CAPF 2021

Mahayana Schools

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Madhyamika Karika, the basic text of Madhyamika School, was composed by

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept The Madhyamaka (Middle Way) school is a major Mahayana tradition that explores the concept of 'Shunyata' or the emptiness of all phenomena.

Explanation Nagarjuna (c. 150–250 CE) composed the *Mulamadhyamakakarika
(Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way), which uses rigorous dialectical reasoning to prove that nothing has an inherent, independent existence.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option A is correct. Nagarjuna is the father of this tradition, which significantly influenced East Asian and Tibetan Buddhism.
Logic 2: Asanga (B) and Vasubandhu (C) founded the Yogachara (Mind-Only) school. Dharmakirti (D) was a later logician and epistemologist.

Active Recall

Question

What is the 'Middle Way' in Madhyamaka?

Answer

It is the middle path between the extremes of eternalism (believing things exist permanently) and nihilism (believing things don't exist at all).

Core Insight

Nagarjuna's Madhyamika Karika is one of the most intellectually challenging texts in world philosophy, equating emptiness with dependent origination.