6 Indian Rishis replaced but not Kashyapa

Discussion
1

Indian traditionaly have 7 Seers

The earliest list of the Seven Rishis is given by Jaiminiya Brahmana 2.218–221: Agastya, Atri, Bhardwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Vashistha and Vishvamitra followed by Brihadaranyaka Upanisad 2.2. 6 with a slightly different list: Atri, Bharadwaja, Gautama, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Vashistha and Vishwamitra.

Buddhist text replaced them but Kashyapa stayed the same name

He is the most ancient Rishi listed in the colophon verse in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.[6]

The 7 ancient Seers became in EBT

Vipassī
Sikhī
Vessabhū
Kakusandha
Koṇāgamana
Kassapa
Aṅgīrasa

Buddha is the offspring of Adita. The goddess representing boundless. Who husband is said to be the sage Kashyapa. Then we understand why Buddha Kassapa represents the father of Buddha Gautama because it’s a way of saying he is in the lineage of Sages. And why it’s important that Buddhism teach that Buddha Kassapa was the one who was our current Buddha Gautama Teacher of the past life. There is even the tradition that he confirmed he will be the future Buddha.

Just like a father giving a inheritance to a son. Or like a father giving a blessing to a son.

Stories of sage Kassapa in Indian text is inconsistent but
Some texts describe him as son of Marichi and a descendant of the solar dynasty

He married Aditi, with whom he fathered the Adityas

Kashyapa is the brother-in-law of Dharma and Adharma

Kashyapa has sung the hymn in praise of Soma in Rig Veda (9.114.2).

2

Sorry, but your speculation is imprecise and misleading. Just for example

No sutta reference. You also miss to mention that these names in the suttas are former Buddhas, not Rshis.

On the other hand actual Vedic Rshis are mentioned in the suttas, e.g. AN 7.52, AN 5.192, MN 95, MN 99, DN 3, DN 13:

Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu.

This list fits much better the Vedic lists, and don’t only have Kassapa in common.
Also the Vedic lists don’t start with JB and BU but with the Atharvaveda, e.g. AV 18.3.15/16.

But I guess your conclusion sounds nice.

3 Likes
3

Interesting angarisa again mentioned as the seers. That way you see they changed it because they wanted to be separate. We see this happening with suttas being changed of Buddhas virtues etc

I tend to see the hidden Indians traditions. No person want to see it but it’s obviously if you think for example Suttanipata used Rishi.

You have to think in this way. Buddha will say Bhikkhus and himself are real Brahmins etc. Meaning traditional things was used because he was well versed in Vedas because former teachers at home and outside. Family tradition.

Allow me to explain. Many people are not open to my posts. But it only become obvious if you only try to see that it was written by Indians for Indians.

The 7 “Buddhas” are mentioned in

Āṭānāṭiyasutta

First one hailed as Seer.

https://suttacentral.net/dn32/en/sujato?layout=linebyline&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

Then

See it says

Where rises the sun—
Aditi’s child, the great circle

Aditi is from Vedic times. She is said to be mother of Adityas.

Believe or not. I see it everywhere in suttas and you should too. They use Buddha as Aditya.

In Nalaka sutta Says

On seeing the prince blazing like flame,
pure like the bull of the stars
going across the sky
— the burning sun,
released from the clouds of autumn

And the seer descended from heaven. The 7 stars in heaven represents the 7 seers. As in Seers from Vedas. So Indians understand it’s coming from the Seers blessing.

Hearing these words,
Asita quickly descended [from heaven]

After I don’t know if Asita the Seer is treated here as the 7 seers but it looks like.

The matted-haired seer
named Dark Splendor,
seeing the boy, like an ornament of gold
on the red woolen blanket,
a white sunshade held over his head,
received him, happy & pleased.
And on receiving the bull of the Sakyans,
longingly, the master of mantras & signs

Gold Ornament on Red woolen blanket. Symbolism for the Sun at dawn.

Very hard to see if we stay stuck with later tradition of Suttas and not thinking Indians tradition was mixed in suttas

Which close mind off. We know Buddha supposedly used different Indians mythology and words in a different way.

He didn’t write down his own story. Indians did.

4

If you see my former reply you will understand why a Seer is said to come down from heaven by what Wikipedia says. And that’s why we see Buddha focusing on being like ancient Brahmins. Not the ones living at his time

Wikipedia says

At the end of every four ages there is a disappearance of the Vedas and it is the province of the seven Rishis to come down upon earth from heaven to give them currency.

That Asita came down from heaven is just a Indian tradition again as we see.

5

Actually many different people did. Former Brahmins, non-Brahmins, anti-Brahmins too. On a scholarly level wikipedia and dictionaries are not sufficient. You’d have to show that what wiki writes applies to the point you’re making.

I won’t get into the debate much more, you seem quite convinced of what you write. Just don’t be surprised that others won’t be if your argument is loose and not precise.

1 Like
6

Thanks for replying. You also saw some things before just like me. These things are just interesting to search about.

I’m just trying for the Buddhist cummunity to start find out what we reading . Because it’s my understanding might be different because some suttas I read. I’m always open but if people search. But it’s just for the sake of seeing the true purpose of EBT.

For example early Vedas and Upanishads didnt believe we can know what created the universe.

EBT brought back that thought.

Buddha explained how the ancient Brahmins lived. It’s like bringing back ancients ways in Indian community.

There is him saying Brahmins found out things are impermanent and he says the same. I believe he is talking of ancient Brahmins there.

There is so many texts. That it all start to connect. And by searching Indian traditions. Then you understand. That the real purpose was to bring back real Ancient knowledge back.

Like Buddha said ifthe good and bad are created by a creator God then Gautama Buddha has been created by Good God.

That’s just showing how that the mentality should be we don’t know the unknown. But good and bad is created by ourselves. Brahmins of his time believed too much in a Creator but he focused things like the Vedas says. Like we don’t know the unknown. That’s why the focus of staying in Middle also. Is almost like agnostic. Things we can’t know EBT early on didn’t focus on. In forest when Buddha is said certain Brahmin to seeking Brahma, he repond more meanful things.

That the first sutta mentioning of Sage coming down from heaven. I don’t think I just read blindly but I just search about it.

We should.