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INTRODUCTION
lxix
as his spiritual guide, who hailed from Eastern Videha'. Probably Piņdola was also a hinayānist, belonged to the Mahīsāsaka sect and initiated Asanga in Hinayāna. He was forgotten later on?.
Later on, Asanga was converted to Mahāyāna Buddhism by Maitreyanātha. This incident of the life of our author is full of mythical stories spun around his personality. It is also stated that Asanga went to the Tuşita Heaven and prayed to the future Buddha Maitreya to come to the Jambūdvipa and 'propound the Mahāyāna in order that all beings may be fully convinced of it.' Acceding to this prayer of Asanga, Maitreya descended to the Jambūdvīpa at night and preached the dharma to Asarga. However, he was not visible to other human beings?.
This episode, which is encircled with mythical tales, points out only towards the fact that Maitreyanātha, the celebrated Mahāyāna teacher initiated Ārya Asanga in Yogācāra Vijñānavāda. The Indian literary tradition of the Yogācāra Vijñānavāda School also bears testimony to this fact. It further proves the historicity of Maitreyanātha and points out that he was not a
1. Ibid., p. 31. . 2. Vide, Fraüwallner, Ibid., p. 17. 3. Beal, I. 228-9 cp. Watters, I.356, Wayman, pp. 34, 41, Takakusu,
The Life, pp. 274-5. Vide also, Fraüwallner, Ibid., p. 53 for a critical evaluation of this legend; also Winterpitz, IHQ, IX (1933), p. 1 sq.
