Question map
Which one of the following is not the work of Ashvaghosha?
Explanation
Ashvaghosha was a celebrated Buddhist philosopher and poet who served as a contemporary of King Kanishka [2]. He is credited with several seminal works in Sanskrit literature, including the 'Buddhacharita', an epic poem detailing the life of Buddha, and 'Saundarananda', which describes the conversion of Nanda [1]. He is also recognized as the author of 'Sariputraprakarana', considered the first Sanskrit play [2]. In contrast, the 'Manjushrimulakalpa' is a significant Mahayana Buddhist text associated with the bodhisattva Manjushri [2]. It is written in Mixed Sanskrit and dates back to approximately the ninth century, making it much later than Ashvaghosha's era in the 1st-2nd century CE [2]. Therefore, 'Manjushrimulakalpa' is not a work of Ashvaghosha, while the other three options are confirmed as his major literary contributions.
Sources
- [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C5%9Bvagho%E1%B9%A3a
- [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 6: Polity and Society in Post-Mauryan Period > Art and Literature > p. 82