Nagarjuna
Nāgārjuna was a pivotal Indian Buddhist philosopher who played a crucial role in the development of the Mādhyamaka school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, living approximately from 150 to 250 CE. He is best known for his innovative idea of "emptiness" (śūnyatā), which posits that things do not possess inherent meaning but derive their significance through their relationships with one another. This concept aligns with pratītya-samutpāda, or "dependent co-arising," highlighting how understanding is shaped by context. Nāgārjuna's work distinguishes between ultimate truths and conventional truths, advocating for an ethical framework where individuals recognize the illusory nature of reality while still engaging in morally constructive actions. Rather than seeking to escape the world through nirvāṇa, he promoted the ideal of the bodhisattva—an enlightened being dedicated to helping others while remaining aware of the world’s insubstantiality. His philosophical contributions have significantly influenced various Buddhist traditions across Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan, particularly within Zen Buddhism, for nearly two millennia. Overall, Nāgārjuna remains a foundational figure in Buddhist thought, shaping how practitioners approach the nature of reality and ethical living.
Nagarjuna
Philosopher
- Born: c. 150
- Birthplace: Andhra Pradesh, India
- Died: c. 250 CE
- Place of death: India
Author Profile
Nāgārjuna was an Indian Buddhist thinker central to the Mādhyamaka school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. He lived from approximately 150 to 250 and continued the classic Buddhist approach to liberation from suffering through mental discipline.
Nāgārjuna’s innovation was the concept of “emptiness,” or śūnyatā. This is a recognition that things have no meaning in themselves; instead, they derive significance from their relationship to other things. (For example, “day” has no meaning apart from “night.”) This contextual understanding of meaning is called pratītya-samutpāda, or “dependent co-arising.”
Despite the essential emptiness of the categories that people employ to understand the world, on a pragmatic level people have to use those categories in order to live. In terms of ethics, Nāgārjuna’s contribution was to separate ultimate from conventional truths, so that although people should live fully aware of the basic illusoriness of reality, they should also uphold a moral path in their daily lives. Rather than release from this world (nirvāṇa), Nāgārjuna believed the ideal to be that of the bodhisattva, or “enlightened being”: living in the world but being aware of its insubstantiality, and working for the benefit of all beings.
Nāgārjuna’s thought has influenced Buddhism in Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan for the nearly two millennia since his death, particularly in the Zen tradition.