असङ्गविरचितः महायानसूत्रालङ्कारः- Mahayanasutralankara of Asanga (An Old And Rare Book)

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Asatiga, the reputed author of the Sutralamkāra, is one of the brilliant luminaries in the sphere of Mahāyāna Buddhism. A biographical account of this great savant may be provided on the basis of the following three' sources and materials, viz. (1) the biography of Vasubandhu written by Paramärtha (sixth century A. D.); (2) the accounts and records left by Hiuen-tsang (seventh century A. D.) and I-tsing; and (3) the History of Indian Buddhism by Tārā- nātha (sixteenth century A. D.). We propose to give a brief outline of their accounts and evaluate their historical plausibility.

Paramārtha has observed that Asaiga was a native of Gandhara and was born in Puruşapura, modern Peshawar. His father was a Brahmaņa who belonged to Kauśika family. He together with his two younger brothers became converted to the Sarvāstivāda school of Buddhism. He received instruc- tion from the arhat Pi dola and succeeded to penetrate the mystery wrapping up the recondite doctrine of the Little Vehicle.