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Aśvaghoṣa
Aśvaghoṣa. An early Sarvāstivādin master, born 1st–2nd century ce in Ayodhyā. A court poet of the Kuṣāṇa king Kaniṣka (it is not clear whether this was Kaniṣka I or II), he composed poetic and dramatic works on Buddhist themes, such as the Buddhacarita, a life of the Buddha, the Saundarananda, an account of the conversion of Nanda, and the Śāriputraprakaraṇa or ‘Story of Śāriputra’. Tradition also ascribes to him the Mahāyāna-śraddhotpāda Śāstra. His most famous work is the first of these, a biography of the Buddha in epic mahākāvya style (the style of the great Sanskrit literary classics). Originally in 28 cantos, only 17 survive in Sanskrit, the remainder being preserved in Tibetan and Chinese translations. The author's deep respect and reverence for the Buddha is unmistakable in all his compositions and he is viewed by many as a follower of the Mahāyāna.
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DAMIEN KEOWN. "Aśvaghoṣa." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAMIEN KEOWN. "Aśvaghoṣa." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-Avaghoa.html DAMIEN KEOWN. "Aśvaghoṣa." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-Avaghoa.html |
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Aśvaghoṣa
Aśvaghoṣa (2nd cent. CE). A court poet of the Kusāna king Kaniṣka and author of literary works in Sanskrit on Buddhist themes. He is known to be the author of three such works: The Acts of the Buddha (Buddhacarita), Nanda the Fair (Saundarananda), and The Story of Sariputra (Sāriputraprakaraṇa). His most famous work is the first of these, a biography of the Buddha in epic mahākāvya style.
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JOHN BOWKER. "Aśvaghoṣa." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Aśvaghoṣa." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Avaghoa.html JOHN BOWKER. "Aśvaghoṣa." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Avaghoa.html |
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