblem of the Supreme Court of India 56 and the wheel of dharma is incorporated in the flag of India 57 The ruins of the ancient Mulagandha Kuty Vihara mark the place where the Buddha spent his first rainy season This was the main temple marked by the presence of the Ashokan pillar at the front The 5th century CE sandstone sculpture of Buddha Preaching his First Sermon was found in the vicinity citation needed The Dharma Chakra Jina Vihar a massive monastery and living quarters for monks believed to have been constructed or restored in the mid 12th century at the behest of Kumaradevi a wife of Govindachandra c 1114 1155 CE 14 The Chaukhandi Stupa commemorates the spot where the Buddha met up with his first five disciples Kaundinya Assaji Bhaddiya Vappa and Mahanama Located 0 8 kilometres 0 50 miles south of Dhamek Stupa it is capped with an octagonal brick tower The tower was erected as a memorial to Emperor Humayun by his son Akbar in 1588 CE 58 The Sarnath Archeological Museum houses the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka which miraculously survived its 45 foot drop to the ground from the top of the Ashokan pillar and became the State Emblem of India and national symbol on the flag of India The museum also houses the original 5th century CE sandstone sculpture of Buddha Preaching his First Sermon as well as the Kumaradevi inscription 17 Modern places of worship EditIn addition to the archaeological ruins there are a number of other pilgrimage sites and places of worship in Sarnath Among these are included The modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara is a temple constructed by the Maha Bodhi Society it was opened to the public in 1931 Wealthy Hawaiian philanthropist and benefactor Mary Robinson Foster provided much of the financial support for this project while Anagarika Dharmapala supervised its construction Dharmapala was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who was instrumental in the revival of Buddhism in India after it had been virtually extinct in that country for seven centuries 59 The temple contains a gilded replica of a 5th century CE sculpture of Buddha Preaching his First Sermon Its interior walls are extensively decorated with frescoes by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu 1885 1973 depicting important events in the life of the Buddha 60 Anagarika Dharmapala Museum amp offices of the Maha Bodhi Society located on Dharmapala Road just south of the modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara A standing Buddha statue 24 3 metres 80 feet in height inspired by the Buddhas of Bamiyan 61 is located on the grounds of the Thai temple and monastery at Sarnath 62 Construction began in 1997 and the statue was finally unveiled in 2011 63 A number of countries and regions in which Buddhism is a major religion such as Cambodia China Japan Korea Myanmar Sri Lanka Thailand Tibet and Vietnam have established temples and monasteries in Sarnath in the style that is typical for their respective cultures so visitors can gain insight into Buddhism from the perspectives of many different cultures 64 A bodhi tree planted by Anagarika Dharmapala which has grown from a cutting of the one at Bodh Gaya citation needed Padmasambhava Buddhist Center Padma Samye Chokhor Ling Monastery Orgyen Samye Chokhor Ling Nunnery Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche Stupa Vajra Vidya Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies Garden of Spiritual Wisdom located on the grounds of the Chaukhandi Stupa Buddhist monk in SarnathAs a Jain pilgrimage site EditMain article Sarnath Jain Tirth Singhpur Simhapuri a village approximately 1 7 kilometres 1 1 miles northwest of Sarnath 27 is believed to be the birthplace of Shreyansanatha the 11th tirthankara of Jainism 65 It is also the place where four of the five auspicious life events of Shreyansanatha took place According to Jain cosmology the fifth auspicious life event is the attainment of moksha Shreyansanatha was among the twenty Jain tirthankaras who attained moksha in Sametshikhar 65 Sarnath has been an important pilgrimage site for Jains for centuries 66 A 17th century Jain manuscript describes a Jain temple in Varanasi as being located close to a famous Bodisattva sanctuary at a place called dharmeksa This Sanskrit word translates to pondering of the law and clearly refers to the Dhamek Stupa The current edifice Sarnath Jain Tirth also known as the Shri Digamber Jain Temple or Shreyanshnath Jain Temple was constructed in 1824 27 Located only about 70 metres 230 feet to the southwest of the Dhamek Stupa this temple is dedicated to Shreyansanatha 66 The main deity of this