TRANSLATED FROM PALI; MAJOR BUDDHIST TEXT; TWO-VOLUME SET.
The Abhisamaya-alaá¹…kÄra ("Ornament of/for Realization[s]"), is one of five Sanskrit-language MahÄyÄna Buddhist scriptures which Maitreya-a Buddha or bodhisattva (the point is somewhat controversial)--is said to have revealed to Asaá¹…ga (northwest India, 4th century AD). Some scholars (Erich Frauwallner, Giuseppe Tucci, Hakiju Ui) refer to the text's author as MaitreyanÄtha ("Lord Maitreya") in order to avoid either affirming the claim of supernatural revelation, or identifying the author as Asaá¹…ga himself. (Perhaps "Maitreya" was the name of Asaá¹…ga's human teacher.)