In the vibrant intellectual landscape of second-century India, amidst the clashing swords of Brahmanical orthodoxy and early Buddhist sectarianism, a singular figure emerged to shatter the foundations of metaphysical thought. Nagarjuna, often revered as the "Second Buddha" within the Mahayana tradition, was not merely a philosopher but a spiritual revolutionary who sought to liberate the mind from the shackles of rigid conceptualization. Born into a Brahmin family in the southern region of India, likely in the Andhra region, his early life was steeped in the Vedic traditions before his profound conversion to Buddhism. Legend obscures the precise details of his biography with tales of him retrieving the Prajnaparamita sutras from the Nagas (serpent spirits) beneath the ocean, a metaphor suggesting his recovery of the profound, hidden depths of the Buddha's original teachings on wisdom. His intellectual journey was driven by a relentless compassion to cure the suffering caused by clinging to views, specifically the belief in *svabhava*—intrinsic nature or inherent existence.
Nagarjuna’s era was one of intense philosophical ferment, where various schools debated the nature of reality, time, and the self. Against this backdrop, he established the Madhyamaka, or "Middle Way" school, which navigated the treacherous path between the extremes of eternalism (the belief that things exist permanently) and annihilationism (the belief that nothing exists at all). His magnum opus, the *Mulamadhyamakakarika* (Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way), serves as a diamond cutter of logic, systematically deconstructing every conceivable category of existence—motion, causality, time, and the self—to reveal their ultimate emptiness (*Sunyata*). This was not a descent into nihilism, as his critics often claimed, but a radical affirmation of dependent origination; because things depend on causes and conditions, they are empty of a fixed, independent self. This realization, for Nagarjuna, was the key to Nirvana, the cessation of the mental reification that fuels the cycle of suffering.
The genesis of his philosophy lay in the urgent need to reconcile the conventional world of ethics and daily life with the ultimate truth of liberation. Nagarjuna introduced the doctrine of the "Two Truths," distinguishing between *samvrti-satya* (conventional truth) and *paramartha-satya* (ultimate truth). By doing so, he validated the necessity of language, ethics, and religious practice as the means to realize a truth that ultimately transcends them all. His life was a testament to the power of dialectic not as an academic sport, but as a soteriological tool—a medicine to purge the mind of its cognitive graspings. Today, his rigorous logic continues to challenge thinkers, resonating with modern deconstructionism and quantum physics, proving that his insight into the interdependent nature of reality remains as piercing and relevant as it was two millennia ago.
50 Popular Quotes from Nagarjuna
The Nature of Emptiness (Sunyata)
"Whatever is dependently co-arisen, that is explained to be emptiness."
This is perhaps the most famous and pivotal assertion in Nagarjuna's philosophy, serving as the cornerstone of the Madhyamaka school. He equates dependent origination directly with emptiness, arguing that the two are not separate phenomena but synonymous descriptions of reality. If an entity depends on causes and conditions for its existence, it cannot possess an independent, intrinsic nature (*svabhava*). Therefore, emptiness is not a void of non-existence, but the very characteristic of how things exist in a web of interdependence.
"That which has been born is not born; that which is unborn is not born."
Nagarjuna utilizes this paradox to challenge our conventional understanding of origination and production. He argues that if something already exists, it has no need to be born, and if it does not exist, it has no capacity to be born. This deconstruction aims to show that the concept of "birth" or "arising" is a conventional designation, not an ultimate reality. It forces the mind to let go of the rigid timeline of cause and effect that we impose on the fluid nature of existence.
"Emptiness is the relinquishing of all views. For whomever emptiness is a view, that one has accomplished nothing."
Here, the philosopher warns against turning the concept of emptiness into yet another metaphysical belief or dogma to cling to. Emptiness is intended to be a medicine that purges the illness of holding onto concepts, not a new illness itself. If one becomes attached to emptiness as a "thing" or a "theory," they have missed the point of liberation entirely. It is the tool for deconstruction, which must itself be discarded once the ultimate truth is realized.
"If there were to be something non-empty, there would then be something called empty."
