Theravāda Teachers

Buddha-Carita | Aśvaghoṣa

The Buddha-carita (Buddha’s Life) is a complete biography of Buddha Śākyamuni, from his birth until after his death, when his relics were distributed. The text was composed by Aśvaghoṣa (early second century C.E.), the main author of Kāvya literature (poetic prose or ornate poetry) before Kālidāsa (late fourth–early fifth century C.E.). The author, Aśvaghoṣa, was a Brāhman from Sāketa in Central India who converted to

Buddha Śākyamuni

Buddha Śākyamuni was born on the full-moon day of Vesākha (late April-May) in 623 BC, although this date is disputed by other traditions. His mother was Mahāmāyā Devi, chief consort of King Suddhodana. On the eve of Vesākha in 588 BC, while meditating Buddha attained the Full Enlightenment. After the Enlightenment, for 7 weeks the Buddha fasted, and spent His time under the Bodhi tree:

Gautama Buddha | Miracles

The Miracles of Gautama Buddha refers to supernatural feats and abilities attributed to Gautama Buddha by the Buddhist scriptures. The feats are mostly attributed to supranormal powers gained through meditation, rather than divine miracles. Stories of Gautama Buddha's miracles include miraculous healings, teleportation, creating duplicates of himself, manipulation of the elements, and various other supernatural phenomena. Miracles in Mahāyāna Sūtras play a more direct role

Aśoka | the Buddhist Emperor

Aśoka (ca. 300-232 BCE.), the 3rd and most powerful of the Mauryan emperors who once dominated the Indian subcontinent (4-3rd centuries BCE), figures centrally in historical as well as legendary accounts of the early Buddhist community’s transformation into a world religion. Aśoka’s landmark reign (c. 268-232 BCE) laid structural foundations for subsequent South Asian imperial formation and his memory has continued to inspire and shape

Aśoka | Mauryan Emperor

Aśoka (Ashoka), the 3rd Ruler of the Indian Mauryan Empire, became a model of Kingship for Buddhists everywhere: Aśoka is known today for the Edicts he had inscribed on pillars and rock faces throughout his kingdom, and through the legends told about him in various Buddhist sources. Aśoka is said to purify the teaching by convening the Third Buddhist council, following which he sends missionary-monks

Vasubandhu life & works

Vasubandhu life & works. Vasubandhu was a prominent Buddhist teacher and one of the most important figures in the development of Mahāyāna Buddhism in India. He wrote commentaries on many Śāstras, works on logic, devotional poetry, works on Abhidharma classifications, as well as original and innovative philosophical treatises. He is admired as co-founder of the Yogācāra school, his pre-Yogācāra works, such as the Abhidharmakośa are

Nyanatiloka (1878-1957)

Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahāthera (1878-1957), born as Anton Walther Florus Gueth in Germany, was one of the earliest westerners in modern times to become a Bhikkhu, a fully ordained Theravāda Buddhist monk and teacher. In 1903, at the age of 25, Nyanatiloka briefly visited Śrī Lanka and then travelled to Burma. In Burma he was ordained as a Theravāda Buddhist novice (sāmaņera) in September 1903.