Vasubandhu

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Vasubandhu

Gandharan monk and Yogacara philosopher Vasubandhu as Chan patriarch in a Chinese illustration.

Occupation

Buddhist monk

Known for

One of the main founders of the Indian Yogcra school.

Religion

Buddhist

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Vasubandhu (Sanskrit:

; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Shqn; Tibetan: , Wylie: dbyig gnyen)

(fl. 4th century) was an Indian Buddhist monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogcra school. However, some scholars consider Vasubandhu to be two distinct people. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism. In the Jodo Shinshu branch of Buddhism, he is considered the Second Patriarch. In Zen, he is the 21st Patriarch.
Contents
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1 Biography 2 And Buddhist logic 3 Two Vasubandhus 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links

Biography[edit source | editbeta]

Born a brahmin[1] Vasubandhu was said to have been the half brother of Asanga, another key personage in the founding of the Yogacara School. He was also, as well as his elder half brother Asanga, one of the Six Ornaments[2](i.e. six great commentators on the Buddhas teachings). He resided at Kausambhi (near

modern Allahabad) where he was trained in the orthodox SarvastivadaOrder of Buddhism, which had its seat at Kausambhi. He was contemporaneous with KingChandragupta I, the father of Samudragupta. This information temporally places this Vasubandhu in the 4th century CE.[3] Vasubandhu is said to have trained in the Vaibhika-Sarvstivdin when he initially studied VaibhashikaSarvstivdin Abhidharma, as presented in the Mah-vibhsa. Dissatisfied with those teachings, he wrote a summary of the Vaibhashika perspective in the Abhidharmakoa in verse and an auto-commentary, the Abhidharmakoa-bhsya, which summarised and critiqued theMahvibhsa from the Sautrntrika viewpoint. He is later said to have converted to the Mahyna tradition under the influence of his brother, whereupon he composed a number of voluminous treatises, especially on Yogcra doctrines. Most influential in the East Asian Buddhist tradition have been Vimatikvijaptimtratsiddhi, the "Twenty Verses on Representation Only" and the Triik-vijaptimtrat, the "Thirty Verses on Representation-only". These two texts are companions. Vasubandhu also wrote a large number of other works, including:

Commentary to the Mahyna-samgraha Daabhmika-bhya (Ten Stages Sutra) Catuhataka-stra Mahyna atadharm-prakamukha stra Amitayus sutropadea Discourse on the Pure Land Vijnaptimatrata Sastra Karmasiddhiprakarana (A Treatise on Action)