Zhonglun 中論

Zhonglun 中論 "Treatise on the Middle Way", is a Buddhist philosophical treatise. It is also called Zhongguanlun 中觀論 or Zhengguanlun 正觀論. Together with the Shi'ermen lun 十二門論 and the Bailun 百論, it is collectively known as the "Three Treatises" (Sanlun 三論), which form the doctrinal foundation of the Three Treatises School (Sanlun Zong 三論宗).

It was written as Mūlamadhyamaka-kārikā "Root verses of the Middle Way" or Madhyamakā-śāstra "Treatise on the Middle Way" by the ancient Indian philosopher Nāgārjuna (Ch. Longshu 龍樹, c. 150–c. 250 CE), annotated by Piṅgala (Ch. Qingmu 青目), and translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva (Ch. Jiumoluoshi 鳩摩羅什, 344-413) during the Later Qin dynasty 後秦 (384-417). The work consists of four juan.

It is a polemical text in which the Indian Madhyamaka school refutes doctrines of various Hīnayāna (Theravada) Buddhist traditions and other philosophical schools to demonstrate its own position. The main content explains the Mahayana Madhyamaka doctrine that all dharmas (being, sentiments, appearances) are empty (zhu fa jie kong 諸法皆空), with particular focus on the teachings of "dependent origination characterised by the eight negations" (ba bu yuan qi 八不緣起) and "nirvana as ultimate reality" (shi xiang niepan 實相涅槃).

The "Verse of the Eight Negations" (Ba bu ji 八不偈) forming the beginning of the scripture criticises various mistaken views concerning dependent origination. It emphasises that clinging to notions such as arising and ceasing, permanence and annihilation, identity and difference, coming and going, are incorrect forms of prapañca or conceptual proliferation (Ch. xilun 戲論). One should transcend and eliminate such conceptual proliferations to realise the true nature of phenomena, that is, ultimate reality.

The "Verse of the Three Statements" (San shi ji 三是偈) offers a definition of the Madhyamaka perspective. It states that genuine dependent origination requires acknowledging both lack of inherent nature (emptiness, kong 空) and provisional designation (conventional existence, you 有). These two—emptiness and provisional designation—are linked, which is what the Middle Way signifies.

The Zhonglun also explains (ch. Guan niepan pin 觀涅槃品), the unity of the worldly realm (saṃsāra, shijian 世間) and nirvana (niepan 涅槃) in terms of ultimate reality, stating that between nirvana and the world there is not the slightest difference.

The ideas of the Zhonglun greatly influenced the later development of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. In India, over several generations of transmission, the teachings of this treatise gradually formed a major philosophical school, the Madhyamaka, which contrasted with the Yogācāra tradition (Yujia xing pai 瑜伽行派).

This treatise had a significant influence in China. It was first widely disseminated by Sengzhao 僧肇 (384-414), a disciple of Kumārajīva. Based on the ideas of this work, Sengzhao authored several essays, including the renowned Bu zhen kong lun 不真空論. Later, Jizang 吉藏 (549-623) wrote the Zhongguanlun shu 中觀論疏 (T1824), Zhonglun youyi 中論游意, and Zhonglun lüeshu 中論略疏 expanding on the ideas in this work. In Japan, there is the Zhongguanlun shuji (Japanese reading Chūganron shoki) 中觀論疏記, written by Anchō 安澄 (763-814).

Some Indian commentaries were translated into Chinese, such as Bhāviveka's (Ch. Qingbian 清辨, c. 500-c. 570) Prajñāpradīpa, translated as Bore denglun shi 般若燈論釋 by Prabhākaramitra (Ch. Boluopomiduo 波羅頗蜜多, 564–633); Sthiramati's (Ch. Anhui 安慧, 6th cent.) Mahāyāna-madhyamaka-śāstra, translated as Dasheng zhonggguan shilun 大乘中觀釋論 by Weijing 惟淨 and Dharmaraksha (Ch. Fahu 法護, c. 229-306); and Asanga's (Ch. Wuzhu 無著, c. 300) commentary, translated by Prajñāruci (Ch. Boreliuzhi 般若流支, 6th cent.) as Shun zhonglun yi ru da bore boluomi jing chupin famen 順中論義入大般若波羅蜜經初品法門.