RG ST 21 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Madhyamaka, Abhidharma, Middle Way
Document Summary
Nagarjuna (c. 150- 250 ce) founds madhyamaka school based on emptiness doctrine in perfection of wisdom scriptures. Critique of realist philosophy of hindu and abhidharma schools - form of radical skepticism. Emptiness (sunyata) does not mean nothing exists. Internal and external phenomena are empty of own-being (svabhava) - ie independent, eternal essence. Like images in a dream, things are neither substantially existent nor absolutely non existent. For nagarjuna, self-dependent substances are merely hypostatized concepts or words. The negation of such reified concepts is derived from theory of conditioned arising - whatever exists arises and exists dependent on other things. Things (ideas) exist relative to other things. Samsara and nirvana exist only in dependence on each other - both are empty of own being (svabhava) Perceiving everything as interdependent or empty requires shift from conventional perception. Conventional experience divides world into likes, dislikes, desires, fears, self, other, as separate entities.
