| dc.description.abstract | N¯ag¯arjuna (ca. 150-250 CE) was a Buddhist philosopher and the founder of the M¯adhyamaka
school of Mah¯ay¯ana Buddhism. His philosophy is based on the Buddhist theory of
‘dependent origination’ (pratitya-samutpada) and its stance is that whatever exists, exists
as being dependent on its causes and conditions. N¯ag¯arjuna in his doctrine, negates
all positive claims. The main research problem addressed in this study is whether
N¯ag¯arjunian negation establishes hyperousious. The research methodology employed
in this paper is Hermeneutics. Particularly, Gadarmerian Hermeneutics is used in this
study, and reading in an open and inclusive character is protected. The understanding is
taken as historical and a fusion of past and present horizons. When reading the ´S¯unyat¯a
philosophy of N¯ag¯arjuna, the notions of tradition and prejudice have also been considered
in a Gadarmerian sense. Negating propositional, linguistic or logical claims on the
ultimate reality, Nirv¯a¯na, the Absolute, Paramartha, the Supreme reality, N¯ag¯arjuna says
in the Mula-Madhyamika-karika in Atma Pariksha that independently realized peaceful,
un-obsessed Nirv¯a¯na is Aparapratyayam: the experience which cannot be imparted to
any one by another. It has to be realized by everyone for themselves. It is shantam;
it is an attitude unaffected by the empirical mind. N¯ag¯arjuna reaches this teleological
stance of Nirv¯a¯na through ultimate negation (sarva drishti prahanaya yah saddharmam
adeshayet). When analyzing claims in N¯ag¯arjuna’s Nirv¯a¯na, it is something ultimately
negated and cannot be hypostasized, but it is affirmed as hyperousious. The conclusion
is that N¯ag¯arjuna’s philosophy is an attempt at establishing a “superessentiality”. This
can also be identified as causa sui within the horizon of beings and remain as a ‘beyond’
being, a nonbeing (non-thing). | en_US |
