Introduction of buddhacarita

Ashvaghosha Skt. He was born in Saketa in northern India. He was the most famous in a group of Buddhist court writers, whose epics rivalled the contemporary Ramayana. He set a challenge to the Buddhist monks that if none could meet with him in debate then they should stop beating the wood-block which signalled to the people to bring offerings to them.

There was no one there to meet the challenge so they stopped beating the wood-block. The ascetic came to ask why it had been sounded. Though thinking the old monk would be unable to debate with him, he accepted the challenge. After seven days, the debate was held in front of the King, his Ministers, and many ascetics and brahmans.

The loser agreed to become the disciple of the other. The King could not pay so much, as he had only , He was therefore taken away.

Buddha charitam archive

The King, who knew the worth of bhiksu, ordered that seven horses be starved for six days. Even the horses, whose favourite food was placed in front of them, were entranced by the Teaching of the monk, and listened intently. Everybody was thereby convinced of his worth. He travelled throughout northern India proclaiming the Dharma and guiding all through his wisdom and understanding, and he was held in great regard by the four-fold assembly, who knew him as The Sun of Merit and Virtue.

He was previously believed to have been the author of the influential Buddhist text Awakening of Mahayana Faith , but modern scholars agree that the text was composed in China.