Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-945885-20140709082448/@comment-5407586-20140712203210

ItachiWasAHero wrote: It wasn't stated but it was hinted to, as Madara only awakened it when he was near death and old. Sasuke awakened it when he was near death. I don't know how to explain that kind of need to awaken the eyes though. For now it's most likely a coincidence. What is truly needed to awaken the Rinnegan is to fuse Indra and Asura's chakra in one body.