Kanthaka
Encyclopedia
Kanthaka (6th century BC, in Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh
, India
) was a favourite white horse
of length eighteen cubits that was a royal servant of Prince Siddhartha, who later became Gautama Buddha
. Siddhartha used Kanthaka in all major events described in Buddhist
texts prior to his renunciation of the world. Following the departure of Siddhartha, Kanthaka died of a broken heart.
In the court of King Suddhodarna, Kanthaka was the most skillful and able horse, and the favourite of Crown Prince Siddhartha
, whenever Siddhartha needed to go outside the palace. Siddhartha had been lavished and pampered in a series of purpose-built palaces by Suddhodarna in order to shield him from thoughts of pain and suffering. This was done due to a prophecy by the ascetic Asita
, who predicted that Siddhartha would renounce the throne to become a spiritual leader were he to contemplate human suffering. Kanthaka is first described in relation to the events leading up to the marriage of Siddhartha to Yasodhara, another Sakyan princess. By the customs of the kshatriya
Sakyan clan, a prince must prove his worthiness in warrior related skills such as horse-riding, mounted archery and swordplay by defeating other royals in such contests. Aboard Kanthaka, Siddhartha defeated his cousin Devadatta
in archery, another cousin Anuruddha
in a horse-riding competition and then half-brother Nanda
in swordplay.
After Siddhartha's marriage, Kanthaka was the horse pulling the chariot when Channa
, the head royal servant accompanied Siddhartha around Kapilavastu
to see the Four sights
whilst meeting his subjects, which prompted his decision to renounce the world. During these expeditions aboard Kanthaka, Channa explained to Siddhartha
the sights of an elderly man, a sick person, a dead person whose funeral was being conducted and finally, an ascetic who had renounced worldly life for a spiritual one, as Siddhartha who had been secluded from such sights within the palace was taken aback.
Later, Kanthaka was the horse used by Siddhartha to escape from the palace to become an ascetic, whilst the remainder of the palace guards were asleep. After initially protesting and refusing to accept that Siddhartha would leave him, Channa saddled Kanthaka, guiding him out of the town aboard the horse to a forest by the edge of the Anoma River
. According to the texts, Kanthaka was able to jump across the river. Riding Kanthaka, Channa returned Siddhartha's accoutrements, weapons and hair to Suddhodarnha upon his return to the palace, after Siddhartha compelled him to return after Channa had refused to leave him.
According to Buddhist texts, Kanthaka was reborn as a brahmin
and went on to attend dharma
talks by Gautama Buddha
and achieve enlightenment. The death is variously described as occurring either at the banks of the Anoma or upon returning to Kapilavastu.
The description of Kanthaka is also widely observed in Buddhist art, such as carvings on stupas. The depiction of Siddhartha leaving Kapilavastu
aboard Kanthaka found at the main stupa
in Amaravathi
is the oldest depiction currently existing. Such depictions are also displayed in museums in London
and Calcutta.
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) was a favourite white horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
of length eighteen cubits that was a royal servant of Prince Siddhartha, who later became Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. Siddhartha used Kanthaka in all major events described in Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
texts prior to his renunciation of the world. Following the departure of Siddhartha, Kanthaka died of a broken heart.
In the court of King Suddhodarna, Kanthaka was the most skillful and able horse, and the favourite of Crown Prince Siddhartha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, whenever Siddhartha needed to go outside the palace. Siddhartha had been lavished and pampered in a series of purpose-built palaces by Suddhodarna in order to shield him from thoughts of pain and suffering. This was done due to a prophecy by the ascetic Asita
Asita
Asita was a hermit ascetic of ancient India in the 6th century BCE. He is best known for having predicted that Prince Siddhartha of Kapilavastu would either become a great king or become a supreme religious leader ....
