[Y-Indology] caste/varna

[Guest guest]

> Traditionally in Buddhist literature it has been held that Ashvaghosha

> was a braahmana from Eastern India - Bengal or Orissa. DT Suzuki in

> his translation of the Shraadothpaadashaastram even asserts that

> Ashvaghosa was of the Vedaanta school who was converted to Buddhism -

> his metaphysics does bear close resemblence to the Upanishads and

> later Advaita.

 

It is now virtually accepted universally among Sinologists that the

[Mahaayaana]-`sraddhotpaada is a pseudepigraphic work of Chinese origin so

it would be best not to draw any philosophical conclusions about Ashvaghosa

from the text.

 

best wishes,

Stephen Hodge4