Saṃghabhadra (5th century CE,

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

: संघभद्र, Ch. 僧伽跋陀羅・衆賢, Japanese: ''Sōgyabaddara'' or ''Shugen''): was an Indian scholar monk of the

Sarvāstivāda The ''Sarvāstivāda'' (; ;) was one of the early Buddhist schools established around the reign of Ashoka (third century BCE).Westerhoff, The Golden Age of Indian Buddhist Philosophy in the First Millennium CE, 2018, p. 60. It was particularl ...

Vaibhāṣika Sarvāstivāda-Vaibhāṣika () or simply Vaibhāṣika () is an ancient Buddhist tradition of Abhidharma (scholastic Buddhist philosophy), which was very influential in north India, especially Kashmir.Westerhoff 2018, pp. 60–61. In various tex ...

and "undoubtedly one of the most brilliant

Abhidharma The Abhidharma are a collection of Buddhist texts dating from the 3rd century BCE onwards, which contain detailed scholastic presentations of doctrinal material appearing in the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries. It also refers t ...

masters in India".KL Dhammajoti. ''The Contribution of Saṃghabhadra to Our Understanding of Abhidharma Doctrines,'' in Bart Dessein and Weijen Teng (ed) "Text, History, and Philosophy Abhidharma across Buddhist Scholastic Traditions." Born in

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

, he was a contemporary of the Buddhist philosopher

Vasubandhu Vasubandhu (; Tibetan: དབྱིག་གཉེན་ ; floruit, fl. 4th to 5th century CE) was an influential Indian bhikkhu, Buddhist monk and scholar. He was a philosopher who wrote commentary on the Abhidharma, from the perspectives of th ...

. According to K.L. Dhammajoti, his work forms the most mature and refined form of Vaibhāṣika philosophy. His two main works, the ''*Nyāyānusāra'' (''Shun zhengli lun'' 順正理論, "In Accordance with the Truth") and the ''*Abhidharmasamayapradīpikā'' (''Apidamo xian zong lun'' 阿毘達磨顯宗論), are very important sources for late Vaibhāṣika thought. He is referenced by various important Buddhist figures, such as

Xuanzang Xuanzang (; ; 6 April 6025 February 664), born Chen Hui or Chen Yi (), also known by his Sanskrit Dharma name Mokṣadeva, was a 7th-century Chinese Bhikkhu, Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making ...

Kuiji Kuiji (; 632–682), also known as Ji (), an exponent of Yogācāra, was a Chinese monk and a prominent disciple of Xuanzang.Lusthaus, Dan (undated). ''Quick Overview of the Faxiang School'' (). Source(accessed: December 12, 2007) His posthumous ...

, Sthiramati, and

Śāntarakṣita (Sanskrit: शान्तरक्षित; , 725–788),stanford.eduŚāntarakṣita (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)/ref> whose name translates into English as "protected by the One who is at peace" was an important and influential In ...

who see him as the most authoritative of the

Abhidharmikas. Saṃghabhadra's philosophical work was primarily an attempt to defend the orthodox doctrines of the Vaibhāṣika school from the attacks of its main opponents, the Sautrantikas, especially Vasubandhu who had written the '' Abhidharmakośabhasya'' as an exposition as well as a critique of many Vaibhāṣika doctrine. Saṃghabhadra is said to have spent 12 years composing the ''Nyāyānusāra'' (a commentary to Vasubandhu's verses) to refute Vasubandhu and other Sautrāntikas such as the elder Śrīlāta and his pupil Rāma. According to Xuanzang's records, after composing his works, Saṃghabhadra sought out Vasubandhu in order to face him in public debate, but he died before he was able to do so.Beal, Samuel (1906). ''Buddhist Records of the Western World: Volume I,'' p. 193. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & co. ltd. London.

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{{Buddhism topics 5th-century Indian scholars 5th-century Indian monks Indian royal advisors 5th-century Buddhist monks Indian Buddhist monks