, who predicted that Siddhartha would renounce the throne to become a spiritual leader were he to contemplate human suffering. Kanthaka is first described in relation to the events leading up to the marriage of Siddhartha to Yasodhara, another Sakyan princess. By the customs of the kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
Sakyan clan, a prince must prove his worthiness in warrior related skills such as horse-riding, mounted archery and swordplay by defeating other royals in such contests. Aboard Kanthaka, Siddhartha defeated his cousin Devadatta
Devadatta
Devadatta was by tradition a Buddhist monk, cousin and brother-in-law of Gautama Siddārtha, the Śākyamuni Buddha, and brother of Ānanda, a principal student of the Buddha...
in archery, another cousin Anuruddha
Anuruddha
Anuruddha was one of the five head disciples and a cousin of Gautama Buddha.-Early years:Anuruddha was the son of Sukkhodana and brother to Mahanama. Since Sukkhodana was the brother of Suddhodana, king of the Sakyas in Kapilavastu, Anuruddha was cousin to Siddhartha, . He was a kshatriya by...
in a horse-riding competition and then half-brother Nanda
Nanda
Nanda is a surname of Punjabis . Nanda is a Tarkhan , Ahluwalia and Kamboj surname. All the clans of Tarkhan , Lohar, Gujjar, Kamboj, Ahluwalia tribes have a close genetic and ancestral relationship with each other, and together they form the Khatri/Rajput caste.-Among Kamboj people:*Nanda is a...
in swordplay.
After Siddhartha's marriage, Kanthaka was the horse pulling the chariot when Channa
Channa (Buddhist)
Channa - The Divine Charioteer was a royal servant and head charioteer of Prince Siddhartha, who was to become the Buddha...
, the head royal servant accompanied Siddhartha around Kapilavastu
Kapilavastu
Kapilavastu is the name of a region of ancient Shakya kingdom that is considered a holy pilgrimage place for Buddhists. The search for the Buddha's birthplace following the accounts left by Xuanzang and Faxian involved various searches in the late 19th century...
to see the Four sights
Four sights
The four sights were specific observations made by Prince Siddhārtha , which led to a realization. Before this, he had been confined to his palace by his father, who feared that he would become an ascetic if he came into contact with sufferings of life according to a prediction...
whilst meeting his subjects, which prompted his decision to renounce the world. During these expeditions aboard Kanthaka, Channa explained to Siddhartha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
the sights of an elderly man, a sick person, a dead person whose funeral was being conducted and finally, an ascetic who had renounced worldly life for a spiritual one, as Siddhartha who had been secluded from such sights within the palace was taken aback.
Later, Kanthaka was the horse used by Siddhartha to escape from the palace to become an ascetic, whilst the remainder of the palace guards were asleep. After initially protesting and refusing to accept that Siddhartha would leave him, Channa saddled Kanthaka, guiding him out of the town aboard the horse to a forest by the edge of the Anoma River
Anoma River
The Anoma is a river in southern Nepal, near Kapilavastu, where Prince Siddhartha renounced the world before becoming Gautama Buddha by cutting off his hair, abandoning his royal dress and exchanging it for the robes of an ascetic. Chinese pilgrims have also recorded the position and the importance...
. According to the texts, Kanthaka was able to jump across the river. Riding Kanthaka, Channa returned Siddhartha's accoutrements, weapons and hair to Suddhodarnha upon his return to the palace, after Siddhartha compelled him to return after Channa had refused to leave him.
According to Buddhist texts, Kanthaka was reborn as a brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
and went on to attend dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
talks by Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
and achieve enlightenment. The death is variously described as occurring either at the banks of the Anoma or upon returning to Kapilavastu.
The description of Kanthaka is also widely observed in Buddhist art, such as carvings on stupas. The depiction of Siddhartha leaving Kapilavastu
Kapilavastu
Kapilavastu is the name of a region of ancient Shakya kingdom that is considered a holy pilgrimage place for Buddhists. The search for the Buddha's birthplace following the accounts left by Xuanzang and Faxian involved various searches in the late 19th century...
aboard Kanthaka found at the main stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
in Amaravathi
Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh
Amaravathi is a small town situated on the banks of the River Krishna in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is famous for its Amareswara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the famous Pancharamas. Amaravati, also known as Dhanyakataka/Dharanikota was the site of a...
is the oldest depiction currently existing. Such depictions are also displayed in museums in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Calcutta.