Eastern Spiritual Figures
Key individuals (leaders, teachers, philosophers, and saints—both historical and contemporary) who have significantly influenced the dissemination of Eastern Wisdom
Showing 24 of 100 entries
Gautama Buddha
Founder of Buddhism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Mahavira
24th Tirthankara of Jainism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Laozi (Lao Tzu)
Founder of Taoism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Confucius
Philosopher, Confucianism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Bodhidharma
Founder of Zen Buddhism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Adi Shankaracharya
Proponent of Advaita Vedanta
Ancient & Classical Figures
Patanjali
Compiler of Yoga Sutras
Ancient & Classical Figures
Krishna
Central figure in Hinduism (Bhagavad Gita)
Ancient & Classical Figures
Rama
Incarnation of Vishnu in the Ramayana
Ancient & Classical Figures
Zhuangzi
Taoist philosopher
Ancient & Classical Figures
Mencius
Confucian philosopher
Ancient & Classical Figures
Nagarjuna
Buddhist philosopher, Madhyamaka school
Ancient & Classical Figures
Asanga
Founder of Yogachara Buddhism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Vasubandhu
Co-founder of Yogachara Buddhism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Dogen
Founder of Soto Zen Buddhism in Japan
Ancient & Classical Figures
Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)
Founder of Tibetan Buddhism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Shantideva
Buddhist philosopher, author of Bodhisattvacharyavatara
Ancient & Classical Figures
Huineng
Sixth Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Ancient & Classical Figures
Tulsidas
Hindu poet-saint, author of Ramcharitmanas
Ancient & Classical Figures
Guru Nanak
Founder of Sikhism
Medieval & Early Modern Figures
Kabir
Mystic poet and saint
Medieval & Early Modern Figures
Rumi
Sufi mystic and poet
Medieval & Early Modern Figures
Mirabai
Devotional Bhakti saint
Medieval & Early Modern Figures