This quote illustrates the dialectical nature of Nagarjuna's thought, showing that concepts only exist in relation to their opposites. The idea of "emptiness" is only necessary because we labor under the delusion of "inherent existence" or "non-emptiness." In a state of ultimate realization, where the delusion of inherent existence is removed, the label of emptiness also becomes redundant. Thus, even the ultimate truth is free from the dualistic trap of language.
"Without a foundation in the conventional truth, the significance of the ultimate cannot be taught."
Nagarjuna emphasizes the vital importance of the Two Truths doctrine, validating the use of language and concepts. One cannot simply jump to the ultimate realization of emptiness without utilizing the ladder of conventional language, logic, and ethics. The conventional world is the vehicle through which the ultimate is pointed out; without it, the ultimate remains inaccessible. This bridges the gap between daily practice and profound philosophical insight.
"If things existed by their own nature, they would be like the unconditioned."
If objects or beings possessed a fixed, intrinsic nature, they would be immutable, permanent, and unaffected by causes and conditions. Such entities would be frozen in eternity, unable to change, grow, or interact with anything else. By proving that things do change and interact, Nagarjuna logically proves they cannot exist by their own nature. This validates the impermanence that characterizes all phenomenal existence.
"Form is emptiness; emptiness is form."
While this phrasing is most famous from the Heart Sutra, it encapsulates the core of Nagarjuna's analysis of the aggregates. Physical matter (form) does not contain a hidden essence, nor is emptiness a separate realm behind matter. The very nature of matter is that it is empty of intrinsic existence, and this emptiness appears as matter through dependent origination. There is no duality between the world of phenomena and the absolute reality.
"Those who see essence in the essence-less, and see no essence in the essential, they move in a wrong path of thought."
This quote critiques the cognitive distortion that plagues sentient beings—the tendency to reify what is transient and negate what is true. By projecting permanence onto impermanent things, humans create suffering for themselves. Nagarjuna calls for a realignment of perception where one sees the lack of inherent essence as the true nature of things. Correct vision is the prerequisite for walking the path of liberation.
"We state that emptiness is the dependent arising; it is a provisional name; it is the middle path."
Here, Nagarjuna explicitly links three key concepts: emptiness, dependent arising, and the Middle Way. He clarifies that "emptiness" is just a label we use to describe the functional interdependence of things. It is the "middle path" because it avoids the extreme of saying things exist absolutely and the extreme of saying nothing exists at all. It is a dynamic balance of understanding reality as functional but not fundamental.
"Great sages have said that emptiness is the getting rid of all views. For whomever emptiness is a view, that one is incurable."
Reiterating the danger of reifying emptiness, Nagarjuna compares such a person to a patient who believes the medicine is the cure but refuses to stop taking it when healed, or worse, treats the medicine as food. If the antidote to dogmatism becomes a dogma, there is no further logical recourse to save the thinker. The mind must remain fluid and unattached, even to the highest truths.
Critique of Causality and Motion
"Neither from itself, nor from another, nor from both, nor without a cause, does anything whatever, anywhere arise."
This is the famous "tetralemma" (catuskoti) argument regarding causality, which systematically dismantles all logical possibilities of origination. Nagarjuna argues that a thing cannot create itself (because it would already have to exist), nor be created by another (because there is no link between distinct essences), nor both, nor randomly. This proves that "arising" is a conventional experience, not an ultimate metaphysical event. It shatters the foundation of cause-and-effect as rigid mechanisms.
"A goer does not go; a non-goer does not go. Apart from the goer and the non-goer, what third party goes?"
In his analysis of motion, Nagarjuna breaks down the concept of movement to show its logical incoherence when analyzed ultimately. If the "goer" is defined by the act of going, the agent and the action are identical, which is a fallacy; if they are separate, there is a goer who isn't going. This deconstruction reveals that motion is a relative concept, not an intrinsic property of an object.
"If the cause is empty of the effect, how will it give rise to the effect?"
Nagarjuna questions the link between cause and effect, challenging the idea that a cause contains the "seed" of the effect. If the cause is totally distinct from the effect, they are unrelated universes; if they are connected, they share an essence, which implies they aren't truly changing. This highlights the mystery of dependent origination—things influence each other without a transfer of substance.
"Motion is not in the path already traversed, nor is it in the path not yet traversed."
