Asvaghosa c. 80 – c. 150
Asvaghosa (c. 80 – c. 150) was an Indian philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Buddhism and Indian Philosophy.
Asvaghosa was an Indian Buddhist philosopher, poet, and dramatist of the first and second century AD, traditionally counted as one of the most important Sanskrit poets and as a forerunner of the Mahayana philosophical tradition. His epic Buddhacarita, the Acts of the Buddha, gave the most influential literary life of Sakyamuni, while his Saundarananda told the story of the Buddha's half-brother Nanda's renunciation of the world. The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, attributed to him in East Asian tradition though probably composed later, became the foundational text of East Asian Mahayana philosophy, in which suchness, the storehouse consciousness, and the activities of the Buddha-mind are systematically related.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Indian
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Buddhism, Indian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“The Buddha is born wherever a heart awakens to suffering and seeks its end.”
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“Poetry is the door through which philosophy may pass into the heart.”
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“Suchness is the ground of every appearance, but the appearance is not other than the ground.”
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“Faith is the seed; without it, the tree of awakening cannot grow.”
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“The body is a guest in the house of the mind; treat it with grace, and let it depart in due time.”
Frequently asked about Asvaghosa
- When did Asvaghosa live?
- Asvaghosa was born in c. 80 and died in c. 150.
- Where was Asvaghosa from?
- Asvaghosa was an Indian philosopher of the Ancient era.
- What philosophical movements is Asvaghosa associated with?
- Asvaghosa was associated with Buddhism and Indian Philosophy.
- What was Asvaghosa known for?
- Asvaghosa was an Indian Buddhist philosopher, poet, and dramatist of the first and second century AD, traditionally counted as one of the most important Sanskrit poets and as a forerunner of the Mahayana philosophical tradition.
- How many quotes are attributed to Asvaghosa?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Asvaghosa in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.