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When Asita muni had told to King Shuddhodhana that

" If he becomes a householder, he will become a universal monarch.
But if he goes forth from the home to a homeless life, he will become a fully enlightened Buddha."

Asita was sure that the child would not remain a householder.
So when Asita was known all that, may we suppose him Buddha's teacher and if wasn't then who was Buddha's teacher.

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Between Gayā and the Place of Enlightenment the Ājīvaka Upaka saw me on the road and said: ‘Friend, your faculties are clear, the colour of your skin is pure and bright. Under whom have you gone forth, friend? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you profess? I replied to the Ājīvaka Upaka in stanzas:

I am one who has transcended all, a knower of all, Unsullied among all things, renouncing all, By craving’s ceasing freed. Having known this all For myself, to whom should I point as teacher?

I have no teacher, and one like me Exists nowhere in all the world With all its gods, because I have No person for my counterpart.

I am the Accomplished One in the world, I am the Teacher Supreme. I alone am a Fully Enlightened One Whose fires are quenched and extinguished.

I go now to the city of Kāsi To set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma. In a world that has become blind I go to beat the drum of the Deathless. - Ariyapariyesana Sutta

Having seen that there is no being in all the worlds who can be his counterpart let alone be his teacher, the Buddha appointed the Dhamma he realized as his teacher.

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    Thanks for great answer and may Buddha bless you 🤚 . Even I couldn't guess who can be his teacher but now I've got this he was only teacher of Dhamma otherwise Dhamma were there before Buddha. Thank you so much.
    – Swapnil
    Commented Dec 11, 2018 at 8:55
  • You're welcome!
    – Sankha Kulathantille
    Commented Dec 11, 2018 at 8:57
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The histories note that the Buddha spent time with one or two teachers prior to his recognition that they were inadequate. His Dhamma is unique in its form but he did not invent the truth and it is no coincidence that his teachings are in such close agreement with the Upanishads or are counted as an instance of the 'Perennial' philosophy.

But the only proper teacher is acquaintance with truth and so it is the Dhamma that is the true teacher, as the Buddha proposes.

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  • I marked this answer down because the ideas in it are unsubstantiated. It would be better if it provided quotes & references. As for the Upanishads (unlike the Vedas), they are not mentioned in the suttas thus it appears the Buddha was not aware of them and that they probably were largely composed after the Buddha.
    – Dhamma Dhatu
    Commented Dec 12, 2018 at 0:46
  • @Dhammadhatu - The record of the time the Buddha spent with one or two teachers is public and a quick google will find it. It wouldn't matter when the Upanishads were composed. You're right to say they were largely composed later. The point is only that the Buddha;s message is not unique. If it were it would be implausible. His methods may be unique but truth is universal.
    – user14119
    Commented Dec 12, 2018 at 11:05
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Māra, the demon king, Māra, the afflicted being. Māra was the Buddha's greatest teacher.

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    In what sense, or according to what tradition? I think the suttas suggest that Mara was trying to prevent the Buddha's enlightenment.
    – ChrisW ♦
    Commented Dec 12, 2018 at 8:08
  • I added this answer before I really know about the culture of the forum or how to use it. I still don't know how to send a PM on it. I'll cite it in a few.
    – Caoimhghin
    Commented Feb 10, 2021 at 14:49

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