Radhasvamin (also known as Udbhatasiddhasvamin) was a Brahmin convert to Buddhism. His "Praise of Excellence" ( Visesastava ) is both a eulogy and a polemic: the glorification of the Buddha Sakyamuni is interwoven with sharp criticism of non-Buddhist gods, teachings and cults in India.
For a long time, the Visesastava was known only from its Tibetan version and an old commentary in the Tengyur (cf. Indica et Tibetica, vol. 23). To the present day, Tibetans study Indian myths and Brahmanical thought on this basis. Now for the first time the Sanskrit text has been critically edited according to the recently found manuscripts, together with a new edition of the Tibetan version and a German translation. The book also contains an introduction, a philological commentary as well as glossaries.
The Visesastava is an outstanding testimony to Buddhist hymnic poetry. It gives a valuable insight into the religious controversies between Buddhists, Brahmins and Jainas in ancient India.