temple is a blue coloured statue of Shreyansanatha 75 centimetres 30 inches in height in the lotus position citation needed Other tourist attractions EditTourist attractions unrelated to Buddhism and spirituality in Sarnath include the Sarnath Deer Park and Fish Canal and the Sarnath Turtle Breeding and Rehabilitation Centre Tourist arrival in Sarnath 67 Year International Domestic Total2013 362 113 838 566 1 200 6792014 374 268 899 457 1 273 7252015 388 102 924 552 1 312 6542016 409 242 957 320 1 366 5622017 430 682 1 024 589 1 455 2712018 435 752 1 070 035 1 505 7872019 336 136 1 132 615 1 468 751In English literature EditIn her 1832 poetical illustration Sarnat a Boodh Monument to a picture by Samuel Prout Letitia Elizabeth Landon compared the four major religions of the world and mentioned the persecution and subsequent expulsion of the Buddhists from India 68 Sarnath is one of the locations of Rudyard Kipling s 1901 novel Kim Teshoo Lama stays at the Temple of the Tirthankhers in Sarnath when not on his pilgrimages 69 The Nameless City is a fictional short story published in 1921 by H P Lovecraft When the narrator of this story sees the ruins of the Nameless City he thought of Sarnath the Doomed that stood in the land of Mnar when mankind was young and of Ib that was carven of grey stone before mankind existed 70 Lovecraft had previously described the fictional city of Sarnath in his 1920 story The Doom That Came to Sarnath 71 Gallery Edit Plan of excavations at Sarnath with sites labeled using Alexander Cunningham s terminology 1835 Plan of excavations at Sarnath with sites labeled using current English terminology View of Sarnath during archaeological excavations 1907 Camera angle from the ruins of the ancient Mulagandha Kuty Vihara towards the Dhamek Stupa the Sri Digamber Jain temple can be seen on the right side of the photograph Buddha statue inside a votive stupa at Sarnath The Lion Capital of Ashoka the Buddha Preaching his First Sermon sculpture and the Ashokan pillar along with other antiquities as they appeared upon their exhumation at Sarnath on 15 March 1905 photograph by F O Oertel 72 The Lion Capital of Ashoka now located in the Sarnath Archeological Museum as it appeared in 2011 Dharmarajika Stupa from the pre Ashokan period as it appeared in 2007 Pieces of the pillar of Ashoka at Sarnath as they appeared in 2016 protected behind a glass enclosure Brahmi inscription on the main pillar of Ashoka at Sarnath Greco Persian sculpture of the head of a West Asian foreigner from the Maurya period Sarnath Museum 73 Perso Ionic capital of the Mauryan period excavated at Sarnath 74 Opposite side of the same capital excavated at Sarnath depicting an elephant The Bala Bodhisattva an important statue for dating Indian art was discovered at Sarnath The statue was dedicated in the year 3 of Kanishka circa 129 CE 75 Exterior of the Sri Digamber Jain temple at Sarnath Interior of the Sri Digamber Jain temple at Sarnath The modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara a Buddhist temple constructed by the Maha Bodhi Society at Sarnath A replica of the Buddha Preaching his First Sermon sculpture located in the modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara Fresco in the modern Mulagandha Kuty Vihara by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu Temple and monastery of the Tibetan community in Sarnath Seated statue of the Buddha with standing Buddha statue in the background on the grounds of the Thai temple and monastery at SarnathReferences Edit a b NRI Department Government of Uttar Pradesh India 2022 About Sarnath Sarnath Lucknow Uttar Pradesh India NRI Department Government of Uttar Pradesh India Retrieved 1 January 2023 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b Sahni 1914 p 2 BuddhaNet 2008 The First Five Monks Life of the Buddha Tullera NSW Australia Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc Retrieved 1 January 2023 a b Maha parinibbana Sutta The Great Discourse on the Total Unbinding excerpt Access to Insight Translated by Bhikkhu Thanissaro Barre Massachusetts Barre Center for Buddhist Studies 1998 Retrieved 1 January 2023 a b Maha parinibbana Sutta Last Days of the Buddha Part Five Access to Insight Translated by Vajira Sister Story Francis Barre Massachusetts Barre Center for Buddhist Studies 1998 Retrieved 1 January 2023 Schumann 2004 p 67 BuddhaNet 2008 Buddha Tales Volume 1 King Banyan Deer Tullera NSW Australia Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc Retrieved 3 January 2023 Sahni 1914 p 1 Sarao 2017 p 581 Asher 2020 p 1 Oertel 1908 pp 60 61 Li 1914 pp 98 100 Asher 2020 p 9 a b Konow 1908 pp 320 327 8 Asher 2020 pp 6 8 