Once Prince Siddhartha became Gautama Buddha, he wanted to share his life learnings with other people. He went to Sarnath in Varanasi to meet his five friends who had also become monks. Initially, when they saw Buddha, they decided not to entertain him as he had given up a life of self-mortification and they thought that this was against the principles of worship. But when Buddha came closer to them, they saw a very different aura and could not stop themselves from wanting to be his disciples. These five monks are said to be Lord Buddha’s first disciples to whom the supreme knowledge was imparted at the Deer Park in Sarnath. This is how the first sangha or the first community of followers of Lord Buddha was formed. 

The Buddha’s first teaching was called the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. This discourse means Turning of the Wheel of Truth and was not only listened to by his five friends, but also by the other Gods. Buddha’s preachings were to give up extremes that were followed by many ascetic. He advised against self-indulgence as well as self-mortification. Spiritual development comes by following the middle path and he preached the four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering; its cause; its end; and the way to its end. He also preached the noble eightfold path to attain Nirvana or Salvation.