Buddha statue

4.6

Location: Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India

Estimated Visiting Time: 1 hour

Originally from Sarnath, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, this peaceful-looking sculpture of Buddha was found. Dating back to the 5th century CE, it belongs to the Gupta dynasty. It stands tall with a height of 91.1 cm and is made of stone. The National Museum, New Delhi, is currently placed at the Gupta gallery.

Attraction

Within the Buddhist faith in the 21st century, Sarnath was considered to be among the holiest sites. Set the wheel of dharma in motion and it is also the place of birth for the Sangha (the religious followers of Buddha), it was at Sarnath that Buddha gave his first sermon. In 249 BCE, Ashoka is believed to have erected the Dhamek stupa here. The wife of King Govinda Chandra erected the Dharma-Chakra-Jina Vihar monastery at Sarnath as well, in the 12th century BCE.

History

Statue of Lord Buddha with selective focus at wat thai Buddhist monastery

In the number and size of Buddhist monasteries across its kingdom, the Gupta period witnessed substantial growth. Some Guptas even extended patronage to Buddhism, while Gupta kings are generally linked with the promotion of Brahmanism. Dating back to 800 CE, the text called Manjushri Mula Kalpa points out that Narasimhagupta became a Buddhist monk and spent his life in meditation until he finally gave up his life through dhyana.

Inside/Outside Views

Outside view of Buddha Statue.

Situated at the Thai Buddha vihara of a height of 80 ft, the Buddha statue is the biggest statue of Buddha at Sarnath. During the Indo-Thai joint effort, was built originally of stone over 14 years. In the famous “Sermon in the Deer Park” at Sarnath, Buddha has given is depicted by the sculpture, where the Buddha initiated his teachings, which are recorded in the Pali Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. With his hands in the dharma chakra pravartana mudra, the Buddha is seated in the padmasana posture, the mudra of teaching, in this sculpture. To the five disciples shown, at a much smaller scale, below, he is delivering the first sermon, with the Dharmachakra in the center. Symbolizing the deer park (Mrigadayavan) at Sarnath, where the event took place, the wheel is flanked by couchant deer.

Opening Hours

Monday 8 AM–4 PM
Tuesday 8 AM–4 PM
Wednesday 8 AM–4 PM
Thursday 8 AM–4 PM
Friday 9 AM–4 PM
Saturday 9 AM–4 PM
Sunday 8 AM–4 PM

Entry & Others Fees

No entry fee is needed.

Near Restaurants

Near Hotels

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest airport to Sarnath is The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport. It is around 15mins away from the airport to the destination. One can take taxis to reach his desired area.

By Train: The nearest railway station from Sarnath is the Varanasi Junction railhead. The Varanasi junction is located at a distance of about 10kms.

By Road: In Uttar Pradesh, the roads of Sarnath connect all the places. The deluxe and state buses are frequently available at the nearest distance from Sarnath for tourists.