Asita | |
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 The prophecy of the seer Asita, slate relief from Gandhara, 3rd/4th century AD (Rietberg Museum, Zurich; Inv. No. RVI 11) | |
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| Religion | Buddhism |
Asita or Kaladevala or Kanhasiri was a hermit ascetic depicted in Buddhist sources as having lived in ancient India. He was a teacher and advisor of Suddhodana, a sage and seer, the father of the Buddha, and is best known for having predicted that prince Siddhartha of Kapilavastu would either become a great chakravartin or become a supreme religious leader; Siddhartha was later known as Gautama Buddha.[1]
The name Asita literally means 'not clinging' while Kanhasiri means 'dark splendour'.[citation needed] Asita is described as a tāpasa, a practitioner of asceticism.[2]
In the "Devadatta" chapter of the Lotus Sutra, it is mentioned that in a past life, Shakyamuni was a king who renounced his throne to seek the Law. A seer named Asita approached him and offered to teach him the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wonderful Law. The king served the seer for a thousand years before receiving instruction in the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni identifies himself as the king and the seer as Devadatta in this story, saying that Devadatta acted as a "good friend" who led him to enlightenment.[³] He predicts that Devadatta will become a Buddha named Heavenly King. Asita also appeared in other texts, where he predicted that Shakyamuni would become a Buddha. Asita was a seer in Kapilavastu, the kingdom of the Shākyas, who foretold that Shakyamuni would achieve supreme wisdom and become a Buddha if he renounced secular life. Sadly, Asita knew he would not live to hear the Buddha's teaching due to his old age.
- ^ Narada (1 January 2006). The Buddha and His Teachings. Jaico Publishing House. pp. 3–4. ISBN 978-81-7992-617-8.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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