Nagarjuna taught that both __________ and __________ are empty.

Concerning “being” and “non-being,” Shinran Shonin states in the Shoshinge, “Bodhisattva Nagarjuna would appear in this world and completely rend the views of being and non-being.”

Nagarjuna, who was born in southern India, established the foundation for Mahayana Buddhism. In Japan he is esteemed as the founder of the eight sects of Buddhism. Shinran Shonin praised Nagarjuna, saying, “His greatest achievement was that he overturned all views regarding existence (‘u’) and non-existence (‘mu’).”

Being and non-being can be explained in the following way. Being is the belief that everything exists eternally and unchanging; non-being is the belief that everything will cease to exist and end up in nothingness. Nagarjuna taught that both views are incorrect.

Because everything is the result of causes and conditions, there is nothing, which does not ever change, nor is there anything that disappears completely and ceases to exist. This is the true way of the existence of all things.