Asvaghosa

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Aśvaghoṣa (?80-?150 CE) (Devanagari: अश्वघोष) was an Indian philosopher-poet, born in Saketa in northern India. He is believed to have been the first Sanskrit dramatist, and is considered the greatest Indian poet before Kālidāsa.

He was first a student of non-Buddhist teaching, but upon losing an argument with Parshva converted to Buddhism. He became a religious adviser to the Kushan king Kanishka.

He is said to be the author of the influential Buddhist text Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana. He also wrote an epic life of the Buddha called Buddhacarita^[1] (Acts of the Buddha) in Sanskrit and the Mahalankara (Book of Glory). He also wrote Saundaranandakavya, a kavya poem with the theme of conversion of Nanda, Buddha’s half-brother, so that he might reach salvation. The first half of the work describes Nanda’s life, and the second half of the work describes Buddhist doctrines and ascetic practices.^[2]

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