Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

[ xi ] According to Tibetan legend the Indian M ahayana Buddhist thinker Nagarjuna lived for 600 years and during that time performed many miracles as well as establishing the M adhyamaka school of philosophy. He is supposed to have discovered the P rajnaparamita scriptures among the nagas , underwater serpents, where they had been deposited by the B uddha until the time was ripe for their dissemination. Nagarjuna attained a high level of B odhisattva practice, and after death was reborn in Sukhavati (A mitabha ). Modern scholars speak of at least two Nagarjunas. The first was the Madhyamaka philosopher ( c. 2nd century ce ) who may have come from the south of India. Many works have been attributed to him, and his most famous authentic work is the Madhyamakakarika (Verses on Madhyamaka). The second Nagarjuna was a Tantric ( see T antra (2) ) alchemist and yogin who lived much later ( c. 7th or 8th century). The eventual figure of Nagarjuna is a composite of legend rather than history ... log in or subscribe to read full text