Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 98

Nāgārjuna is Mabāyāpist
Again, Dr. Warder tried to prove Nagarjuna's non-affiliation to Mahayana on the basis of only one work viz., Mulamadhyamakakarika. It is certainly not proper to draw a conclusion only on the basis of one work. At present substantial volume of Nāgārjuna's authentic writing is available and we can know something of his thought by making a careful study of it. Before we come to the conclusion, whether Nagarjuna is Mahāyānist or not, it is in fitness of things to consider some of those authentic works of Nagarjuna, Many works have been attributed to Nāgācjuna. All of them may not be his, but on the basis of style, language, subject matter, systematic presentation of the doctrines, we can definitely say that, Mūlamadhyamakakarika, Vigrahavyāvar tani, Sunyatasaptati, Yuktişaştika, va dalya siira, and Prakarana, Ratnāvali and Suhrllekha24 are the works of Philosopher Nāgārjuna. If we accept Nagarjuna as the author of M. K. then there is no reason to doubt about authorship of Nagarjuna's other works mentioned above, because their content, style and language agree with that of the M. K. In addition to these, Catustava, Pratityasamutpadahțdaya and Bhavanasankranti are attested by quotations in Candrakirti's Prasannapada. 2 5 The Suhộllekhã was translated into Chinese twice shortly after 430 A, D Once by Guņavarma and once by Sanghavarma. 26 Both these treat this work as work of great Nāgarjuna. If we accept Rathavali and Suhrllekhū as the works of Nāgārjuna then there is 10 question about Nägārjuni's Mahāyäoisthood because these two works are written to propagate Mahāyāna in clear terms.
The Chinese and Tibetan sources clearly mention tbat Nāgār juna was a great Master of Tripitakas and Mahāyānasūtras, 27 These sources are not historically very very authentic on account of their legendary form, but they cannot be completely turned as mere fabrication of Chinese and Tibetan winds. They show some positive truth and indicate thit Nāgārjuna was a historical person and the great Mahāyānist. The Lankāvatārasūtra, one of the profound Mahayanasūtras predicts that after preaching Mahayana Nagarjuna would go to the Sukhāvatsloka.98 This protion of Lankavatāra seems to be a later addition but it tells us that he was Mahāyānist. 24. Early Madhyamika in India and China--Robinson, pp. 25 8. 25 Central Philosophy of Buddhism--T. R. V. Murti, George Allen and Unwin Ltd.,
London, 1960. pp. 90-91, 26. Ibid-90-91. 27. Life of Nägārjuna from Tibetan and Chinese Sources. M, Walleser pp. 1-23 and
23-37, respectively. 23. Daksinäpathavedalyam bhikṣuḥ śriman Mahāyāśaḥ, nägähvayah namnātu sadasat
pakşadhārakal. Prakas ya loke madyānam mahāvānamanutlaram, asadya bhamim muditam yasyate' sau Sukhāvatīm-Lankavatārasútra-X.165 p. 118.
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