Buddhist sites of UP: Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti

In a deer park at Sarnath, a few kilometres from Varanasi, the Buddha spoke to five former companions and "set in motion the wheel of Dhamma" — his first sermon. Some forty-five years later, at Kushinagar, he lay down between two sal trees and passed away. Between these two moments, he spent more rainy seasons at Shravasti than anywhere else. These places — and several others — make Uttar Pradesh the state most closely linked to the Buddha's teaching life.

The major Buddhist sites of UP

Sarnath

History

• The Buddha's first sermon set out the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path; the first Sangha was formed here.
• Ashoka built stupas and erected a pillar here.
• Sarnath flourished as a monastic centre for centuries, including under the Kushanas and Guptas; it produced the Sarnath school of Buddha images in the Gupta period.
• The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang described its monasteries in the seventh century.

Monuments

Kushinagar

• The Buddha's Mahaparinirvana took place here among the Mallas.
• Mahaparinirvana Temple — with a large reclining Buddha image.
• Ramabhar Stupa — marks the traditional site of the Buddha's cremation.
• Kushinagar International Airport (opened 2021) serves pilgrims from Buddhist countries.

Shravasti

• Capital of Kosala; the Buddha spent many rainy seasons here — more than at any other place.
• Jetavana monastery was donated by the merchant Anathapindika, who, according to tradition, bought the grove from Prince Jeta by covering the ground with gold coins.
• The site of the "twin miracle" (Yamaka Pratiharya) in Buddhist tradition.
• Also associated with Angulimala, the bandit transformed by the Buddha.

Kaushambi

• Capital of Vatsa; the Buddha visited several times.
• Ghositarama monastery.
• The Ashokan pillar now in the fort at Prayagraj is widely believed to have originally stood at Kaushambi (the Allahabad pillar, with Samudragupta's inscription).

Sankisa

• In Farrukhabad district; according to tradition, where the Buddha descended from the Trayastrimsha heaven after teaching his mother.
• An Ashokan pillar capital (elephant) was found here.

Piprahwa

• In Siddharthnagar district, near the Nepal border.
• In 1898, a relic casket with an inscription referring to the relics of the Buddha and the Shakyas was found.
• Many scholars identify Piprahwa and nearby Ganwaria with Kapilavastu, where the Buddha grew up (Nepal identifies Tilaurakot on its side as Kapilavastu).

The Buddhist circuit and diplomacy

• UP's Buddhist sites are part of India's Buddhist tourist circuit, linked with Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda in Bihar and Lumbini in Nepal.
• Visitors come from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and elsewhere.
• Buddhist heritage is an important part of India's soft power and Act East outreach.

Practice

Prelims-style:

1. Where did the Buddha deliver his first sermon?
2. Which monastery at Shravasti was donated by Anathapindika?
3. Which stupa at Sarnath marks the first sermon?
4. What was discovered at Piprahwa in 1898?
5. When did Kushinagar International Airport open?

Mains-style:

• "Uttar Pradesh's Buddhist heritage is a bridge to Asia." Discuss.
• Examine the potential of the Buddhist circuit for tourism-led development in eastern UP.