Greaves, Edwin: Kashi the city illustrious or Benares (Allahabad, 1909)

CHAPTER XI.
SARNATH.

THERE is no place in or around Benares which
equals in interest that of Sarnath, and recent
excavations and investigations promise to throw
not a little light on the past of this important centre
of Buddhism.

It lies about 4 miles N.-W. from the Cantonments,
and has a good driving road leading to it.

The name Sarnath appears to be a shortened form of
Sarangamith (lord of the deer), and tradition assigns a
deer forest to this spot.

Apparently Sarnath had religious associations before
the time of Buddha, and was known as Ishipattana (the
abode of God), and Rishipattana(the abode of rishis or
saints) the former name may have been connected with
the worship of Mahadeva, which appears to be associated
with Benares from very early times.

Among the " Jataka," or " Birth Stories of Buddha,"
there is one which connects the place with the derivation
of Sirnath, as the Deer Forest, and endeavours to asso-
ciate Buddha with it before his historical appearance. It
is such a characteristic story that it must be given.
Buddha is supposed often to have visited the earth