Arya Nagarjuna

Arya Nagarjuna is one of the tallest world philosophers. He lived during the
first century B.C. and is credited with establishing the Madhyamaka(Middle
Path) tradition of Buddhism.
Nagarjuna is believed to have been born in South-Central India (Vidarbha) in
present-day Maharashtra and Telangana. His appearance was predicted in many
sutras, such as the Lankavtara Sutra, Manjusrimulakalpa, Mahamegha and
Mahabheri. Four hundred years after the mahaparinirvana of the Buddha, a
sign appeared in the dream of a Brahmin in Vidarbha who had no son,
indicating that he would receive a son if he paid homage to hundred Brahmins.
He did so and later a son was born. At birth, a soothsayer predicted that
although the boy had the signs of an extraordinary personality, he would live
for only seven days. But, if parents gave food to hundred monks, the boy would
live for seven years. As the end of seven year approached, his father sent

Nagarjuna to Nalanda, in modern-day Bihar. While travelling, the boy

experienced the vision of the god Khasarpana(Arya Lokesvara). He met the
Buddhist master Saraha and joined the monastic university. After being initiated
with the Amitabha mantra. The teacher conferred the name Shrimanta unto
him. With the enchanting of the Amitabha mantra, he could overcome the dread
of his death at the end of the seven years. He began studies of scriptures of
major school of Buddhist thoughts. His master Saraha also instructed him in the
secret teachings of Sri Guhya Samaja.
Shrimanta could rise to the seat of the abbot of Nalanda. He streamlined the
sangha and said to have expelled 8000 monks who were morally corrupt. He
became famous as a great teacher of Mahayana. Non-Buddhist scholars were
losing debates and getting converted into Buddhism. During this time, two
youth came to him seeking to learn the Dharma from him. Their presence would
fill the entire area with the fragrance of sandalwood. Shrimanta inquired about
the phenomena and the youths replied that they were the sons of the Naga king,
Taksaka. Shrimanta asked them to give some sandalwood for an image of Tara.
Two youth asked leave to seek permission from the serpent king. The Naga
King sent the message that Shrimanta would have to visit the kingdom of the
Nagas to preach the Dharma and all his requirements for building the temple of
Tara would be met. Shrimanta went to the Nagaloka and also secured the sutra
of Prajna-Parimita in 1,00,000 verses, He received the sandalwood and the naga
clays for construction of the temples.
Shrimanta returned to Nalanda. Now onwards his influence spread fast and
wider. Doxographers mention how six of his disciple nagas would form a
parasol to shade him from the sun.(This is the specific iconographic feature of
Nagarjunas images). Since, he became the Lord of the nagas, shrimanta was
named The Naga. He spread the Mahayana teachings with the speed and skill
resembling the mastery of archery of Arjuna in the Mahabharat. Therefore, he
was given another name of The Arjuna. Shrimanta became Nagarjuna by
practising the sadhna of the goddess Tara and her fierce form Kurukulla, that
resembles the Lalita Tripura Sundari, the goddess of SriVidya sadhna.
Nagarjuna constructed many temples and stupas in Magadha. He travelled
south upon advice of Goddess Tara, to practise meditation at Shri Parvata,
overlooking present-day Nagarjunkonda. Here, Nagarjuna also turned the wheel
of Dharma (Dharma Chakra) and at this time, composed the Dharamdhatu
Stava. According to Hsuan-tsang , Nagarjuna was one of the four suns which

illuminated the world, the other three being Ashvaghosha, Kumarlabdha and
Aryadeva. Tibetans regard him as an incarnation of Manjushri, the embodiment
of praj (transcendent wisdom). He built on the doctrines enunciated by his
predecessor, ashvaghosha. Candrakirti, the Nalandas profound logician refers
to eight works by Nagarjuna in the Madhyamaka-shastra-stuti.These are : the
Madhyamaka-karika,
the
Yukti-sastika,
the
Sunyata-saptati,
the
Vigrahavyavartani, the Vidala, the Ratnavali, the Sutra-samuccaya and
Samstutis. Tibetan tradition also lists apart from these Yukti-corpus (theoretical
treatises) , a list of the hymns(Stava) like Dharmadhatu Stava, Lokatita Stava,
Acintya Stava and Paramartha Stava; and a list of the epistles( Parikatha) which
includes the Suhrllekha,Ratnavali, Prajna Sataka, Janaposana Bindu.
The most important philosophical text of Nagarjuna is the
Mlamadhyamakakrik(MMK). It contains the fundamental of the
Shunyavada of Nagarjuna. He examines
prattyasamutpda (dependent
origination) of every category. It is the extreme deconstruction of concepts and
categories. He logically postulates that nothing can have an independent reality
or self-nature( svabhava). Nothing can in itself aid a seeker to know the Reality
since they are empty (Shunyata). In fact, he elaborates in Chapter XXV of the
MMK that even nirvana is emty of any categorical description. He tested the
different categories through his innovative logical device of
catushakoti(tetralemma) viz. Bhava, abhava, both bhava and abhava; and
neither bhava nor abhava. He declared that there is no differentiating
property(visesana) between samsara and nirvana. In final analysis of MMK,
Nagarjuna postulates that n dharma has ever been communicated anywhere to
anybody
by
a
Buddha.
This
is
the
stilling
of
all
objectification(saropalambhopasama) and the peaceful stilling of all
discourse(prapacopaama). The domain of thinking(cittagocara) itself has to
be brought to stop. The MMK explored the ideas and term mentioned in the two
introductory verse of the MMK:

anirodham anutpdam anucchedam avatam |

anekrtham annrtham angamam anirgamam ||
ya prattyasamutpda prapacopaama ivam |
deaymsa sabuddhas ta vande vadat varam ||
[I pay homage to the best of teachers, the perfectly awakened one
(Sambuddha) who has taught dependent origination(prattyasamutpda), the
stilling of discursive development(prapacopaama) and peaceful(ivam),
which is without destruction and production, not annihilated and not eternal ,
neither undifferentiated nor differentiated , and without both coming and
going.]
Thus, Nagarjuna explored the path to Shiva(ultimate peace and quietude)
through the devotion and grace of the Shakti(Goddess Tara/ Kurukulla). His life
and teachings are condensed in memorial of civilization permanently in the
form of Hridayamantra from the Prajna Paramita Sutra:
I

Gate gate paragate Parasamgate , Bodhi svaha!

( Gone, gone totally gone, enlightened so be it).
When mind is emptied of dogmas and prejudices, the direct experience dawns
through devotion only!

(Niraj Kumar)
28.9.2014.