By analyzing the trajectory of movement, Nagarjuna points out that motion cannot exist in the past (it's over) or the future (it hasn't happened). Furthermore, the present moment is a dimensionless point, offering no space for motion to occur. This paradox forces the realization that time and motion are mental constructs superimposed on reality.
"If there is no commencement of motion, there is no traversed path, nor a path being traversed."
Expanding on the critique of motion, this quote attacks the very beginning of an action. If we cannot pinpoint the precise micro-moment when rest turns into motion, the entire concept of a "journey" collapses. This serves to dismantle the narrative continuity we create for our lives and the external world.
"The effect does not exist in the cause, nor does it not exist."
This statement attacks the two primary theories of causality in ancient India: Satkaryavada (effect pre-exists in cause) and Asatkaryavada (effect is new). Nagarjuna rejects both; if the effect exists, it doesn't need to be produced, and if it doesn't exist, it can never be produced from nothing. The relationship is one of mutual dependence, not mechanical production.
"Time is not a thing that exists; how could it be measured?"
Nagarjuna treats time not as a container for events but as a concept derived from events. Without events (change), there is no time; therefore, time has no independent nature. We cannot measure something that lacks substantial existence, rendering the "past, present, and future" as mere linguistic conventions.
"If the present and future depend on the past, then the present and future should exist in the past."
This critique of time highlights the absurdity of linear dependency if time segments are viewed as distinct entities. If the future is "contained" in the past, it is already past; if it is totally separate, the past cannot lead to it. This collapses the rigid timeline into a state of timeless interdependence.
"Cause and effect are neither identical nor different."
This sums up the Madhyamaka view on relationships. If cause and effect were identical, the creator and the created would be the same (a logical error). If they were totally different, anything could cause anything. The truth lies in the middle: they are continuous yet distinct, like a flame passed from one candle to another.
"Without a cause, the effect is not possible; without an effect, the cause is not possible."
This quote flips the traditional view of causality on its head by asserting that a "cause" is only a "cause" because it has an "effect." Therefore, the cause is just as dependent on the effect as the effect is on the cause. This mutual dependency strips the "cause" of its primary, superior status.
The Self and Identity
"The self is not different from the aggregates, nor is it identical to them."
Nagarjuna analyzes the self (Atman) in relation to the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, volition, consciousness). If the self were identical to them, it would be transient and multiple; if different, it would be unrelated to our experience. This analysis leads to the conclusion of "no-self" (anatta), where the self is seen as a mere label for the collection of aggregates.
"If the self were the aggregates, it would have arising and ceasing."
Here, the philosopher points out the consequence of equating the self with the body or mind. Since the body and thoughts are constantly dying and being reborn, the self would also be constantly dying. This contradicts the innate sense of continuity and the theological concept of an eternal soul.
"If the self were other than the aggregates, it would not have the characteristics of the aggregates."
If there were a soul separate from our body and mind, it would not feel, think, or perceive, as these are functions of the aggregates. Such a self would be an inert, useless abstraction, completely disconnected from the life we actually live. This refutes the dualistic separation of spirit and matter.
"When the thinking process ceases, the self is not found."
This quote links the existence of the "I" directly to the activity of conceptualization. The self is a narrative constructed by thoughts; when the mind enters deep silence or cessation, the construct of the "self" vanishes. This points to the self being a process, not a static entity.
"Just as a chariot is spoken of in dependence on its parts, so is the self spoken of in dependence on the aggregates."
Using the classic Buddhist metaphor of the chariot, Nagarjuna illustrates that "chariot" is just a label for wheels, axle, and frame arranged together. Similarly, "I" is a convenient designation for a complex interplay of physical and mental processes. There is no "ghost in the machine" driving the chariot.
"He who posits a self, posits an other. From the pair of self and other, attachment and aversion arise."
This analysis moves from ontology to psychology. The creation of the "self" automatically creates the boundary of the "other." This duality is the root of all emotional conflict: we cling to what supports the self (attachment) and hate what threatens it (aversion). Deconstructing the self is therefore the path to emotional peace.
"The self is not the past, not the future, and not the present."
