Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c6.s2.t3.58

v1.c6.s2.t3.58

In Chinese history, Nagarjuna’s name (recorded in Chinese as Long Shu龍樹, Long Shan龍勝or Long iMeng龍猛, literally, Dragon tree, Dragon conqueror and Dragon the brave or transliterated as 那伽闕刺樹那) appears in two contexts. The first as a “Second Buddha” – the founder of Madhyamak philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism who contributed 24 philosophical works to the Chinese Tripitaka. The second as a great doctor with specialisation as an ophthalmologist producing several works on medicine on topics ranging from pharmaceutics, compounding of perfumes and incense, nourishing the vital essence and ophthalmology.