Question

Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon at:

• A. Vaishali
• B. Sarnath
• C. Sanchi
• D. Pataliputra

Hint:

Sarnath is one of the most sacred sites in Buddhism, where the Buddha set in motion the wheel of Dharma with his first sermon.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Buddhist tradition marks four key sites in the Buddha's life: Lumbini (birth), Bodh Gaya (enlightenment), Sarnath (first sermon), and Kushinagar (death), and this fixed sequence makes Sarnath the answer for "first sermon" without needing to consider the other cities at all.

Vaishali, Sanchi and Pataliputra are all important in later Buddhist history but do not appear in this specific four-site sequence tied to the Buddha's own life events.

Therefore, the correct answer is Sarnath.

Answer 2

Another way to confirm this is through geography and the specific scripture name associated with the event.

1. Vaishali: Located well to the east of the Buddha's enlightenment site, associated with later events in his ministry, not the geography of the first-sermon episode.
2. Sarnath: Located just a short distance from Bodh Gaya (via Varanasi), fitting the traditional account that the Buddha walked there soon after enlightenment to teach his first five disciples, an episode preserved in the specifically named Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.
3. Sanchi: Located in central India, far from the Bodh Gaya region, and linked to monument-building centuries later rather than to the Buddha's own travels.
4. Pataliputra: Located near modern Patna, prominent in Mauryan-era Buddhist history, not in the earliest sermon narrative.

Both the geography (near Bodh Gaya) and the named scripture point specifically to Sarnath as the location.

Therefore, the correct answer is Sarnath.