A Review of Kārikā Four in Nāgārjuna’s Vigrahavyāvartanī

Abstract

Traditionally, the Vigrahavyāvartanī is ascribed to Nāgārjuna. Aside from a single and complete Sanskrit manuscript, since Tibetan and Chinese translations are also accessible to us, the Vigrahavyāvartanī is an ideal treatise to offer us insight into Nāgārjuna’s philosophy of emptiness. Thus, the necessity of textual criticism on this treatise goes without saying. Concerning the reading of kārikā 4 in the Vigrahavyāvartanī, so far we have seen two different understandings. One was held by Johnston and Kunst, and supports the reading ‘a negation of negation （pratiṣedhapratiṣedhaḥ）,’ while the other understanding reads ‘the negation is （/ is to be） negated （pratiṣedhaḥ pratiṣedhyaḥ）.’ This paper undertakes a review of the text of kārikā 4 based on its context and interpretation.