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Life
The first great Sanskrit poet, who told the Buddha's life as an epic and made philosophy sing.
Everything is empty. Not empty of existence, but empty of independent, permanent essence. He turned Buddhist logic into a razor.
Connection
Ashvaghosha early Mahayana groundwork Nagarjuna — Ashvaghosha belongs to the generation in which Mahayana themes were taking literary form, and later tradition placed him just before Nagarjuna as part of the same turn.
Ideas
Words
“As the moon trembles in moving water, so the world the unawakened see trembles with their own desire.”
“Whatever is dependently arisen, that is explained to be emptiness.”
“Without a foundation in conventional truth, the significance of the ultimate cannot be taught.”
Key Moments
c. 80 CE
Born a Brahmin Poet
c. 100 CE
Conversion to Buddhism
c. 120 CE
The Buddhacarita
c. 130 CE
Court of Kanishka
c. 150 CE
Born in South India
c. 175 CE
Founds Madhyamaka Philosophy
c. 175 CE
Writes the Mulamadhyamakakarika
c. 250 CE
Death in South India
Works
The Buddhacarita
Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way