By searching for the self in time, Nagarjuna shows it cannot be pinned down. The past self is gone, the future self hasn't arrived, and the present self is instantly vanishing. If the self cannot be located in time, it possesses no enduring reality.
"Action and the agent are mutually dependent."
Just as there is no "goer" without "going," there is no "doer" without "doing." The agent does not exist prior to the act. This dissolves the idea of a sovereign subject who decides to act; instead, there is just the flow of action occurring through conditions.
"If there is no self, there is nothing that belongs to the self."
This quote dismantles the concept of possession ("mine"). If the owner (the self) is an illusion, then the ownership of objects, thoughts, or status is also an illusion. Realizing this cuts the root of greed and possessiveness.
"Liberation is the cessation of the knot of the self."
Nagarjuna defines spiritual freedom not as entering a heaven, but as the untying of the psychological knot of ego. When the mind stops constructing a center of gravity called "me," the suffering associated with protecting that center evaporates.
The Two Truths and Logic
"The teaching of the Dharma by the Buddhas is based on two truths: the worldly conventional truth and the ultimate truth."
This is the formal declaration of the epistemological framework of Madhyamaka. It validates the relative world of science, language, and distinctions as "conventional truth"—valid within its own context—while maintaining that "ultimate truth" transcends these distinctions. It allows a practitioner to function in the world without being of the world.
"We do not speak without accepting the conventional truth."
Nagarjuna defends himself against claims of incoherence. He acknowledges that to debate, teach, or even speak, one must accept the rules of language and logic (conventional truth). One cannot speak from the standpoint of absolute silence; one must use dualistic language to guide others to non-duality.
"If I had a thesis, I would be at fault. But I have no thesis."
This famous disclaimer highlights Nagarjuna's method of *prasanga* (reductio ad absurdum). He does not posit a positive counter-theory to his opponents; instead, he simply reveals the internal contradictions in their own theories. By holding no rigid position, he cannot be attacked, reflecting the fluidity of emptiness.
"To say 'it is' is a grasping for permanence. To say 'it is not' is a view of nihilism."
The Middle Way is the navigation between existence and non-existence. Nagarjuna warns that affirmation leads to eternalism, while negation leads to nihilism. The wise perceive reality as a flow of conditions, avoiding the trap of static categories.
"Therefore, the wise should not abide in duality."
Duality is the splitting of experience into subject/object, good/bad, existence/non-existence. This quote is a directive for the practitioner to cultivate a non-dual awareness that embraces the totality of experience without fragmentation.
"The limit of Nirvana is the limit of Samsara."
This radical statement collapses the distinction between the world of suffering (Samsara) and the world of liberation (Nirvana). They are not two different places; they are the same reality viewed with different eyes. Samsara is reality seen through ignorance; Nirvana is reality seen through wisdom.
"There is not the slightest difference between Samsara and Nirvana."
Reinforcing the previous point, this eliminates the escapist tendency in spirituality. One does not need to "leave" the world to find peace. Peace is found by understanding the true nature of the world right here and now.
"Nirvana is not an entity, nor is it non-existence."
If Nirvana were an existing thing, it would be subject to decay and death. If it were non-existence, it would just be annihilation. Nagarjuna posits Nirvana as the "blowing out" of the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion, a state beyond the categories of being and non-being.
"Those who are possessed of intelligence drink the nectar of the teaching."
Nagarjuna praises the intellectual rigor required to understand emptiness. It is not a faith-based path but a path of critical inquiry. The "nectar" is the relief that comes from logical clarity and the subsequent emotional release.
"Logic is the foundation, but silence is the peak."
While Nagarjuna is a master of logic, he acknowledges its limits. Logic is the ladder used to climb out of confusion, but the ultimate view is seen in the silence of direct realization, where words can no longer reach.
The Path to Liberation
"When ignorance ceases, mental formations do not arise."
Referring to the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, Nagarjuna pinpoints ignorance as the root cause. Once the misunderstanding of reality is corrected, the compulsive creation of karma (mental formations) stops. This is the mechanism of breaking the cycle of rebirth.
"Through the cessation of karma and defilements, there is liberation."
This quote provides a concise definition of moksha (liberation). It is a subtractive process—removing the dirt of defilements and the momentum of karma—rather than an additive process of gaining something new.
