Sarnath (also referred to as Deer Park, Sarangnath, Isispatana, Rishipattana, Migadaya, or Mrigadava)[4] is a town located 8 kilometers (5.0 miles) northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. According to the Lalitavistara sutra, the Gautama Buddha chose "Deer Park by the Hill of the Fallen Sages, outside of Varanasi" for the location of his first teachings of Buddhism, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana sutra, after he attained enlightenment [1] at Bodh Gaya.[5] It is one of the eight most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists and has been nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sarnath is also where the Buddhist sangha first came into existence, as a result of the first teaching given to the Buddha's first five disciples Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa, and Mahanama, known as The First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. This teaching occurred circa 528 BCE when the Buddha was approximately 35 years of age
