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Acharya Nagarjuna
A great scholar, teacher, an exponent, and organizer, Nagarjuna was above all a sage
who realized the illusion of mundane existence in his theory of Shunyavad. Several
myths and legends surround him. A second Nagarjuna, an alchemist and Tantrik saint,
was in later days identified with the great Madhyamika exponent. Works of this
alchemist as well as some books came to be attributed to Nagarjuna. Dr. B S Mehta
writes on the medical contributions of Nagarjuna who in later years made in home in
Andhra Pradesh, the land of two rivers, Krishna and Godavari.
Modern medicine recognizes Paul Ehrlich who received the Nobel Prize in 1908 for his
work on immunity as the father of modern chemotherapy. In 1910 he discovered
Salvarsan or 606, the magic bullet which contained compounds that would have specific
attraction to disease causing micro-organisms. He believed these would seek out micro-
organisms and destroy them, having no harmful effects on the bodies of patients.
There is also another famous name from the Renaissance period, Paracelsus, who was a
mystic who believed in the ancient theory of Macrocosm (Universe) and Microcosm. He
talked about the effect of planets and also about the relation between metals and
planets. In alchemy , he said each element (fire, earth, water, and air) is divisible into
three parts: Salts, sulphur and mercury. His greatest contribution was his emphasis on
the role of chemistry in medicine. Also known as the Luther of medicine, Paracelsus,
who lived in the early 16th century, believed that modern medicine firmly stood on the
strong pillars of philosophy, astrology, alchemy, and virtue. Alchemy was however his
forte.
But if we look deeper into ancient Indian texts, we find references to the brilliant scholar
of Indian medicine: Nagarjuna known as Bodhisattva Nagarjuna who could well hold the
honor of being called the ‘father of chemotherapy.’
The story of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna is worth recalling. From 150 BC to AD 200 the
political situation in north India was in turmoil. Time and again scythians and Huns
plundered the country. When the Kushan king Kanishka laid siege to the Magadh
capital, Patliputra, and then mounted a massive attack, the Magadha empire crumbled
whereupon Kanishka demanded a huge penalty, but the treasury was empty. In lieu of
his demands, Kanishka accepted the begging bowl of Lord Buddha (Kanishka by that
time had become a great devotee of the Buddha). He also took away the great scholar,
the aged Ashwaghosh, as a parting gift. Nagarjuna was a young man then and, like
Ashwaghosh, was a student of Nalanda University.
Ashwaghosh accepted the Buddhist religion, and became advisor to Kanishka in
Purushpur, yet he was in bondage. It was at this time that he wrote Buddha Charit and
Sunderanand. One day Kanishka asked him about Nagarjuna and wanted to know
whether it was possible to bring him to Purushpur. Ashwaghosh agreed, and Kanishka
reached Patliputra (Bihar). Here, on the banks of the Ganga was a small hut. Nagarjuna
was squatting on an old mat, busy writing Suhrilekha in the light from two clay lamps,
and in front of him was a begging bowl. He was dark and thin and wore only
a langot(loincloth). "This is the man whose fame rules the entire land and whose
knowledge knows no bounds, and this great man lives like this?" questioned Kanishka.
Nagarjuna was the guru of the Satavahana kings. However, here were two gurus – one
acaged lion and the other a king of the jungle. Nagarjuna touched Ashwaghosh’s feet.
Kanishka wanted him to accompany them to Purushpur, but Nagarjuna rejected the
offer because not only was he a Magadhi, but also fiercely independent. And to win the
entirety of the Indian landscape was beyond Kanishka’s powers.
Ashwaghosh quietly conveyed a message to him : "Son, it is your duty to bring back the
honor of the mother land." In AD 101, the Satavahana emperor attacked Purushpur
and, despite his powerful army, Kanishka lost the battle. The flag of Satavahana
Vikramaditya flew on the fort of Purushpur. Nagarjuna was then only 24 years old.
Ashwaghosh was freed and came to Magadha, and was accorded a grand welcome.
His origins were in Mahakosal and as a young boy Nagarjuna studied the Vedas
andVedangas. From there he traveled to Patliputra to worship Goddess Saraswati. At 18
he became a Buddhist and began an in-depth study of Ayurveda and Buddhist
Philosophy. Kumarajiva’s (AD 344) Life of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna says much about this
young scholar. Kumarajiva went to China and translated many Sanskrit works into
Chinese. These Chinese translations too relate to the lives of Ashwaghosh and
Nagarjuna. The original Sanskrit text has been lost and translations of the original
Chinese versions into Indian languages have yet to be effected.
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna was born in AD 78 during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. In
those days Patliputra has scholars like Kautilya, Bhartihari, Vasumitra, and Asang and
two brothers Aryadeva and Ding Nag. However, in AD 102, Nagarjuna reigned supreme.
We have references to the effect that the learned Vasumitra came to Patliputra, all the
way from Purushpur (Peshawar), to pay homage to that great philosopher.
