Who Was Asanga?

The Enlightened Son of Peshawar

Asanga, a Buddhist monk from ancient Peshawar, meditating near the ruins of Takshashila under a golden sky

Before modern borders. Before books were banned and languages silenced. There was a land called Gandhāra. And in that land, in the city we now call Peshawar, a boy was born who would grow up to change the way people understood the mind.

His name was Asanga. His younger brother was Vasubandhu, a brilliant thinker who later joined him in teaching the Yogācāra path. Together, the two Gandhāran brothers helped the world understand the mind in ways that still shape Buddhist thought today.

Most people today have never heard of him. But around the world, in monasteries and universities, Asanga is known as one of the greatest Buddhist philosophers who ever lived. He was a thinker, a teacher, and a gentle guide. And he came from your land.

A Seeker of Truth

Asanga began his journey as a monk, just like many others in Gandhāra during that time. He was smart, disciplined, and curious. But something inside him kept asking deeper questions. He felt that something was missing in the way people were practicing their faith.

So he went into retreat. He meditated for many years. Not to escape the world, but to understand it. He did not want to just follow rules. He wanted to understand the heart of life.

The Birth of a New Way

After many years of deep reflection, Asanga began to teach a new path. It became known as Yogācāra, which means the path of the mind. This path did not focus on rituals or statues. It focused on the human mind. How we think. How we feel. How we suffer. And how we can become free.

Asanga believed that what we see outside is deeply shaped by what we carry inside. Our past actions, emotions, and thoughts leave marks on our consciousness. These marks shape how we experience the world. He taught that if we want to change our lives, we must understand how our mind works.

It was a simple but powerful message. The key to peace is already inside us. “The world you see is the echo of your own mind. To heal the world, begin with what you carry inside.”

(Asanga’s teachings on perception and consciousness.)

Books That Still Speak

Asanga wrote several important books. Some of them are still studied today across Asia and the West. His most famous writings include:

The Summary of the Great Path: A clear guide to the teachings of Yogācāra.

The Stages of the Path: A book that explains how the mind grows from confusion to wisdom.

A Treatise on Reality: Where he asks what is truly real and what is just illusion.

These books are not only for monks. They are full of insights about human nature, how we suffer, and how we can heal.

The Story of the Wounded Dog

There is a story that many people love to tell about Asanga. After years of meditation, he still felt stuck. Tired and disappointed, he left his cave.

On the road, he saw a dog lying in pain, full of wounds and crawling with worms. Moved with deep compassion, he bent down to help. In that moment, his vision changed. The dog disappeared, and in its place stood Maitreya, the future Buddha.

Some say it was a miracle. Others say it was his own inner awakening. Either way, the message is clear. Compassion opened the door to truth.

Why Pashtuns Should Know His Name

Asanga was not from India or Tibet. He was born in Peshawar. He studied in Takṣaśilā. He spoke the language of your grandparents. He walked on your soil. His bones are buried in your land.

But today, most Pashtuns have no idea that one of the world’s greatest thinkers came from among them.

Asanga was not just a religious man. He was a philosopher. A healer of the mind. A man of silence and depth.

His name should be taught in schools. His books should be known in libraries. His story should be told to children before bed.

Your Lost Teacher

To the people of Peshawar, Swat, Kabul, and the wider Pashtun land, this is your legacy. This is your story. Asanga is not a foreign name. He is one of yours.

He gave the world a treasure. It is time to bring that treasure home.

Let us remember him not as a statue in a museum, but as a living voice of wisdom from your own soil. The enlightened son of Peshawar.