Guru Nagarjuna lived in India 2000 years ago. Guru Nagarjuna flourished in the second half of the second century of the Christian era. Guru Nagarjuna was a contemporary friend of the Satavahana king Gautamiputra Yajnasri (166-196 A.D). Guru Nagarjuna came of a wealthy brahmin family of Vidarbha. Guru Nagarjuna wen to Nalanda where he became a disciple of great sage Rahula Bhadra and underwent a thorough training in all five branches of learning. After his ordination Guru Nagarjuna remained for sometime a monk of Sarvastivada and later changed into Mahayana. Guru Nagarjuna, in course of his career as a wandering monk came across a treatise of Prajnaparmita Sutras. Guru Nagarjuna composed a series of treatise of Madhyamika philosophy based on on Prajnaparamita Sutras. His six works on Madhyamika philosophy is well known to the Bdudhist world. They are as follows: 1. Mula Madhyamika Sutra 2. Sunyata Saptati 3. Yukti Sastika 4. Vagrahavyavartani 5. Ratnavali 6. Vaidalyaprakaran. Guru Nagarjuna Believed developed a system of philosophy called Madhyamika based on Buddha's original sutras. Guru Nagarjuna expounded the true meaning of sunyata based on four point analysis (in Sanskrit Catuskoti). According to him all the phenomena and the person have no true existence of their own. They are all dependently originated and can not have their independent existence. To realize Nirvana, according to him is to realize Emptiness in all its depth. Later on his philosophy was nortured and enhanced by Arya Deva. Chandrakirti, Buddhapalita and Acharya Santi Deva. Vajrayana doctrine of Nepal is usually based on Madhyamika as well as Yogacharya doctrines. Guru Nagarjuna in its sculpture and paintings is seen as a Bodhisattva with nine serpents around his head. Guru Nagarjuna is generally seen in Dharmachakra Mudra i.e. teaching mudra of the doctrine of emptiness to all sentient beings in order to eliminate ego-grasping. Guru Nagarjuna wears saffron colored robe and sits on a cushion proper for a dharma master.

Nagarjuna Statues