At which deer park did the Buddha give his first sermon?

The Buddha gave his first sermon at the Deer Park in Sarnath. The site, near the ancient city of Varanasi in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India, is traditionally called Isipatana or Mrigadava.

According to Buddhist tradition, the sermon took place several weeks after his enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. The Buddha addressed five former companions who had practiced austerities with him. This discourse is known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, or “Setting the Wheel of the Dhamma in Motion.”

The sermon introduced the Middle Way between indulgence and extreme self-denial, and presented the Four Noble Truths. It marked the beginning of the Buddha’s public teaching career. One of the five listeners, Kondañña, is traditionally said to have gained the first insight into the teaching, making him the first Buddhist disciple.

Sarnath is sometimes confused with other major places in the Buddha’s life. Lumbini is associated with his birth, Bodh Gaya with his enlightenment, and Kushinagar with his death or parinirvana. Rajgir was also important in Buddhist history, but it was not the location of the first sermon.