Vasubandhu

Vasubandhu. The half-brother of Asaṅga, he was probably born during the late 4th century ce in north-west India where he initially studied Sarvāstivādin Abhidharma as presented in the Mahāvibhāṣā. Dissatified with those teachings, he wrote an important summary and critique of the Mahāvibhāṣā from the Sautrāntrika viewpoint. Later in his life he is said to have converted to Mahāyāna and become one of the most influential founders of the Yogācāra school. He wrote two key works summarizing Yogācāra doctrines, the Viṃśatikā and the Triṃśikā as well as several major commentaries on works by Asaṅga and Maitreyanātha. Some modern scholars, notably Frauwallner, have sought to distinguish two Vasubandhus, one the Yogācārin and the other the Sautrāntika, but this view should probably be rejected now on the basis of the anonymous Abhidharma-dīpa which clearly identifies Vasubandhu as the sole author of both groups of writings.