First Sermon

Description

The narrative frieze displays one of the great events in the life of the Buddha – the First Sermon. The sacred site of Deer Park (Mrigadava) at Ishipatan, Sarnath, is associated with this noteworthy event in Buddhist philosophy and art. The first sermon was given to the first five monks with whom Buddha practiced various austerities prior to attaining enlightenment. Together, these monks officially constitute the formation of the Buddhist monastic order (sangha). In early Buddhist art, this event was marked by the presence of a wheel (dharmachakra) close to Buddha.