Philosopher

Nagarjuna

fl. 150–250 CE

Also known as Nāgārjuna

Buddhist philosopher who founded the Madhyamaka ('middle way') school, arguing that all things are empty of intrinsic nature.

Faded painting of a seated monk in orange robes holding a ritual implement, beside calligraphy — From the Seven Shingon Patriarchs, Tō-ji temple, Kyoto, 821 CE, painted some six centuries after his lifetime.Tō-ji, Kyoto · Public domain · See the original

Nāgārjuna is widely regarded as the most important Buddhist philosopher after the Buddha. His central idea is emptiness (śūnyatā): nothing exists independently or has a fixed essence of its own, because everything arises in dependence on other things. He used rigorous arguments to show that views assuming such essences lead to contradictions.

Almost nothing certain is known about his life, and his dates are approximate.

Tradition: Indian
Region: India

Key works

Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā)

Sources

Jan Westerhoff, Nāgārjuna, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy