Nagarjuna

Nagarjuna was an Indian philosopher of the 2nd century CE, the founder of the Madhyamika school of Mahayana Buddhism. He is credited with developing the philosophy of the prajnaparamita collection of sutras. He was born in South India, probably near the town of Nagarjunikonda[?]. He is strongly associated with the Buddhist university of Nalanda.

Writings

Nagarjuna's greatest work is the Mulamadhyamakakarika, the Fundamental Verses of the Middle Way. This is an extended systematisation of the philosophy behind the prajnaparamita sutras.

Many other works are attributed to Nagarjuna. According to Lindtner the works by definitely Nagarjuna are:

• Mulamadhyamakakarika
• Shunyatasaptati
• Vigrahavyavartani
• Vaidalyaprakarana
• Vyavaharasiddhi
• Yuktisastika
• Catuhstava
• Ratnavali
• Pratityasamutpadahrdayakarika
• Sutrasamuccaya
• Bodhicittavivarana
• Suhrllekha
• Bodhisambhara[ka]

There are other works attributed to Nagarjuna, some of which may be genuine and some not. There is evidence for a second, later, Nagarjuna who was the author of a number of tantric works which have subsequently been incorrectly attributed to the original Nargajuna.

It is worth noting that Lindtner considers that the Mahaprajnaparamitopadesha, a huge commentary on the Large Prajnaparamita[?] not to be a genuine work of Nagarjuna. This is only extant in a Chinese translation by Kumarajiva. There is much discussion as to whether this is a work of Nargarjuna, with a some orignal comments by Kumarajiva, or an original work by Kumarajiva based on the philosophy of Nagarjuna.

• Examples of his words (http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/xha71/nagsample/index)

English Translations

Mulamadhyakakarika

Other Works