In early Buddhist Sanskrit literature, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the epic poem “Buddha Charita”?

Introduction / Context:
“Buddha Charita” is one of the most famous Sanskrit works on the life of Gautama Buddha. It is often described as a maha kavya, or great epic poem, and forms an important part of early Buddhist literary heritage. Exam questions frequently ask you to match this work with its author, because doing so tests both your knowledge of Buddhist history and your familiarity with key names in Sanskrit literature. This question therefore checks if you can correctly identify the traditional author of Buddha Charita.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The work in question is “Buddha Charita”. - Four Buddhist or philosophical names are given: Ashvaghosha, Nagasena, Nagarjuna and Vasumitra. - Only one of these names is correctly associated with Buddha Charita in standard exam syllabi. - We rely on traditional attributions used in general history and literature texts.

Concept / Approach:
Ashvaghosha was a renowned Buddhist monk, philosopher and poet, active roughly in the early centuries CE, and is widely credited with composing the Buddha Charita. He is known for his refined Sanskrit style and for popularising Buddhist themes in classical poetic form. Nagasena is associated with the Buddhist text “Milindapanha”, which records his dialogue with King Menander (Milinda). Nagarjuna is a major philosopher of the Madhyamaka school, known for works like “Mula Madhyamaka Karika”, not for Buddha Charita. Vasumitra is linked with Buddhist scholastic traditions but not with this epic poem. Hence the correct answer is Ashvaghosha.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify Buddha Charita as a Sanskrit epic describing the life and deeds of the Buddha. Step 2: Recall that Ashvaghosha is traditionally named as its author and is celebrated as an early Buddhist court poet. Step 3: Recognise that Nagasena is famous primarily for the question and answer text Milindapanha, not for composing Buddha Charita. Step 4: Note that Nagarjuna was a profound philosopher of emptiness (shunyata) and is not credited with composing Buddha Charita in poetic form. Step 5: Understand that Vasumitra is associated with Buddhist scholastic debates and councils but not with this specific literary work. Step 6: Therefore, the correct answer is Ashvaghosha.

Verification / Alternative check:
Most standard references, including introductions to Buddhist literature, list Ashvaghosha as the author of two major works: Buddha Charita and Saundarananda. This pairing is a useful memory aid. Exam guides on Indian literature and religion repeat this attribution consistently. When any of the other names—Nagasena, Nagarjuna or Vasumitra—are mentioned, they are linked to different genres and themes, which confirms that the safe and widely accepted answer is Ashvaghosha.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Nagasena is wrong because he is associated with the Milindapanha text recording dialogues with King Menander, not with Buddha Charita.

Nagarjuna is wrong because, although a towering Buddhist thinker, his fame rests on philosophical treatises on emptiness, not epic biographical poetry.

Vasumitra is wrong as he is connected with scholastic and doctrinal aspects of Buddhism and is not credited with this poetic biography.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to see any Buddhist sounding name and randomly choose it without remembering the specific literary associations. Another pitfall is mixing up Ashvaghosha and Nagarjuna because both are important Buddhist figures from roughly similar centuries. To avoid such confusion, remember the simple rule: Ashvaghosha – poet of Buddha Charita; Nagarjuna – philosopher of Madhyamaka. Fixing this distinction clearly in your mind will help you avoid errors in multiple questions related to Buddhist literature.

Final Answer:
The epic poem “Buddha Charita” is traditionally attributed to Ashvaghosha.