"Karma and defilements arise from conceptual thought; conceptual thought arises from mental fabrication."
Nagarjuna traces the genealogy of suffering back to *prapanca* (mental fabrication). We fabricate narratives about reality, which trigger thoughts, which trigger emotions, which trigger actions. The path involves quieting this fabrication factory.
"Fabrication ceases through emptiness."
The antidote to the complex web of mental fabrication is the realization of emptiness. When one sees that the objects of one's thoughts have no inherent substance, the mind stops spinning stories about them. The machinery of samsara grinds to a halt.
"Compassion is the mind that seeks to liberate all beings from suffering."
While famous for his logic, Nagarjuna is also a Mahayana patriarch who emphasizes Bodhicitta (the mind of awakening). The realization of emptiness naturally leads to compassion because one sees that other beings are suffering needlessly due to illusions that do not truly exist.
"Just as a magician creates a phantom, and the phantom creates another phantom, so is the agent a phantom and the action a phantom."
This metaphor describes the illusory nature of life. We are like magical illusions creating further illusions (karma). Understanding this dream-like quality allows one to play in the world without being crushed by it.
"Faith and wisdom are the two wings of the bird of enlightenment."
Nagarjuna balances his intellectual deconstruction with the necessity of faith (confidence) in the path. Logic cuts the bonds, but faith provides the courage to fly into the open sky of emptiness.
"Do not settle down in the middle, nor in the extremes."
Even the "Middle Way" can become a trap if one settles there conceptually. The ultimate instruction is to remain in a state of groundlessness, finding security in the insecurity of the open moment.
"Knowing the world to be like a dream, one is not attached to gain or loss."
This practical application of his philosophy changes how one lives daily life. If the world is dream-like, the emotional volatility of winning and losing loses its sting. One maintains equanimity amidst the ups and downs of fortune.
"Homage to the Buddha, who taught dependent arising to cease all conceptual elaboration."
Nagarjuna often ends his works with praise for the Buddha, crediting him as the source of this therapeutic teaching. He frames the entire philosophical project not as an innovation, but as a faithful recovery of the Buddha's original intention to silence the noise of the suffering mind.
Conclusion
Nagarjuna’s legacy is nothing short of a Copernican revolution in the realm of consciousness. By relentlessly stripping away the conceptual overlays we place upon reality, he did not leave us with a barren void, but with a luminous, interconnected universe where compassion arises naturally from the understanding of oneness. His assertion that "Samsara is Nirvana" dissolved the barriers between the sacred and the profane, empowering laypeople and monks alike to find liberation within the very texture of daily life. The Madhyamaka school he founded traveled over the Himalayas to become the bedrock of Tibetan Buddhism and moved East to form the philosophical spine of Zen.
In the modern world, Nagarjuna’s voice is startlingly contemporary. His critique of essentialism parallels the discoveries of quantum mechanics, where particles are defined by their relationships rather than their isolated substance. His deconstruction of language anticipates the works of Wittgenstein and Derrida. Yet, unlike purely academic philosophers, Nagarjuna’s aim was always therapeutic. He invites us to step off the cliff of our rigid beliefs and discover that, in the freefall of emptiness, we can finally learn to fly. His work remains an open invitation to examine the "I" we cherish so dearly, only to find that its absence is the greatest presence of all.
**What are your thoughts on the concept of "Emptiness"? Does the idea that things lack inherent nature feel liberating or frightening to you? Share your perspective in the comments below!**
Recommendations
If you enjoyed the deep dialectic and spiritual insight of Nagarjuna, you will find great value in these similar authors on Quotyzen.com:
1. Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha): The Awakened One – Explore the original source of the teachings on suffering, impermanence, and the path to liberation that Nagarjuna sought to clarify and defend.
2. Bodhidharma: The Zen Patriarch – Discover the fierce and direct teachings of the monk who brought the essence of Nagarjuna’s "emptiness" to China, founding the Chan (Zen) tradition.
3. Lao Tzu: The Old Master of Taoism – Dive into the *Tao Te Ching*, where the concepts of the "Tao" and non-action (Wu Wei) share profound resonances with Nagarjuna’s Middle Way and the nature of reality.