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Asanga (born around 300 C.E.) was a great exponent of the Yogacara.
Born in Gandhara in north India as a Brahmin's son, he was perhaps originally a member of the Mahīśāsaka or the Mūlasarvāstivāda school but later converted to Mahāyāna; after many years intense meditation, during which time some traditions say that he often visited Tushita Heaven to receive teachings from Maitreya-nātha. He went on to write many of the key Yogācāra treatises such as the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, the Mahāyāna-samgraha and the Abhidharma-samuccaya as well as other works, although it should be noted that there are discrepancies between the Chinese and Tibetan traditons concerning which works are attributed to him and which to Maitreya-nātha.
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