Asvaghosa Quotes
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 quotes below are attributed to Asvaghosa, organized by topic.
Asvaghosa on God
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“Faith is the seed; without it, the tree of awakening cannot grow.”
Asvaghosa on Knowledge
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“Poetry is the door through which philosophy may pass into the heart.”
Asvaghosa on Mind
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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:
“The body is a guest in the house of the mind; treat it with grace, and let it depart in due time.”
Asvaghosa on Truth
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Attributed to Asvaghosa:
“Suchness is the ground of every appearance, but the appearance is not other than the ground.”