The Buddhacarita is a well-planned work written in Sanskrit by Asvagosha who was a contemporary of Kusana emperor Kaniska. It is one of the few biographies of Buddha that is complete commencing with his birth and ending with his nirvana. This work is composed in the style of of ornate court poetry or kavya.
Unlike the Mahavastu and the Lalitavistara, it is a systematic treatment of the subject matter. The poet is not only moderate in language and style, but he also uses restraint in the presentation of miracles in the Buddha legend, keeping himself far removed from exaggeration.
Unfortunately only half of the work, i.e.14 of 28 cantons survive in its original Sanskrit, providing us the story upto the Maravijaya; Tibetan and Chinese translations consist of the entire 28 cantons.
The present edition contains the Sanskrit text of cantons I-XIV; translation of cantons i-XIV; and, the translation of remaining catos XV-XXVIII based on available Tibetan and Chinese versions.


Asvaghosa's Buddhacarita or Acts of the Buddha, Johnston, Motilal Banarsidass, Paperback, 500pp., $18.00