Vasubandhu

Vasubandhu on the DRL

Classical Indian Authors

དབྱིག་གཉེན་

Wylie	dbyig gnyen
Devanagari	वसुबन्धु
English Phonetics	Vasubandhu
Chinese Script	世親
Chinese Transliteration	Shìqīn

 

Other names

• སློབ་དཔོན་དབྱིག་གཉེན་

• slob dpon dbyig gnyen

Dates

Birth:	4th-5th century
Place of birth:	Purusapura, Gandhara

Tibetan calendar dates

Dates of birth

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

Dates of passing

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

About

Familial Relations

Half-brother of Asaṅga

Other Biographical info:

Links

Wiki Pages

• Vasubandhu on the DRL
• Vasubandhu on the LIB
• Vasubandhu on the BNW

Buddha Nature Project

Person description or short bio

Vasubandhu, who lived around the Fourth century CE, was one of India's most prominent Buddhist philosophers. His prolific writings record an odyssey through the systems of the leading Buddhist schools of his day. Though primarily venerated by later Buddhists as co-founder of the Yogācāra school with his half-brother Asaṅga, his pre-Yogācāra works, such as the Abhidharma-kośa and his auto-commentary (-bhāṣya) on it, have continued to be seriously studied until the present day. He wrote commentaries on many Mahāyāna texts, works on logic, devotional poetry, works on Abhidharma classifications (see below), as well as original and innovative philosophical treatises. Many of his writings survive in their original Sanskrit form, but others, particularly his commentaries, are extant only in Chinese or Tibetan translations. (Source: Dan Lusthaus)

Expand to see this person's philosophical positions on Buddha-nature.

Is Buddha-nature considered definitive or provisional?
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Notes:
All beings have Buddha-nature
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If "Qualified", explain:
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Which Wheel Turning
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Yogācāra vs Madhyamaka
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Zhentong vs Rangtong
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Promotes how many vehicles?
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Analytic vs Meditative Tradition
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What is Buddha-nature?
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Svātantrika (རང་རྒྱུད་) vs Prāsaṅgika (ཐལ་འགྱུར་པ་)
Position:
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Causal nature of the vajrapāda
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Tibetan Names

Tibetan:

Wylie:

• dbyig gnyen
  
• slob dpon dbyig gnyen
  

Sanskrit Names

• Vasubandhu

Dates

Vasubandhu, Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy (Source)

Writings

From : http://web.otani.ac.jp/cri/twrp/tibdate/Peking_online_search.html

Search Words: vasubandhu

dkon mchog gsum gyi bstod pa / (triratnastotra.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.)

[P. No.] 2037, bstod tshogs, ka 128b8-129a3 (vol.46, p.53)

[D. No.] 1146, , ka 109b7-110a2. [N] ka 121b6-122a1. [Kinsha] 37, ka 158a3 (p.80-1-3)

'phags pa sgo drug pa'i gzungs kyi rnam par bshad pa / ([AryaSaNmukhIdhAraNIvyAkhyAna.])

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.)

[P. No.] 3518, rgyud 'grel, nyu 1-3b2 (vol.79, p.45)

[D. No.] 2694, rgyud, nu 1a1-3a5. [N] nyu 1a1-4a6. [Kinsha] 1523, nyu 1b1 (p.1-2-1)

yon tan bdun yongs su brjod pa'i gtam / (saptaguNaparivarNanAkathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] gaGgAdhara., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5420, dbu ma, gi 120b3-121b2 (vol.103, p.232)

[D. No.] 4507, jo bo'i chos chung, gi 99b4-100a7. [N] gi 110b3-111b2. [Kinsha] 3419, gi 139a3 (p.70-2-3)

tshul khrims kyi gtam / (zIlaparikathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] jarandhana (janArdana)., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5421, dbu ma, gi 121b2-122a4 (vol.103, p.232-233)

[D. No.] 4508, jo bo'i chos chung, gi 100b1-101a1. [N] gi 111b2-112a4. [Kinsha] 3420, gi 140a5 (p.70-3-5)

tshogs kyi gtam / (sambhAraparikathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] gaGgAdhara., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5422, dbu ma, gi 122a4-124a1 (vol.103, p.233)

[D. No.] 4509, jo bo'i chos chung, gi 101a1-102b2. [N] gi 112a5-114a4. [Kinsha] 3421, gi 141a3 (p.70-4-3)

'dod pa'i yon tan rnam pa lnga'i nyes dmigs bshad pa / ([paJcakAmaguNopAlambhanirdeza.])