Konow 1908 p 319 a b Archaeological Survey of India 2013 Accession Number 33 Kumaradevi inscription Archaeological Museum Sarnath Sarnath Varanasi Uttar Pradesh Archaeological Survey of India Sarnath Circle Retrieved 2 January 2023 Konow 1908 pp 321 327 Habib 1981 p 116 Quote In the winter of A D 1194 1195 Shihabuddin once more marched into Hindustan and invaded the Doab Rai Jai Chand moved forward to meet him and came face to face with Qutbuddin Aibek who was leading the vanguard of the invading army Shihabuddin captured the treasure fort of Asni and then proceeded to Banares where he converted about a thousand idol temples into houses for the Musalmans Chandra 2007 Quote In 1194 Muizzuddin returned to India He crossed the Jamuna with 50 000 cavalry and moved towards Kanauj A hotly contested battle between Muizzuddin and Jaichandra was fought at Chandawar near Kanauj We are told that Jaichandra had almost carried the day when he was killed by an arrow and his army was totally defeated Muizzuddin now moved on to Banaras which was ravaged a large number of temples there being destroyed Khan 2008 p 80 Quote Jaichandra was defeated and killed by Muhammad Ghauri at Chanwar 40 kilometers east of Agra in 1193 Asher 2020 p 11 Niyogi 1959 p 111 Meston 1915 p 169 Sanyal 2012 pp 130 1 Asher 2020 pp 21 22 a b c Oertel 1908 p 60 Pran Nevile 3 May 2009 India s past on canvas The Tribune Chandigarh Tribune Trust Retrieved 2 January 2023 Hodges 1794 pp 59 77 Hodges 1794 p 62 Quote Surrounding the city are many ruins of buildings the effects of Mahomedan intolerance One is a large circular edifice having evidently been a Hindoo temple or part of one there are still vestiges of some of the ornaments and on one part I found the Grecian scroll Ray 2014 pp 78 79 Oertel 1908 p 65 Archaeological Survey of India 2014 Dhamek Stupa Our Monuments Sarnath Varanasi Uttar Pradesh Archaeological Survey of India Sarnath Circle Retrieved 1 January 2023 a b c d Oertel 1908 pp 61 62 Duncan 1799 pp 131 133 Cunningham 1871 pp 118 119 Asher 2020 p 22 Sahni 1917 pp 17 20 Sherring 1868 p 26 Oertel 1908 pp 62 64 Asher 2020 pp 12 13 Asher 2020 pp 14 15 Asher 2020 p 23 Cunningham 1871 pp 103 130 Asher 2020 p 12 Asher 2020 pp 27 28 Asher 2020 p 24 Asher 2020 p 27 Sherring 1868 p 25 Quote in the erection of the bridges over the river Barna forty eight statues and other sculptured stones were removed from Sarnath and thrown into the river to serve as a breakwater to the piers and that in the erection of the second bridge the iron one from fifty to sixty cart loads of stones from the Sarnath buildings were employed Oertel 1908 p 64 Oertel 1908 pp 68 70 Phuoc 2010 p 38 Vogel 1906 pp 166 167 UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2023 Ancient Buddhist Site Sarnath Varanasi Uttar Pradesh Tentative Lists Paris UNESCO World Heritage Centre Retrieved 1 January 2023 Oertel 1908 pp 61 68 Wagner 2021 p 406 Quote A slightly different 32 spoke version of the same wheel adorns the logo of the Supreme Court of India as a visual declaration of righteousness authority and truth Sadan 2016 p 177 Oertel 1908 p 74 Nakamura 2001 pp 267 8 Nosu 1939 p 27 Tricycle 2009 Shubham Mansingka 11 January 2017 Thai Temple amp Monastery The Times of India Retrieved 1 January 2023 Sarnath gets country s tallest statue of Buddha The Times of India 16 March 2011 Retrieved 1 January 2023 Katherine Tanko 30 April 1999 Centuries of Pilgrimage Buddhists Still Flock to Sarnath The New York Times Retrieved 1 January 2023 a b Federation of Jain Associations in North America 2021 p 241 a b Shubham Mansingka 11 January 2017 Digambar Jain Temple The Times of India Retrieved 2 January 2023 Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department 10 June 2022 Annual Tourist Visits Statistics 2017 2018 2019 2020 amp 2021 Year wise Tourist Statistics Lucknow Department of Tourism Uttar Pradesh Retrieved 1 January 2023 Landon 1832 pp 16 17 Kipling 1902 p 266 Lovecraft 2011 p 93 Lovecraft 2011 pp 41 44 Elliott 2014 p 125 sfn error no target CITEREFElliott2014 help Smith 1911 pp 374 5 Smith 1911 pp 101 2 Mani 2012 pp 60 61 Cited works EditAsher Frederick M 2020 Sarnath A Critical History of the Place Where Buddhism Began Los Angeles Getty Research Institute ISBN 978 1606066164 Chandra Satish 2007 History of Medieval India 800 1700 PDF Hyderabad Orient BlackSwan ISBN 978 9352874576 Cunningham Alexander 1871 Banaras Sarnath Four reports made during the years 1862 63 64 65 Vol 1 Shimla Himachal Pradesh India Archaeological Survey of India pp 103 130 Duncan Johnathan 1799 An Account of the Discovery of Two Urns in the Vicinity of Benares Transactions of the Society Instituted in Bengal