Нагарджуна 1 — Биография Арьи Нагарджуны (чтение)

                                      A BIOGRAPHY OF
                                    ĀCĀRYA NĀGĀRJUNA


      Ācārya Nāgārjuna, as is widely known, founded the Mādhyamika tradition of Buddhism.
His appearance was prophesied in numerous sūtras, among them the Lankāvatāra,
Mañjusrīmūlakalpa, Mahāmegha, and Mahābherī.

        Four hundred years after the Nirvana of the Buddha Śakyamuni, there was living in
Southern India —in a land called Vidarbha (literally, the "Land of Palms") — a prosperous
Brahman who had no sons. A sign appeared to him in a dream, indicating that he would receive a
son if he paid homage to a hundred Brahmans. He did so, praying earnestly that his deeply-held
wish might be fulfilled, and ten months later a son was born.

        The newly-born child was taken to a soothsayer, who said that although the infant did
indeed have the signs of an exceptional person, he would live only seven days. The anxious
parents asked whether something couldn't be done to avert the fate. The soothsayer replied that if
they gave food to a hundred persons, the boy would live for seven days and that—if they made
offerings to a hundred monks—he would live for seven years. Nothing beyond that could be
done. The parents completed the second of the suggested offerings. As the end of the seven years
approached they sent the young boy, in the company of several attendants, on an excursion—for
they would not have been able to bear the sight of their son's corpse.

        While travelling, the boy experienced a vision of the god Khasarpaña (a particular
manifestation of Ārya Lokeśvara). Soon afterwards, the party reached the great monastery of
Nālanda. While they were standing near the dwelling of one Brahman Sāraha, the boy uttered
several verses of poetry. The Brahman heard the lines and invited the party inside. He asked
them about their journey and of how they had come to reach Nālanda. One of the attendants
related the boy's history and told of his imminent death. Sāraha replied to this that, if the boy
were to abandon the worldly life by taking a vow of renunciation, there was a way to avoid the
plight. The boy agreed to do so and was first initiated into the "Mandala of Amitābha which
Conquers the Lord of Death". Afterwards he was instructed to recite dhārani mantras. On the
eve of his seventh birthday in particular he recited mantras through the night and thus overcame
this encounter with the Lord of Death.

        Upon reaching the age of eight, the boy took the vow of renunciation and began studies
of the traditional sciences. He studied as well scriptural texts of each of the major schools of
Buddhist thought. Some time afterwards he again met his parents, and later requested the very
same Brahman Sāraha to instruct him in the esoteric teachings of Śrī Guhya Samāja. He was
taught the appropriate tantras, together with their complete oral instruction. Next, after
submitting a formal request to the monastery's abbot, he took the full ordination of a monk and
became known as Bhikșu Śrīmanta.

       Being one of those who are watched over by Mañjuśrī in all their lives, the monk found
opportunities for hearing, in its entirety, the Dharma of both sūtras and tantras from the
bodhisattva teacher Ratna Mati—who was a manifestation of Mañjuśrī in his "divine youth"
aspect. In this way Śrīmanta came to be a consummate master of the Dharma.

        At a later time a great famine arose, leaving the saņgha of Nālanda with no means of
subsistence. The abbot, Sthavira Rāhula Bhadra, appointed Bhikşu Śrīmanta the saņgha's
steward. Although the famine lasted twelve years and greatly reduced the population of the
surrounding land of Magadha, the bhikşu was able to sustain the saņgha by utilizing his
knowledge of the alchemical science. He had acquired this knowledge from a Brahman versed in
alchemy, in the following way. The bhikşu first prepared two sandalwood leaves as charms for
the Siddhi of Swiftfootedness. Carrying one leaf in his hand and the other concealed in the sole
of his shoe, he then proceeded to the distant island where the Brahman lived and asked to be
given the instruction of the "elixir which transforms common metals to gold".

       The Brahman thought to himself that the stranger must have had some special charm
allowing him to come to the isle. Desirous of acquiring it, he said to the bhikşu: "Knowledge
must be exchanged for knowledge, or compensated in gold." "Well then," replied Bhikşu
Śrīmanta, "we must exchange knowledge," and he gave the Brahman the charm he had been
carrying in his hand. Thinking that the visitor could no longer leave the island, the Brahman gave
him the instruction. Using the leaf he had kept in the sole of his shoe, the bhikşu then returned to
Magadha. He was thus able to provide Nālanda's saņgha amply with all their essential needs,
through transmuting great quantities of iron to gold with the alchemical elixir.

