Vasubandhu

Vasubandhu (Sanskrit. Chinese 世親. Korean 세친) was an Indian Buddhist scholar-monk, and along with his brother Asaṅga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism.

Born in Gandhāra in the fourth century, he was at first an Theravadin and wrote the massive Abhidharmakośa-bhāsya. He later converted to Mahāyāna and composed many other voluminous treatises. Most influential in the East Asian Buddhist tradition was probably his Thirty Verses on Consciousness-only, but he also wrote a large number of other works, including:

• a commentary to the Mahāyāna-saṃgraha
• the Dasabhūmikabhāsya (Ten Stages Sutra)
• Catuhśataka-śāstra
• Mahāyāna śatadharmā-prakāśamukha śāstra
• Amitayus sutropadeśa
• Discourse on the Pure Land