Asanga lived in India during the fourth century CE and established the Yogachara school with his younger brother, Vasubandhu. he was born in a kausika brahmana family of Purushapuran (Peshawar). After twelve years of retreat, he received a vision of Maitreya and subsequently wrote the five Maitreya texts, which have had a profound impact on mahayana Buddhism.

Five texts by Asanga, revealed to him by Maitreya:
1. Ornament for Clear Realization, mngon par rtogs pa'i rgyan, abhisamayalankara
2. Ornament for the Mahayana Sutras, theg pa chen po'i mdo sde'i rgyan, mahayanasutralankara
3.Sublime Continuum of the Mahayana, theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i bstan, mahayanottaratantrashastra, ratnagotravibhaga
4. Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being (Nature of Phenomena), chos dang chos nyid rnam par 'byed pa, dharmadharmatavibhanga
5. Distinguishing the Middle and the Extremes, dbus dang mtha' rnam par 'byed pa, madhyantavibhanga.
These texts are know as the "Five Treasises of Maitreya." (byams chos sde lnga)