        Some time after this, Bhikşu Śrīmanta served as the abbot of Nālanda. He paid great
tribute to those members of the saņgha who observed the Three Trainings properly and expelled
those bhikşus and śramaņas who were morally corrupt. He is reputed to have banished as many
as eight thousand monks.

        It was during this period as well that one Bhikşu Śamkara composed a scripture entitled
The Ornament of Knowledge. It was written in twelve thousand verses and represented an
attempt to discredit the Mahāyāna Doctrine. By means of logic, the Bhikşu Śrīmanta was able to
refute the argument completely. He also disproved many other scriptures denying the validity of
the Mahāyāna. On one occasion, in a place called Jațāsamghāta, he defeated 500 non-Buddhist
scholars in debate and converted them to the Buddhist religion by overcoming their false views.

        During that time when the Ācārya was teaching the Dharma of the Tripițaka widely to
many followers, two youths who were actually emanations from nāgas came to him seeking the
Dharma. With their presence the entire area became filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
Upon their departure it disappeared and when they returned the fragrance reappeared as well.
The Ācārya asked them the reason for this, and the youths replied that they were sons of the
nāga king Takșaka. They had anointed themselves with essence of sandalwood as immunization
against human impurities.

        The Ācārya then asked them to give him some of the sandalwood for an image of Tāra
and to assist him in constructing temples as well. The two youths answered that they would have
to ask their father, and then left. They returned after two days to tell the Ācārya that only if he
himself came to the Land of the Nāgas could they do as he bade. Aware of the benefit to all
beings that would result from his going, the Ācārya journeyed to the Land of the Nāgas, where
King Takșaka and other righteous-minded nāgas presented him with innumerable offerings. The
mahātma preached the Dharma to the nāgas in compliance with their every supplication,
bringing them so much satisfaction that they entreated him to remain among them permanently.
He answered: "Because I have come here for the purpose of securing the sūtra of the Prajñā
pāramita in 100,000 verses and 'nāga clay'—which is needed for the construction of temples and
stupas—I have no opportunity now to stay. I shall perhaps be able to return in the future."

        When he had acquired the expanded version of the Mother of the Jinas, several shorter
texts of the Prajñā paramita, and great quantities of nāga clay, the Ācārya prepared to return to
our world of the Jambūdvīpa. It is said that in order to ensure the Ācārya's return to their land,
the nāgas kept from him a small portion at the end of the 100,000 verses. The missing portion —
the last two chapters of the unabridged sūtra on the Prajñā pāramitā—was therefore replaced by
the corresponding chapters of the Prajñā pāramitā sūtra in eight thousand verses. This is why
the final two chapters of each sūtra are identical.

         After securing the Prajñā pāramitā sūtras, the Ācārya greatly advanced the influence of
the Mahāyāna tradition. When he preached the Dharma in the monastery park, the nāgas
performed acts of reverence such as six of the serpents forming a parasol to shade him from the
sun. Having thus become the Lord of the Nāgas, the Ācārya was named "The Nāga". Because his
skill at spreading the Mahāyāna Dharma resembled the shooting speed and mastery of the famed
archer Arjuna, he became known as well as "The Arjuna." It is otherwise explained that he was
called "Nāgārjuna" because, by practising the sādhanas of the goddess Kurukullā, he gained
authority over such nāgas as King Takșaka and others.

        Nāgārjuna later travelled to the area of Puņdravardhana where, utilizing the practice of
alchemy, he performed many acts of great generosity. In particular, he bestowed great quantities
of gold upon an elderly Brahman couple and thus instilled them with great faith. The Brahman
elder served Nāgārjuna and listened to the Dharma from him, after his death he was reborn as the
Master Bodbināga.

        Nāgārjuna also constructed many temples. Once, when he was preparing to transform a
large, bell-shaped boulder into gold, an emanation of Tāra with the form of an old woman
appeared and said to him: "Instead of doing this, you should go to the Mountain of Splendour
and practise the Dharma." Later he did go there to practise the sādhanas of Tāra.