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dharmazrIbhadra., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5436, dbu ma, gi 159b8-160a7 (vol.103, p.248)

[D. No.] 4523, jo bo'i chos chung, gi 133a7-133b5. [N] gi 149b7-150a7. [Kinsha] 3435, gi 189a5 (p.94-4-5)

yon tan bdun bstan pa'i gtam / (saptaguNavarNanAkathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] kamalagupta., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5462, dbu ma, gi 209a8-209b6 (vol.103, p.267-268)

[D. No.] 4548, jo bo'i chos chung, gi 176b6-177a3. [N] gi 200a2-200a7. [Kinsha] 3461, gi 254a2 (p.128-1-2)

sangs rgyas su dran pa'i rgya cher 'grel pa / (buddhAnusmRtiTIkA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dAnazIla., [Tr] dpal brtsegs /

[P. No.] 5487, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, ngi 69a6-79b8 (vol.104, p.29-34)

[D. No.] 3987, mdo 'grel, ngi 55b3-63b5. [N] ngi 63a4-72b1. [Kinsha] 3486, ngi 80b1 (p.41-3-1)

tshigs su bcad pa gcig pa'i bshad pa / (ekagAthAbhASya.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.)

[P. No.] 5488, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, ngi 79b8-81a7 (vol.104, p.34)

[D. No.] 3988, mdo 'grel, ngi 63b5-64b6. [N] ngi 72b2-73b5. [Kinsha] 3487, ngi 93b1 (p.47-4-1)

'phags pa sgo drug pa'i gzungs kyi rnam par bshad pa / ([AryaSaNmukhIdhAraNIvyAkhyAna.])

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.)

[P. No.] 5489, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, ngi 81a8-83a2 (vol.104, p.34-35)

[D. No.] 3989, mdo 'grel, ngi 64b6-66a2. [N] ngi 73b5-75a3. [Kinsha] 3488, ngi 95a2 (p.48-2-2)

'phags pa chos bzhi pa'i rnam par bshad pa / ([AryacaturdharmakavyAkhyAna.])

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.)

[P. No.] 5490, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, ngi 83a2-84a5 (vol.104, p.35)

[D. No.] 3990, mdo 'grel, ngi 66a2-66b7. [N] ngi 75a3-76a3. [Kinsha] 3489, ngi 96b5 (p.49-3-5)

'phags pa ga ya mgo'i ri zhes bya ba'i mdo'i rnam par bshad pa / ([AryagayAzIrSa-nAma-sUtravyAkhyAna.])

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] surendrabodhi., [Tr] ye shes sde /

[P. No.] 5492, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, ngi 90a5-96a7 (vol.104, p.38-40)

[D. No.] 3991, mdo 'grel, ngi 71b3-76a7. [N] ngi 81b1-86b6. [Kinsha] 3491, ngi 106b1 (p.55-1-1)

rten cing 'brel par 'byung ba dang po dang rnam par dbye ba bshad pa / (pratItyasamutpAdAdivibhaGganirdeza.)

[A] vasubandhu., [Tr] surendrAkaraprabha., [Tr] nam mkha' /

[P. No.] 5496, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, chi 1-71a8 (vol.104, p.277-305)

[D. No.] 3995, mdo 'grel, chi 1a1-61a7. [N] chi 1a1-69b3. [Kinsha] 3495, chi 1b1 (p.1-2-1)

'phags pa bzang po spyod pa'i smon lam gyi 'grel pa / (AryabhadracaryApraNidhAnaTIkA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] ananta (Ananda)., [Tr] bhadrapAla.

[P. No.] 5516, mdo tshogs 'grel pa, nyi 288a3-308a8 (vol.105, p.321)

[D. No.] 4015, mdo 'grel, nyi 252a5-269a7. [N] nyi 290a6-312. [Kinsha] 3515, nyi 359b1 (p.181-2-1)

dbus dang mtha' rnam par 'byed pa'i 'grel pa / (madhyAntavibhAgaTIkA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] zIlendrabodhi., [Tr] ye shes sde /

[P. No.] 5528, sems tsam, bi 1-32b7 (vol.108, p.119-133)

[D. No.] 4027, sems tsam, bi 1a1-27a7. [N] bi 1a1-29b5. [Kinsha] 3527, bi 1b1 (p.1-2-1)

chos dang chos nyid rnam par 'byed pa'i 'grel pa / (dharmadharmatAvibhAga-vRtti.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] mahAjana., [Tr] blo ldan shes rab /

