Raw data
Sarnath was a major teaching location for the Buddha and a long-standing site for monasteries. The earliest documented structures are from the fourth century BCE. the earliest documented monasteries are the first century CE. it was an active site that was apparently destroyed by the White Huns in the fifth century and rebuilt in the seventh century. When Xuan Zang [Xuanzang] visited in the 640's CE he observed 8 monasteries and 1500 monks on the site. Inscriptions show kingly patronage in the eighth and ninth centuries. Sarnath was destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1071, but once again soon restored. The last monastery on the site was dedicated in the 12th century. The site was abandoned a few decades later.
In the 1930's a new monastery was constructed at the site and several more have been built in the twentieth century. The site is currently in active use, with monks and pilgrims coming from Sri Lanka, Japan and the West.
Located in U.P., India. 25/23 N. 80/02 E See Travels of Huen-Tsang translated by Beal Vol II, pp. 41-61. See BC Bhattacharya, The History of Saranatha or the Cradle of Buddhism (Delhi: Pilgrim Book Pvt. Ltd., revised edition, 1999), pp. 46-47. See See D.C. Ahir, Buddhist Sites and Shrines in India: History, Art and Architecture (Delhi: Inian Books Centre, 2003) p.253.
Src: India
Input by: SG Jan 20 2009
"Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, and today it presents the most expansive ruins amongst places on the Buddhist trail. Sarnath is 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi."
http://www.spiritualjourneys.net/Venues/sarnath.htm
ID: 7001588 Sārnāth (historic site)
Coordinates:
Lat: 25 23 00 N degrees minutes Lat: 25.3833 decimal degrees
Long: 083 02 00 E degrees minutes Long: 83.0333 decimal degrees
Src: (TGN. n.d. Record ID: 7001588)
Input by: tmciolek, Mar 4, 2009
Final data (and their sources)
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 2 km from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Sarnath monastery, India.
lat=25.3833 long=83.0333
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://maps.fallingrain.com), 2009.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Sārnāth monastery (Bhattacharya 1999:46-47)
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- India:State of Uttar Pradesh
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
final data ….
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx. Lat 25.3833 Long 83.0333 Src: (TGN. n.d. Record ID: 7001588)
- Approx. 25/23 N. 80/02 E or Lat 25.38333333 Long 80.03333333 (Travels of Huen-Tsang translated by Beal Vol II, pp. 41-61)
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
- Vārānasi monastic cluster
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
- Sārnāth (historic site) (TGN. n.d. Record ID: 7001588)
- Saranatha (Bhattacharya 1999:46-47)
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
final data ….
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Exactly Lat 25.3333 Long 83.0000 http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/36/Varanasi.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
final data ….
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
final data ….
11. Date-early
12. Date-intermediate
- 640's AD (Bhattacharya 1999:46-47).
13. Date-late
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
final data ….
15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
- archaeological, inscriptional, texts
16. Additional notes
- 640's AD - 8 monasteries and 1500 monks (Bhattacharya 1999:46-47).
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
final data ….
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