Nagarjuna was a Buddhist philosopher and monk, traditionally dated to around the 2nd century CE, regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Mahayana Buddhism. He is best known as the founder of the Madhyamaka ("Middle Way") school of philosophy, and for his central role in articulating the concept of śūnyatā (emptiness) — the idea that all phenomena lack inherent, independent existence. His writings, particularly the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (Root Verses on the Middle Way), remain foundational texts studied across Tibetan, Chinese, and other Mahayana Buddhist traditions to this day.
Beyond his philosophical writings, Nagarjuna holds a special place in Buddhist legend for how he is said to have recovered one of the tradition's most important bodies of teaching.
According to Buddhist tradition, nagas — serpent-like beings associated with water and hidden, subterranean realms — served as guardians of profound teachings the world was not yet ready to receive. The Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom) sutras, some of the most important scriptures in Mahayana Buddhism, were said to have been entrusted to the nagas by the Buddha himself, to be safeguarded until a teacher arose capable of properly transmitting them.
Nagarjuna is said to have traveled to the naga realm, received these Prajñāpāramitā teachings directly from the nagas, and brought them back to the human world — making him not just a philosopher who wrote about wisdom, but, in traditional accounts, the very figure responsible for the Perfection of Wisdom teachings reaching humanity in the first place.
The seven naga heads arching above Nagarjuna in his thangka form more than a decorative canopy — they are a direct visual reference to this legend. Specifically, they symbolize:
Together, the image tells a complete story in a single gesture: a philosopher whose wisdom didn't originate from ordinary scholarship alone, but from a direct, guarded transmission finally brought into the light.
Nagarjuna is revered not only as a philosopher but as one of the "Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas" in some lineages and a key link in many Mahayana and Vajrayana lineage transmissions. A thangka of Nagarjuna is often chosen by those studying Madhyamaka philosophy, practitioners tracing their lineage back through key transmission figures, or anyone drawn to the idea that the deepest wisdom is something to be received and safeguarded rather than simply invented.
Nagarjuna was a Buddhist philosopher, traditionally dated to around the 2nd century CE, who founded the Madhyamaka school of philosophy and articulated the concept of emptiness central to Mahayana Buddhism.
The seven naga heads symbolize Nagarjuna's connection to the naga realm, where he is said to have received the Perfection of Wisdom teachings, as well as preservation, protection, and transmission of profound Dharma teachings.
Nagas are serpent-like beings in Buddhist tradition associated with water and hidden realms, traditionally regarded as guardians of profound teachings not yet ready to be revealed to the human world.
Nagarjuna is best known for founding the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist philosophy and for his writings on emptiness, particularly the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.
This is a traditional Buddhist legend rather than a historically verifiable event. It explains, within the tradition, how the Perfection of Wisdom sutras are said to have reached the human world through Nagarjuna.
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