Asvaghosha: Buddhist poet and Philosopher

Asvaghosha was a great Buddhist Scholar who was a contemporary of the great Kushan ruler Knishka. Asvaghosha has been described as “poet, musician, preacher, moralist, philosopher, playwright, tale-teller… an inventor in all these arts…he recalls Milton, Goethe, Kant and Voltaire.”

Asvaghosha is the author of the famous Buddhist tract, Vajrasuchi (Diamond needle). Buddhacharita, the earliest surviving classical Sanskrit work written in verse, is also ascribed to him.

Ashvaghosha was part of the fourth Buddhist Council.