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ŚRĀVAKABHUMI
opinions expressed, arguments put forward and the bulk of evidences marshalled have rather created confusion with regard to the exact dates of these authors.
Recently, Fraüwallner has put forward the theory of two Vasubandhus with a margin of twenty year's time in the death of the one and the birth of the other authori.
He has established after examining the existing materials on the subject that (i) Asanga's brother and the author of the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra and (ii) the author of the AK were two different persons, mainly on the ground that in Paramārtha's biography, no mention of Asanga is found in the discussion of the author of AK?. He has also gone to the extent of even questioning the authenticity of Paramārtha's (c. 542-607 A.D.) work and the reliability of Yüan-Chwang's Records. The only literary evidence cited in favour of establishing the evidence of two Vasubandhus is the statement of Vasubandhu's commentator, Yasomitra (c. 500 A.D.) who identifies the views referred to by Vasubandhu with that of Sthavira or ‘Vļddha', the old Vasubandhuo. .
But all views of VỊddha Vasubandhu under refer
1. On the Date of the Buddhist Master of the Law Vasubandhu,
Roma, 1951, pp. 46, 54, 56 etc. 2. Ibid., pp. 12-4, 17-8. 3. p. 20. 4. Ibid., p. 21.