for enquiring into the History and Antiquities the Arts Sciences and Literature of Asia 5 131 3 Elliott Mark Diemberger Hildegard Clemente Michela 2014 Buddha s Word The Life of Books in Tibet and Beyond PDF Cambridge England Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology University of Cambridge ISBN 978 0947595203 Federation of Jain Associations in North America 2021 Compendium of Jainism PDF 4th ed Carson California Jain Education International ISBN 978 1594060663 Habib Mohammad 1981 Nizami Khaliq Ahmad ed Politics and Society During the Early Medieval Period Collected Works of Professor Mohammad Habib Vol 2 New Delhi People s Publishing House Hodges William 1794 Chaper IV Description of Benares Travels in India during the years 1780 1781 1782 and 1783 London printed for the author and sold by J Edwards Khan Iqtidar Alam 2008 Historical Dictionary of Medieval India Historical Dictionaries of Ancient Civilizations and Historical Eras Vol 20 Lanham Maryland Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0810855038 Kipling Rudyard 1902 Kim 1st ed London MacMillan amp Company Konow Sten 1908 Sarnath Inscription of Kumaradevi Epigraphica Indica 9 51 319 28 Landon Letitia Elizabeth 1832 Fisher s drawing room scrap book with poetical illustrations by L E L 1833 London Fisher Son and Jackson Li Hwui 1914 The Life of Hiuen Tsiang Vol Book III Translated by Beal Samuel 2nd ed London Kegan Paul Trench Trubner amp Company Lovecraft Howard Phillips 2011 The Complete Works Of H P Lovecraft Mani B R 2012 Sarnath Archaeology Art and Architecture New Delhi Archaeological Survey of India Meston James 1915 India Hutchinson s Story of the Nations London Hutchison amp Co pp 123 222 Nakamura Hajime 2001 Gotama Buddha A Biography Based on the Most Reliable Texts Vol 1 Translated by Sekimori Gaynor 1st ed Tokyo Kosei Publishing Company ISBN 978 4333018932 Niyogi Roma 1959 The History of the Gahadavala Dynasty Kolkata Calcutta Oriental Book Agency Nosu Kosetsu 1939 Life of Buddha in Frescoes Mulagandhakuti Vihara Sarnath Kolkata Maha Bodhi Society Retrieved 1 January 2023 Oertel Friedrich Oscar 1908 Excavations at Sarnath Archaeological Survey of India Annual Report 1904 1905 Calcutta Superintendent Government Printing India pp 59 104 Phuoc Le Huu 2010 Buddhist Architecture Lakeville Minnesota Grafikol ISBN 978 0984404308 Ray Himanshu Prabha 2014 The Return of the Buddha Ancient Symbols for a New Nation 1st ed New Delhi Routledge ISBN 978 0415711159 Sadan Jha 2016 Reverence Resistance and Politics of Seeing the Indian National Flag Cambridge England Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1107118874 Sahni Daya Ram 1914 Catalogue of the Museum of Archaeology at Sarnath PDF Calcutta Superintendent Government Printing India Sahni Daya Ram 1917 Guide to the Buddhist ruins of Sarnath Calcutta Archaeological Survey of India Sanyal Sanjeev 2012 Land of the Seven Rivers A Brief History of India s Geography Gurgaon India Penguin Books India Private Limited pp 130 1 ISBN 978 8184756715 Sarao Karam Tej Singh 2017 Long Jeffery D ed Buddhism and Jainism Encyclopedia of Indian Religions Dordrecht Netherlands Springer doi 10 1007 978 94 024 0852 2 100384 ISBN 978 9402408515 Schumann Hans Wolfgang 2004 The Historical Buddha The Times Life and Teachings of the Founder of Buddhism New Delhi Motilal Banarsidass ISBN 8120818172 Sherring Matthew Atmore 1868 Benares The Sacred City of the Hindus Delhi B R Publishing Corporation Smith Vincent Arthur 1911 A history of fine art in India and Ceylon from the earliest times to the present day Oxford Clarendon Press Tillotson Giles Henry Rupert 2000 The Artificial Empire The Indian Landscapes of William Hodges 1st ed Abingdon on Thames England Routledge ASIN B00AZ4O282 Tricycle 2 November 2009 It s not quite Bamiyan but Tricycle The Buddhist Review 19 1 Vogel Jean Philippe 1906 Epigraphical Discoveries at Sarnath Epigraphica Indica 8 17 166 179 Wagner Anne 2021 Marusek Sarah ed Flags Color and the Legal Narrative Public Memory Identity and Critique Cham Switzerland Springer Nature ISBN 978 3030328641 External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Sarnath Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarnath Sarnath travel guide from Wikivoyage Entry on Isipatana in the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names Description of Sarnath by the Chinese pilgrim monk Faxian 399 414 AC Sarnath India Art Architecture Archcelogy History Culture Study Project Sarnath Temple Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarnath amp oldid 1132373354, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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