Nagarjuna

Nagarjuna NAGARJUNA Nagarjuna lived in the first to second century C.E. He was born into a brahmin family of Vidarbha (Beda) in South India. At his birth, astrologers foretold that he would die at a very tender age but that his life span could be extended for a maximum of seven years by making consecrated offerings to monastics (life in Buddah, page 344). Nagarjuna’s devout parents thus succeeded in lengthening the boy’s life span to the age of seven. But at that point, they were told that no amount of rituals could further prevent his death. Unable to bear the pain of watching their beloved son’s premature death, they sent him forth traveling with a trusted servant (life in Buddha page 413). On his travels in South India, the boy had a vision of the transcendental Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who guided him to the gates of the famous monastic university of Nâlandâ. There, the renowned adept Saraha (also known as Râhulabhadra) learned of his story and recommended reciting the mantra of Buddha Amitâyus (“Long Life”) to extend his life span (total zen, page 27). On his eighth birthday, Saraha initiated the boy into the practice (sâdhana) of Amitâyus, and thus he was the nagarjuna, page, life, siddhipâda, serpent, prajnâ-pâramitâ-sûtra, one, nagarjuna’s, known, buddha, zen, span, prince, nâgas, mâdhyamika, india, great, death, buddah, boy, been, arjuna, years, works, wisdom, well-known, weapon, university, treasures, total, time, thus, texts, textbook, south, sharp