This priest walks in the footsteps of his forefathers. This is
Sarnath, home to the deer park where the newly enlightened Buddha came
to give his first teachings. How amazing that morning must have been,
and I wonder what the priest thinks as he considers the ruins of
former Buddhist temples. The great Indian king, Asoka, built temples
and stupas to Buddha here to honour the great man’s achievements. Just
out of shot are the first carvings of Buddhist law written down
anywhere, and indeed one of the first ever attempts by a government to
influence the thinking of its people. It failed to convince and after
the king passed Buddhism was marganalised by the ever eclipsing power
of Indian Hinduism. This deer park is one of the few things left of
that faith. But not all is lost, the four lion headed statue of
Asoka’s state is even now the symbol of the Indian government. A
testament to a great king. As for Buddha himself, he needs no statues,
no temples, as he said, “Buddhism is the boat across the river, once
on the other bank you don’t need it”.
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