Rishi, Seers, Lersi

[form]

The word Lersi is derived from the Sanskrit word Rishi of which Ruesi is a derivative of, meaning a "seer" or "one who sees into the beyond". have received knowledge from Brahma himself and therefore able to interpret or discover the true meaning of the Vedas and many of the Kata/ Gatha (mantras).

Did this kind of character appeared in the nikayas?

[bkmudita]

(1) ‘Samaṇa’ is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.
(2) ‘Brahmin’ is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.
(3) ‘Master of knowledge(Vedagū)’ …
(4) ‘Healer(Bhisakko)’ …
(5) ‘Unstained(Nimmalo)’ …
(6) ‘Immaculate(Vimalo)’ …
(7) ‘Knower(Ñāṇī)’ …
(8) ‘Liberated(Vimutto)’ is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.”

The supreme should be attained by a samaṇa,
A brahmin who has lived the [holy] life,
It should be attained by a knowledge master,
Who is a healer.

The supreme should be attained by the unstained,
Immaculate and pure,
It should be attained by a knower,
Who is liberated.

I am victorious in battle;
Liberated, I release others from their chains.
I am a nāga(dragon), completely tamed,
One perfected in training, attained to nibbāna.

(AN 8.85)

[Dhammanando]

The word Lersi is derived from the Sanskrit word Rishi of which Ruesi is a derivative of, meaning a "seer" or "one who sees into the beyond". have received knowledge from Brahma himself and therefore able to interpret or discover the true meaning of the Vedas and many of the Kata/ Gatha (mantras).

Did this kind of character appeared in the nikayas?

The word ṛṣī takes the form isi in Pali. In the suttas it gets applied to various sorts of persons. Perhaps the closest to what you're describing would be the isi Asita in the Nālakasutta:

https://legacy.suttacentral.net/en/snp3.11

But the term is also applied to the paccekabuddhas in the Isigili Sutta and elsewhere to arahants or just sages in general.

[form]

The word Lersi is derived from the Sanskrit word Rishi of which Ruesi is a derivative of, meaning a "seer" or "one who sees into the beyond". have received knowledge from Brahma himself and therefore able to interpret or discover the true meaning of the Vedas and many of the Kata/ Gatha (mantras).

Did this kind of character appeared in the nikayas?

The word ṛṣī takes the form isi in Pali. In the suttas it gets applied to various sorts of persons. Perhaps the closest to what you're describing would be the isi Asita in the Nālakasutta:

https://legacy.suttacentral.net/en/snp3.11

But the term is also applied to the paccekabuddhas in the Isigili Sutta and elsewhere to arahants or just sages in general.

Bhante, are the Lersi in Thailand now the same type? They are hermit that specialize in meditation and magic?

[Dhammanando]

Bhante, are the Lersi in Thailand now the same type? They are hermit that specialize in meditation and magic?

There are men here who call themselves ṛṣīs and dress up in the way that ṛṣīs are traditionally depicted in Thai art. But I couldn't say how much of it is genuine. My impression from a distance is there's quite an air of charlatanry and phoniness about the whole ṛṣī scene. I mean I've never heard of any of them living simple lives in forests or mountain caves like the ṛṣīs of old. All the ones I hear about are living comfortably in urban apartments and making an easy dollar by fortune-telling and other low arts.