Titles:

• Second Buddha (Second Tathagatha)
• Indian Martin Luther
• Indian Einstein
• Founder of Madhyamika path.

Key Information:

• The book which gives information about Nagarjuna was the Lankavatara Sutra (Maitreya nadha).
• According to this book, he was born in the village “Vedali” (is in Telangana according to historians).
• He established “Nagarjuna University” in Sri Parvatham, which was the 2nd University in India (1st Taxsila).
• Acharya Nagarjuna expanded Mahayana Buddhism in Andhra Desham.
• He built stone arches for Mahachaitya at Amaravati and Shilamantapa at Srisailam.

Literary Contributions

Acharya Nagarjuna has written 24 books in Sanskrit. The important books are:

1. Suhrullekha
   • This book is the summary of the conversations between Acharya Nagarjuna and Yajna Sri Satakarni.
   • According to the Chinese traveler I-tsing, in that period, every student used to by-heart this book.
2. Ratnavali
   • This book discusses the “welfare state concept.”
   • Nagarjuna explains administrative policies in this book.
3. Pragnaparamita Shastram
   • It means Perfection of Wisdom.
   • It is an important book for Mahayana Buddhism.

Other books of Acharya Nagarjuna:

• Aarogya Manjari
• Rasavadham (on physics)
• Shunyata Saptathi
• Madhyamika Karika
• Rasa Ratnakaram (on Chemistry)
• Pragna Paramita

Philosophical Contributions

• Nagarjuna started two new philosophies in Mahayana Buddhism:
  1. Madhyamika School
  2. Sunyata (emptiness)
• Acharya Nagarjuna is regarded as “Indian Einstein” because his Sunyata Philosophy contains “Theory of Relativity,” which is similar to Einstein’s concepts.

Disciple of Nagarjuna:

• Aryadeva
  • Aryadeva’s book was Chittasuddi Prakaranam.
  • Aryadeva became the head of Nagarjuna University after the death of Acharya Nagarjuna.