[P. No.] 5529, sems tsam, bi 32b7-45a5 (vol.108, p.133-138)

[D. No.] 4028, sems tsam, bi 27b1-38b6. [N] bi 29b5-41a7. [Kinsha] 3528, bi 35b1 (p.19-2-1)

theg pa chen po bsdus pa'i 'grel pa / (mahAyAnasaMgrahabhASya.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dIpaMkarazrIjAna., [Tr] tshul khrims rgyal ba /

[P. No.] 5551, sems tsam, li 141b2-232b5 (vol.112, p.272-309)

[D. No.] 4050, sems tsam, ri 121b1-190a7. [N] li 129b-212b. [Kinsha] 3550, li 160b1 (p.81-3-1)

sum cu pa'i tshig le'ur byas pa / (triMzikAkArikA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] zIlendrabodhi., [Tr] ye shes sde /

[P. No.] 5556, sems tsam, si 1-3b1 (vol.113, p.231-233)

[D. No.] 4055, sems tsam, shi 1a1-3a3. [N] si 1b1-4a5. [Kinsha] 3555, si 1b1 (p.1-2-1)

nyi shu pa'i tshig le'ur byas pa / (viMzatikAkArikA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dAnazIla., [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] zIlendrabodhi., [Tr] ye shes sde /

[P. No.] 5557, sems tsam, si 3b1-4b1 (vol.113, p.233-234)

[D. No.] 4056, sems tsam, shi 3a4-4a2. [N] si 4a5-5a5. [Kinsha] 3556, si 4a3 (p.2-3-3)

nyi shu pa'i 'grel pa / (viMzatikAvRtti.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu), [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] zIlendrabodhi., [Tr] ye shes sde /

[P. No.] 5558, sems tsam, si 4b1-11a1 (vol.113, p.234-236)

[D. No.] 4057, sems tsam, shi 4a3-10a2. [N] si 5a5-10b7. [Kinsha] 3557, si 5a5 (p.2-4-5)

rang bzhin gsum nges par bstan pa / (trisvabhAvanirdeza.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] zAntibhadra., [Tr] 'gos lha btsas /

[P. No.] 5559, sems tsam, si 11a1-12b6 (vol.113, p.236-237)

[D. No.] 4058, sems tsam, shi 10a3-11b4. [N] si 11a1-12b2. [Kinsha] 3558, si 14b1 (p.9-1-1)

phung po lnga'i rab tu byed pa / (paJcaskandhaprakaraNa.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dAnazIla., [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] zIlendrabodhi., [Tr] ye shes sde /

[P. No.] 5560, sems tsam, si 12b6-19a2 (vol.113, p.237-239)

[D. No.] 4059, sems tsam, shi 11b4-17a7. [N] si 12b2-17b7. [Kinsha] 3559, si 16b2 (p.9-3-2)

rnam par bshad pa'i rigs pa'i mdo sde'i dum bu brgya / (vyAkhyAyuktisUtrakhaNDazata.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] devendrarakSita., [Rev] majuzrIvarman., [Tr] sarvajAdeva., [Tr] vizuddhasiMha.

[P. No.] 5561, sems tsam, si 19a2-31b8 (vol.113, p.239-244)

[D. No.] 4060, sems tsam, shi 17b1-29a2. [N] si 18a1-29a1. [Kinsha] 3560, si 25b1 (p.13-4-1)

rnam par bshad pa'i rigs pa / (vyAkhyAyukti.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] devendrarakSita., [Tr] vizuddhasiMha., [Tr] zAkyasiMha.

[P. No.] 5562, sems tsam, si 31b8-156a5 (vol.113, p.244-294)

[D. No.] 4061, sems tsam, shi 29a2-134b2. [N] si 29a2-147a4. [Kinsha] 3561, si 42b1 (p.23-1-1)

las grub pa'i rab tu byed pa / (karmasiddhiprakaraNa.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] devendrarakSita., [Tr] vizuddhasiMha., [Rev] dpal brtsegs /

[P. No.] 5563, sems tsam, si 156a5-168b6 (vol.113, p.294-299)

[D. No.] 4062, sems tsam, shi 134b2-145a6. [N] si 147a4-159b1. [Kinsha] -

chos mngon pa'i mdzod kyi tshid le'ur byas pa / (abhidharmakozakArikA.) Abhidharmakoṣa

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] dpal brtsegs /

[P. No.] 5590, mngon pa'i bstan bcos, gu 1-27b6 (vol.115, p.115-127)

