A TƯ ĐÀ: Sanskrit name Asita, a Brahmin sage, who had attained the state of a seer, was the most renowned in the region. He was summoned by the king to the palace to examine the fate of Crown Prince Siddhartha.
To the surprise and anticipation of the king and everyone present, the sage A Tư Đà presented his account: According to his observation, the entire body of the Crown Prince possessed all 32 extraordinary auspicious marks, which until now were only found in a Wheel-Turning Sage King or a Buddha. He predicted that: If in the future the Prince ascends the throne, he would reach the status of a Wheel-Turning Sage King, and by renouncing the world to practice asceticism, he would surely attain the state of Perfect Enlightenment. However, it was certain that upon reaching maturity, the Prince would leave the golden palace and throne, face all hardships, and dedicate himself to seeking the true Path in order to save beings from suffering.
This is the lament of A Tư Đà, who said that he lacked merit, and therefore he faced one of the eight calamities, being born before (or after) the coming of a Buddha, and thus did not have the chance to live to see the day the Buddha would teach the Dharma.
Just as the prophecy of this Brahmin foretold, as he grew up, he was not like other young people, always absorbed in deep contemplation, despite the king remembering the words of the ascetic and trying every way to make him forget his mission, arranging all kinds of entertainments, but in the end, he still resolutely left the palace..
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