        On another occasion, when he had accomplished the sādhanas for invoking the goddess
Caņdikā, the goddess herself carried the Ācārya into the sky and attempted to take him to the
celestial realms. “I have not exerted myself in order to travel to the celestial realms," he said to
her. "I have invoked you in order to provide support for the Mahāyāna saņgha, for as long as the
Buddha’s Teaching remains.” They returned, and the goddess established herself to the near west
of Nālanda, manifesting herself in the form of a noblewoman of the royal caste. Nāgārjuna
instructed her, saying: "A great stake of khadira wood, so large that a man can barely lift it has
been driven into the wall of a stone temple dedicated to Mañjuśrī. Until that stake turns to ashes,
you must provide subsistence for the temple's saņgha."
        With articles of every sort, the noblewoman made offerings to the saņgha for twelve
years. During this time the steward of the monastery, a śramaņera of evil nature, made continual
promiscuous advances to her. The noblewoman made no replies, until one day she finally said:
"If the khadira-wood stake ever turned to ashes, we could be united." The wicked śramaņera
therefore set the stake afire. When it had become ashes, the goddess herself vanished.

        There was another time when a number of elephants were threatening to damage the
Bodhi tree at Vajrāsana (present-day Bodhgayā). Nāgārjuna erected two stone columns behind
the sacred tree which provided protection for many years. When the elephants later returned, the
Ācārya erected two images of Mahākāla astride a lion, wielding a club. This was also effective
but the danger nonetheless reappeared and a stone fence was built around the tree. Outside the
enclosure, the Ācārya constructed 108 stūpas. The stūpas were huge and each one was crowned
by a smaller stūpa containing sacred bone-relics of the Buddha.

        The Ācārya further constructed many temples and stūpas in the six major cities of
Magadha— Srāvasta, Śāketa, Campaka, Vārāņasī, Rajāgŗha and Vaiśālī—and provided preachers
of the Dharma with adequate subsistence.

        Above all, Nāgārjuna knew that virtually no one understood the true meaning of the
Prajñā pāramitā basket of sūtra. He also knew that without having realized this unerringly there
was no means for achieving Liberation. He thus widely proclaimed the Middle Path, which
asserts that śūnyatā (the essential meaning of Dependent Origination, that all things are totally
void of a self-existent nature) is totally consistent with principles expressing an infallible relation
between "black" and "white" karma and its consequences. By means of his five-part collection of
works on logic the Ācārya clearly expounded the ultimate meaning of the Buddha's Wisdom.
This collection consists of the major treatise, the Mūlamadhyamika Kārikā, and its four limbs:
the Yutik Şaștikā, Śūnyatā Saptati, Vaidalya Sūtra, and Vigraha Vyāvarttanī.

         After this period, Ācārya Nāgārjuna stayed for six months on Mount Uśīra, to the north.
He was accompanied by a thousand disciples and sustained each one with a daily tablet of a
quicksilver rasāyana he had prepared. One day a disciple, Siddha Singkhi, respectfully touched
the pill to his head but did not eat it. The Ācārya asked why, and his follower answered: "I have
no need of the pill. If it pleases you, Ācārya, please prepare a number of vessels by filling them
with water." Thus a thousand large containers were filled with water and placed there, in the
forest. The siddha then added a drop of urine to each of the vessels, which transformed all the
liquid into "elixir of gold". The Ācārya took all the vessels and concealed them in a secluded,
inaccessible cave, uttering a prayer that they might serve to benefit beings of the future.

        This Siddha Singkhi had not always been so adept. When he first met the Ācārya, he was
so dull-witted that he could not learn even a single verse over a period of many days. The Ācārya
then told him, in a jesting tone, to meditate that a horn had grown on top of his head. The
disciple did so, maintaining his object of meditation so sharply that he achieved the tangible and
visible sign of having grown a horn. He was therefore unable to leave the cave in which he was
meditating, for the horn got caught on the walls. The siddha was then instructed to meditate that
the horn was no longer present, and it subsequently disappeared.
       Realizing that his disciple's mental faculties had now become sharply developed, the
Ācārya taught him several profound meanings of the secret mantras. Nāgārjuna then instructed
him to meditate once more, and the follower ultimately attained the Siddhi of the Mahāmudrā.

