After his enlightenment, gotama the buddha delivered his first sermon to a group of five ascetics, his old colleagues, in the deer park at lsipatana (modern sarnath) near banares. From that day, for 45 years, he taught all classes of man and women -kings and peasants, barhmins and outcasts, bankers and beggars, holy men and robbers - without making the slightest distinction between them. He recognized no differences of caste or social groupings, and the way he preached was open to all men and women who were ready to understand and forrow it. At the age of 80, the buddha passed away at kusinara (in modern uttar pradesh in india).