Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism

Sūtrālaṅkāra – 170
which has yielded to the archæological excavators magnificent
specimens of Græco-Buddhistic art.
The grade of civilisation
The social condition of India, as represented in the Sūtralaṅkāra, had
attained a high standard of civilisation. There was intense
intellectual activity throughout the country. The great Brahmanic
epics were already known. Aśvaghoṣa’s other work the
Buddhacarita, is also familiar with both the Rāmāyana and the
Mahābhārata. There are references to the Kings Nahuṣa, Yāyati,
Sāgara, Dilipa. The edifying importance of this Brahmanic [199]
poem seems to be taken as admitted. A simple headman of an Indian
village in what are Central Provinces listens to the recital of the
Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyana delivered by the Brahmans.
Attracted by their promise, which guarantees the heaven to the
brave, who die in the battle, as well as to the pious men who burn
themselves, he prepares at once to mount a burning pile of wood.
Fortunately for him a Buddhist bhikṣu turns up and demonstrates to
him the futility of the promise of the Brahmans and eventually
succeeds in converting him to Buddhism. The philosophical doctrine
of the Saṁkhyā and the Vaiśeṣika schools have already been
constituted in their manuals. Aśvaghoṣa combats these Brahmanical
dogmas with incisive vigour. He attacks the gods of the Brahmans
and exposes their weaknesses with remorseless vigour. He shows
them up as violent and cruel. Their power is only due to their good
karma. The tradition, that Aśvaghoṣa himself was a worshipper of
Maheśa and latterly turned a Buddhist, is derived probably from the
first story in the collection, in which an adherent of the sect of