Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/156

 May, 1875.] BIOGBAPHTES OF A^VAGOSHA, Ac. Ii8 an Utpala leaf, and tearing it in two pieces, threw them an different sides, and began to walk in the middle. Vishnu, understanding the meaning of this action, tore the body of the Asnra into two pieces and passed between them ; then the Asura died. He had formerly obtained from a Itishi the privilege that if any of his limbs should be cnt off they should reunite, bat the Rishi had not promised that his body would be joined together again if it should be torn asunder. As Vishna had shown here the cour- age of a man, the kingdom was thus named Pnrusha. There was in this kingdom a royal chief who was a Brahman, of the K a n s i k a* family. He had three sons who bore the single name Vasubandhn, which was common to them, and which signifies 'celestial parent' (Tiane4zifie). It is the custom in India to give all children only on© name, which is common to them, and besides that, in order to distinguish them, another one is added as a special distinc- tion. The third son Vasubandhn had ad- vanced into the spiritual calling at the Sar vada school. He became an Arhana and was named Bi-lin-chi V a t s y a (ba-po) ; B i 1 i n c h i was his mother's name, and Vatsya signifies ' son ;' but it is thus that the children of servants, cattle and specially calves are called. The eldest son Vasubandhn advanced equally in the spiritual calling at the Sarvaativada school, and although he might have escaped suffering he could not understand the idea, and wished to put himself to death; but the Arhana Pindola, who dwelt in the eastern Videkadvipa, having seen him, came to him and instructed him in the contemplation of the void of the Htnayana ; but Vasubandhn, not being satisfied with that, sent senger into tho beaven named Tushita to make special inquiries ofMaitreya, and after having received from him an explanation of the void of the Mahayana, he returned to Jamlm- dvipa, where, having given himself up to study, he received the gift of foresight, and because of thathe wassurnained Asanga < < 'unim- peded '). He still went sometimes into Tushita to Maitreya to make particular inquiries about the meaning of the BMraBci the Mahayana; but when he explained to others what he had learn- ed they did not believe him, and he was obliged to ask Maitreya to return to the earth, to which he consented. For four months Maitreya was found in the temple of preaching, addressing the people upon the Sutra of Seventeen World*, and explaining the meaning of it clearly ; nobody but Asanga could see him,— the others could only hear the preaching,— and everyone believed in the Mahayana, Maitreya taught AsaEga the SamMhi of the solar ray ; then everything became intelligible to him, and he composed in Jambudvipa the Upadesa upon the Sutras of the Mahayana. The second son Vasubandhu advanced also in the spiritual calling at the Sarvastivada school : in the extent of his learning, the nam- berof the subjects which he understood, and his knowledge of books, he was unequalled. As his brothers had received other names, the name of Vasubandhu remained to him alone. Towards the five-hundredth year after the nirvdna of Buddha, the Arhana Katyayana- p u t r a, who had advanced in the spiritual calling at the Sarvastivada school, lived. He was purely Indian, but in course of time he came into the kingdomof K i p i n e(Kofene, Cabul), which ison the north-west of India, where at the same time there were 500 Arhanas and 500 Bodhisatvas (?). He began to compose the AbhidJtarma of the Sarvastivada school, which consists of 8 grantas. A declaration was published everywhere that those who knew anything of the Abhidharma of Buddha should tell what tlu-y knew of it. Then men, gods, dragons, Yakshas, and even the inhabitants of the heaven Akanishfca com- municated everything that they knew, were it only & phrase of a verse. Katyayana- p u t r a, with the Arhanas and the Bodhisatvas, chose out of all v not contradictory to the Sutra* and to the Vinaija ; they formed of it Bk composition which they divided into eight parts, in which there were 50,000 slokas. Then they wished to compose the Vaibhfohya toj explain the Abhidharma, At this time A a va - gosh a was living in India, a native of the '■do country in the kingdom of &ra- vasti; he understood eight parts of the Vydkarana, the four Vcdis, the six sciences, and the three Pit-atca* of eighteen schools : so K a t - y ayanaputra sent an ambassador toSravasti • ite Asvagosha to correct the writing i proposed VaCbhdshya. For twelve consec 1 years after his arrival in K i p i n e Asvagoslia was occupied with the work of which Karyit- ■ Kiau-chi-kia, one of taeouow of India himself.