Kanishka

Kanishka : He was the third and greatest King of the Kushan dynasty. He was a great conqueror. He was a Buddhist, and his reign witnessed the division of Buddhism into two sects namely Hinayana and Mahayana. Kanishka was a follower of the Mahayana sect. Kanishka was a great patron of art and literature. The well known Ayurvedic physician Charaka was his court physician. He was the author of Charaka Shastra, Nagarjuna, Ashvagosha, and Vasumitra. Buddhist scholar flourished in his reign. Ashvagosha wrote “Buddha Charita”. The Gandhara school of architecture flourished during his reign. He founded a town Kanishkapura.