Aśvaghoṣa and the Painting of Cakravarti Buddha in Indian Art

Aśvaghoṣa was nothing more than a name a hundred years ago. But today all his important works have been published and he is recognized as the first great kāvya poet and precursor of Kālidāśa. As an easterner, Aśvaghoṣa’s admiration of the Rāmāyaṇa is explicable while it is probable that he belonged to some such Buddhist school of eastern origin as the Mahasaṅghika or the Bahuśrutika. Here in this paper we have tried to show that Aśvaghoṣa has all along shown his mastery over the general principles of all sciences. In his Kavyas and Natakas he has in many places displayed his knowledge of the sciences with accuracy. He perhaps followed the maxim ‘Sarvato dikṣā hi kavayaḥ.’ So far as scholarly accuracy is concerned, he is unrivalled and he is practically free from any lapse from correction. He is strictly adhered to the authorities and where ever he is incorrect the inaccuracy lies with the source material.