After walking around southern Varanasi, we hopped on a rickshaw ("auto"-for autorickshaw, not cycle rickshaw) for a 15km ride to Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon to his five closest followers in a deer park. Now, over 2500 years later, a giant stupa (dome-like buddhist structure) marks the spot of the first sermon, and there are still deer basking in the shade.
Aaron and I headed over to the Archaeological museum afterwards where we found the original Ashoka pillar (the 4 lions perched above a ring of wheels and animals, now the official symbol of the Indian government, no photography please) and an incredible sandstone carving of the buddha. in an annex. We learned the dharmachakra (teaching/turning of the wheel of law) mudra (buddha hand gesture) from one of the guards.
After lunch of an Indian take on Chow Mein (spicier), we visited each country's temple as well: Thailand, Japan, China, and Tibet. Crowded shared auto back with music blasting, in order to catch our night train ($2.50) to Bodhgaya. Here's the sky outside the train station.
Aaron and I headed over to the Archaeological museum afterwards where we found the original Ashoka pillar (the 4 lions perched above a ring of wheels and animals, now the official symbol of the Indian government, no photography please) and an incredible sandstone carving of the buddha. in an annex. We learned the dharmachakra (teaching/turning of the wheel of law) mudra (buddha hand gesture) from one of the guards.
After lunch of an Indian take on Chow Mein (spicier), we visited each country's temple as well: Thailand, Japan, China, and Tibet. Crowded shared auto back with music blasting, in order to catch our night train ($2.50) to Bodhgaya. Here's the sky outside the train station.
