Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.648

c6.648

Some of the most eminent members of the Buddhist community seem to have resided in this place from time to time. Among the recorded conversions held at Isipatana, those between Sāriputta and Mahākoṭṭhita and between Mahākoṭṭhita and Cittahatthi-Sāriputta are noteworthy (*Saṃyutta*, II, pp. 112–114; III, pp. 167–69; 173–7; IV, pp. 384–6; *Aṅguttara*, III, pp. 392ff.). Isipatana (Ṛṣipatana) Migadāya (Mṛgadāva) was mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage which his devout followers should visit (*Buddhavaṃsa Commy.*, p. 3; *Dīgha Nik.*, II, 141). It was so called because sages on their way through the air from the Himalayas, used to alight here or start from here on their aerial flight. In addition to the preaching of his First Sermon several other incidents connected with the life of the Buddha are mentioned in the Buddhist texts as having taken place at Isipatana (*Vinaya*, I, 15ff.; *Aṅguttara Nik.*, I, 110ff.; 279–80; III, 392ff., 399ff.; *Saṃ. Nik.*, I, 105–6; V, 406–8; *Dīpavaṃsa*, pp. 119–20; *Therīgāthā Commy.*, p. 220; B. C. Law, *Ancient Indian Tribes*, 1926, pp. 22–25). For a brief account of archaeological explorations at Sārnāth see *J.R.A.S.*, 1908, 1088ff.; *A.S.I.R.*, I, 105ff.; *A.R.A.S.I.*, 1904/05, 59ff.; 1906/07, 68ff.; 1907/08, 43ff.; 1914-1915, 97ff.; 1919-1920, 26ff.; 1921-22, 42ff.; 1927-1928, 95ff. B. Majumdar's *Guide to Sarnath*, (1937) may also be consulted.