Asaṅga and Vasubandhu Yogachara



maitreya , disciples. gandhara, 3rd century ce



statue of vasubandhu (jp. seshin), kōfuku-ji, nara, nara japan.


yogācāra, had genesis in saṃdhinirmocana sūtra, largely formulated brahmin-born half-brothers asaṅga , vasubandhu. asaṅga spent many years in intense meditation, during time tradition says visited tuṣita heaven receive teachings maitreya. heavens such tuṣita said accessible through meditation , accounts of given in writings of indian buddhist monk paramārtha, lived during 6th century. xuanzang tells similar account of these events:



in great mango grove 5 or 6 li southwest of city (ayodhyā), there old monastery asaṅga bodhisattva received instructions , guided common people. @ night went place of maitreya bodhisattva in tuṣita heaven learn yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, mahāyāna-sūtra-alaṃkāra-śāstra, madhyānta-vibhāga-śāstra, etc.; in daytime, lectured on marvelous principles great audience.



asaṅga went on write many of key yogācāra treatises such yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, mahāyānasaṃgraha , abhidharma-samuccaya other works, although there discrepancies between chinese , tibetan traditions concerning works attributed him , maitreya.


the yogācāra school held prominent position in indian buddhism centuries after time of asaṅga , vasubandhu. teachings , derivations of school have influenced , become well-established in east asian buddhism , tibetan buddhism.








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