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Buddhaghosa
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Buddhaghosa
Buddhaghosa Buddhaghosa offering the Visuddhimagga to the chief monk, wall painting in a monastery at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Buddhaghosa

Buddhist scholar
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Also known as: Buddhaghoṣa, Buddhaghosha
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Article History
Quick Facts
Also spelled:
Buddhaghoṣa and Buddhaghosha
Flourished:
5th century ce
Also Known As:
Buddhaghosha
Buddhaghoṣa
Flourished:
c.401 - c.449
Telangana
India
Notable Works:
“Visuddhimagga”
Subjects Of Study:
Buddhism
See all related content

Buddhaghosa (flourished 5th century ce) was an Indian Buddhist scholar, famous for his Visuddhimagga (Pali: “The Path of Purification”), a summary of current Buddhist doctrines. Scholars do not agree about Buddhaghosa’s birthplace, but it is known that he traveled to Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, where he discovered many Sinhalese Buddhist commentaries; these he translated into Pali and communicated to his countrymen.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.