During the time of Nagarjuna, Buddhism had seen many changes and Nagarjuna did not
entirely agree with the Buddhist philosophy. He founded ‘Shunyavad’, the cult of
nothingness. He had not entirely forsaken the Vedic teachings, and his ‘Shunyavad’
shares many similarities with Kashmir Shaivism. He is also the founder of the
Madhyamik School of Buddhism. Two of his works are well-known: Mul Madhyamika
Karika andVigraha Vyavar Vartika. His work, Suhrilekha (letters to the King), is
addressed to the Satavahana king, Yashshri (AD 173-230). He also studied the
Mahayana creed in great detail and later propagated it in north India. His views of Hindu
and Buddhist philosophy on existentialism have comparable perspectives to the modern
views of Heideggar and Sartre.
Tibetan sources too give indication of Nagarjuna’s medical works. He was a Siddha, a
Sorcerer, and a powerful alchemist. His close proximity to South India is worth noting.
His laboratory was on Shree Parvat, i.e., Srisailam (where the famous Shiva Temple
(Jyotirling) Mallikarjuna is located) in Andhra Pradesh.
At Srisailam, he experimented on metals, especially on mercury (parad). (The other
name for parad is darad and the place was called Dardistan.) Here the chemist
distinguished between metals and sub-metals, and also between solvents and solubles.
He found that mercury could dissolve all metals and Nagarjuna was given the
appellation Rasraj.
Ayurvedic medicine prior to Nagarjuna comprised preparations largely from vegetable
sources. Nagarjuna founded Ras Chikitsa or Rasayan which was vehemently opposed by
orthodox vaidyas. Rasvaidyas however argued that the advantage of rasa is the small
dose that is required, and the quick action, which protected the patient from imbibing
foul tasting decoctions. They also argued that vegetable-based medicine becomes stale
in the course of time while medicines comprising chemicals improve and become more
potent. Nagarjuna invented the processes of "distillation" and "calcinations". According
to Vrinda and Chakradutta he also discovered Kajjavali, the black sulphide of antimony.
They were able to convert most metals into ashes and use them as powerful
medicines.Makaradhwaj or Chandrodaya is a mercury compound that can work wonders
with patients close to death. Like modern chemotherapy, rasa medicine is excellent but
can sometimes be harmful. The preparation of ashes (bhasma) is a tedious chemical
process that entails a thousand calcinations (sahasraputi). We still do not know how
these processes impart special qualities to known chemical compounds.
Nagarjuna had a command over iron and mercury. The treatise on iron (Lauha Shastra)
existed in ancient times and Dhanvantari and Agnivesh refer to it. Kashyap and
Dhanvantari experimented on the transformation of iron into gold but were
unsuccessful. Patanjali also refers to a Lauha Shastra, yet it is undeniable that theLauha
Shastra of Nagarjuna is excellent.
Nagarjuna was the first to use mercury and Kharpar (antimony?) as medicine, making
them insoluble (agnisah). He found five types of mercury : The examples red and grey
(slake) were good; yellow, white or multi colored (peacock color) had bad qualities and
needed at least 18 treatments (sanskar) before they could be used. Regarding mercury,
quicksilver, a vast amount of literature (post-Nagarjuna) is available. The Siddha sect
(neither Buddhist nor Vedic) held that parad is Shiva, Mica is Parvati, gandhak is the
raja of Parvati, and many fanciful theories were formulated. Mercury becomes solid and
a Shiva linga can be made out of it. They worshipped a parad Shiva linga, called it
Raseshwar, and started Raseshwarvad.
Few Ayurvedic alchemists have made a mercury linga even in modern times. Other
sects like Pashupati, Shaiva, Pratbhingya, and Vedics were attracted to the science of
mercury. Buddhism had sects like Vajrayan (vajra is iron), Lingayan, or Sahajayan, and
Mantrayan. They believed that the knowledge of Mantra and Tantra must be kept a
secret, but Gorakhnath discussed them and his chief disciple believed this secrecy was
merely for show.
Vagbhatta lists the names of 27 Rasa Siddha Rasacharyas and Nagarjuna is one of
them. Bharvi, the great poet, includes him in the quartet of four great scholars, the
other three being Aryadeva, Ashwaghosh, and Kumar Labdh. He also forms part of the
list of 84 Siddhas of Vajrayan.
The Arabic word alchemist, the Latin word chemist, and modern chemistry are gifts of
Nagarjuna. All these alchemists were in search of the elixir of life (and still are), and of
a prescription capable of transforming iron or base metals into gold. Their quest is for a
drug that can serve as an antidote for all poisons (theric). Modern science can be said to
be indebted to many of these futile pursuits.
Although he was a Buddhist scholar of which Pali was the principal language, Nagarjuna
wrote in Sanskrit, a language which was being discarded at that time. Sanskrit scholars
too owe a debt of gratitude to Nagarjuna.
The Buddha in one of his discourses said one who serves a patient serves him.
Nagarjuna followed this tenet, inscribing his prescriptions on stone slabs in Patna so
that they were available to all. Nagarjuna’s preaching of religion was not orthodox, and
was acceptable to all in the perspective of the land, time, and people, and that is why
he has been called the "Bodhi tree".
© "Housecalls" (November-December 2002) published by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, 6-3-865,3rd Floor, My
Home Jupally Complex, Ameerpet, Hyderabad 500 016. (Website: www.housecallsindia.com). Reprinted with
permission.