Level 47
1 day < 1 min
LeaderboardGuest · Log in
Buddhist and East Asian Philosophy

Mahayana Buddhism and Madhyamaka Philosophy

The rise of the Mahayana movement and Nagarjuna's radical philosophy of emptiness, which reshaped Buddhist metaphysics and set the direction of later Buddhist thought across Asia.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. The Emergence of the Mahayana and the Bodhisattva Ideal. Mahayana arose gradually from the 1st century BCE, centering the bodhisattva's vow over solitary arhatship.
  2. The Prajnaparamita Literature and the Concept of Emptiness. The Prajnaparamita sutras, expanding for centuries, made emptiness the perfection of wisdom itself.
  3. Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika and the Middle Way. Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika (c. 150–250 CE) systematized emptiness as a rigorous "middle way".
  4. Sunyata and the Critique of Inherent Existence. Emptiness denies svabhava, inherent existence, without denying that things function conventionally.
  5. The Two Truths Doctrine: Conventional and Ultimate Reality. The two truths let conventional causal reality and ultimate emptiness hold together without contradiction.
  6. Nagarjuna's Dialectical Method and Tetralemma. The catuskoti tetralemma and reductio arguments let Nagarjuna refute positions without asserting his own.
  7. The Madhyamaka School's Later Development: Buddhapalita and Bhavaviveka. Buddhapalita and Bhavaviveka split Madhyamaka into Prasangika and Svatantrika over proper argument.
  8. Madhyamaka's Influence on Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism. Madhyamaka shaped Tibetan Gelug doxography and East Asian schools such as Sanlun and Tiantai.

This module continues after "Early Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1The Emergence of the Mahayana and the Bodhisattva Ideal
2Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika and the Middle Way
3The Two Truths Doctrine: Conventional and Ultimate Reality
4Nagarjuna's Dialectical Method and Tetralemma
5Madhyamaka's Influence on Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

0% (overall measurement)
Approximate breakdown by skill
Understanding of historiographical debate0%

A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Garfield, J.L. (1995). The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Siderits, M. and Katsura, S. (2013). Nagarjuna's Middle Way: Mulamadhyamakakarika. Boston: Wisdom Publications.
  • Schopen, G. (1997). Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks: Collected Papers on the Archaeology, Epigraphy, and Texts of Monastic Buddhism in India. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.
  • Williams, P. (2009). Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
  • Ruegg, D.S. (1981). The Literature of the Madhyamaka School of Philosophy in India. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.
  • Conze, E. (1978). The Prajnaparamita Literature (2nd ed.). Tokyo: Reiyukai.