       Later the Ācārya travelled to the northern continent of Kurava. Along the way, in a city
named Salamana, he encountered several children playing in the road. Nagarjuna read the palm
of one of them, a boy named Jetaka, and prophesied that he would become King. On the return
journey, following the accomplishment of his goal in Kurava, the Ācārya met the former youth,
who had since become King. For three years Nāgārjuna remained with the King, who bestowed
upon the Ācārya many jewels. In return he composed for the King a jewel of the Dharma:
namely, the Ratnāvalī.

        It was then that he travelled south, as he had been advised by the emanation of Tāra, to
practise meditation at the Mountain of Splendour. Here Nāgārjuna also turned the Wheel of the
Dharma, that of both sūtras and tantras, extensively—and it was at this time that he composed,
in particular, the scripture Dharmadhātu Stava. In general, the Ācārya's compositions are divided
into three collections:

       1. the Collection of Discourses—including such works as the Ratnāvalī, Suhŗllekha,
          Prajñā Śataka, Prajñā Daņda, and Janapoșaņa Bindu;
       2. the Collection of Tributes—the Dharmadhātu Stava, Lokātīta Stava, Acintya Stava,
          and Paramārtha Stava; and
       3. the Collection of Logic Writings—the afore-mentioned Mūlamādhyamika Kārikā, etc.

In addition to these, he wrote other important treatises explaining the meanings of both sūtras
and tantras and—indeed—performed activities as though the Buddha had returned again.

        It is said that Nagarjuna made three "great proclamations of the Dharma". The first was
his upholding the vinaya discipline in Nālanda, as previously explained. This was like the first
turning of the Wheel of the Dharma by the Bhagavān. The second was his clear exposition of the
Pure Middle View, through the composition of the collection of logic treatises and others. This
was similar to the Bhagavān's second turning of the Wheel. The third great proclamation
constituted the Ācārya's activities upon the Mount of Splendour in the south, where he composed
such works as the Dharmadhātu Stava. This was akin to the final turning of the Wheel of the
Dharma by the Bhagavān.

        Such extensive works on behalf of the Dharma and living beings aroused great
displeasure in Māra and the forces of evil. A boy, Kamāra Śaktiman, had earlier been born to the
queen of King Udāyibhadra. Years later, the mother was presenting her son with a rare, fine
garment when the boy told her: "Put this away for me. I shall wear it when it is time for me to
rule the kingdom." "You shall never rule," replied his mother, "for the Ācārya Nāgārjuna has
brought it about that your father and he are of a single life. He will not die unless the Ācārya
does." The boy was so overcome with grief that his mother continued: "Don't cry so! The Ācārya
is a bodhisattva, and if you ask him for his head he will not refuse. With that, your father will
also die—and you shall acquire the kingdom."
        The child followed his mother's suggestion and Nāgārjuna did indeed agree to give his
head. Yet however much effort the boy used, his sword could not cut Nāgārjuna's neck. The
Ācārya told the boy: "Long ago, while cutting some grass, I happened to kill an insect. The force
of that misdeed remains with me still, and you can thus sever my head by using a blade of kuśa
grass." This the boy did, and so was able to cut off Nāgārjuna's head. The blood which flowed
from the wound turned to milk, and the following words issued from the dismembered head:
"From here I depart to Sukhāvatī heaven. In the future, I shall enter this body again."

        The wicked prince cast the head away at several leagues' distance, fearing that it would
once more join the body. Since the Ācārya had attained the practice of rasāyana, however, his
head and body became stone-hard. The two are said to be coming nearer and nearer, one to the
other, every year—in the end to be joined once more. Nāgārjuna will then again perform great
works for the benefit of the Teaching and all living beings.

      As it is written in the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa, the Ācārya Nāgārjuna lived for a total of six
hundred years:

              "After I, the Tathagata, have passed away
              And four hundred years have elapsed,
              A bhikşu "The Nāga" shall appear, of
              Great faith and benefit to the Teaching.
              He shall achieve the stage of Great Joy
              And for six hundred years remain living."