[D. No.] 4089, mngon pa, ku 1a1-25a7. [N] gu 1b1-29a7. [Kinsha] 3589, gu 1b1 (p.1-2-1)

chos mngon pa'i mdzod kyi bshad pa / (abhidharmakozabhASya.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] jinamitra., [Tr] dpal brtsegs /

[P. No.] 5591, mngon pa'i bstan bcos, gu 27b6-ngu 109a8 (vol.115, p.127-283)

[D. No.] 4090, mngon pa, ku 26b1-khu 95a7. [N] gu 29a7-ngu 109b4. [Kinsha] 3590, gu 33b1 (p.17-4-1)

bstan bcos tshigs su bcad pa bsdus pa zhes bya ba / (gAthAsaMgrahazAstra-nAma.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dharmAkara., [Tr] dpal brtsegs /, [Tr] ye shes snying po /

[P. No.] 5603, mngon pa'i bstan bcos, nu 240a1-241a6 (vol.119, p.262)

[D. No.] 4102, mngon pa, thu 223a4-224a5. [N] nu 245b4-247a2. [Kinsha] 3602, nu 309a1 (p.154-4-1)

tshigs su bcad pa'i don bsdus pa zhes bya ba'i bstan bcos / (gAthAsaMgrahazAstrArtha-nAma.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dharmAkara., [Tr] dpal brtsegs /, [Tr] ye shes snying po /

[P. No.] 5604, mngon pa'i bstan bcos, nu 241a7-286a6 (vol.119, p.262-280)

[D. No.] 4103, mngon pa, thu 224a5-261a7. [N] nu 247a2-291a3. [Kinsha] 3603, nu 311b1 (p.157-2-1)

yon tan bdun yongs su brjod pa'i gtam / (saptaguNaparivarNanAkathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] gaGgAdhara., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5663, sprin yig, nge 202a6-203a5 (vol.129, p.203)

[D. No.] 4163, spring yig, ge 168a4-169a1. [N] nge 197b6-198b6. [Kinsha] 3662, nge 246b4 (p.125-1-4)

tshul khrims kyi gtam / (zIlaparikathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] jarandhara., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5664, sprin yig, nge 203a5-203b7 (vol.129, p.203)

[D. No.] 4164, spring yig, ge 169a1-169b2. [N] nge 198b6-199b1. [Kinsha] 3663, nge 248a1 (p.124-3-1)

tshogs kyi gtam / (sambhAraparikathA.)

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] gaGgAdhara., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5666, sprin yig, nge 208b1-210a7 (vol.129, p.205-206)

[D. No.] 4166, spring yig, ge 173b1-175a4. [N] nge 204a5-206a5. [Kinsha] 3665, nge 254b4 (p.129-1-4)

'dod pa'i yon tan lnga'i nyes dmigs bshad pa / ([paJcakAmaguNopAlambhanirdeza.])

[A] dbyig gnyen / (vasubandhu.), [Tr] dharmazrIbhadra., [Tr] rin chen bzang po /

[P. No.] 5680, sprin yig, nge 281a7-281b6 (vol.129, p.234)

[D. No.] 4180, spring yig, nge 39a7-39b6. [N] nge 277b5-278a5. [Kinsha] 3679, nge 344a3 (p.172-3-3)

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Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).

Mahāyāna, or the Great Vehicle, refers to the system of Buddhist thought and practice which developed around the beginning of Common Era, focusing on the pursuit of the state of full enlightenment of the Buddha through the realization of the wisdom of emptiness and the cultivation of compassion.

Refers to something that is taught for a specific reason, rather than because it is entirely true.

Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Nāgārjuna around the second century CE, it is rooted in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, though its initial exposition was presented in Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.

The state of being devoid of that which is wholly different rather than being void of its own nature. The term is generally used to refer to the ultimate, or buddha-nature, being empty of other phenomena such as adventitious defiling emotions but not empty of its true nature.

The state of being empty of self, which references the lack of inherent existence in relative phenomena.

Tsen Khawoche's "meditative tradition" of exegesis of the Uttaratantra; it is one of two major Tibetan traditions of exegesis, both stemming from students of Sajjana.

Though it is sometimes used synonymously with Yogācāra, it is in fact one of the more prominent philosophical theories associated with this school. It asserts that the objects in the external world with which we interact are actually mentally created representations appearing as those objects. The character of these perceptions is predetermined by our own karmic conditioning that is stored in the ālayavijñāna.

Disposition, lineage, or class; an individual's gotra determines the type of enlightenment one is destined to attain.