Madhyamika Prasangika

Madhyamika Prasangika; (uma ten gyur pa): view that holds that nothing at all has any kind of self existence.

This view is considered supreme.

The view that everything is an illusion is a wrong way to understand Nagarjuna's madhyamika.

The prasangika madhyamika system arose especially to counter such an "over negation".

According to all prasangikas, everything is LIKE an illusion (but not an illusion).

If everything would be (really) an illusion, there would be no actions and their effects, and thereby most of Buddhadharma would be a sham.

Buddhist Tantra is based on the prasangika view that says that all is like an illusion, thus avoiding the extreme of inherent existence of the things (dharmas) and the extreme of non-existence of the things (dharmas).

This is the main point of "middle way" or madhyamika. Without understanding this view, liberation is impossible, whether one practises Sutra or Tantra. The Madhyamika Prasangika view is that held by the Gelug Order- and only the Gelug Order.

The nyingmapas who I have talked with, have all agreed with me and Chandrakirti.

They just express the view of emptiness differently, but the intention remains the same.

let alone say something like: "What has been taught since Nagarjuna >(about 150 C.E) is Madhyamika Prasangika."

From historical point of view, Nagarjuna did not teach prasangika, but from the prasangika practitioners point of view, he did (just like Shakyamuni was teaching madhyamika, although it was "invented" by Nagarjuna.)

So, from the prasangika's point, Chandrakirti merely clarified Nagarjuna's intent, and he merely expressed the Buddha's ultimate intention....

Retrospectively, Shakyamuni Buddha was a prasangika also (provided of course that you think that prasangika system is the correct method to view emptiness.)

Highest Yoga Tantra which is all Madhyamika Prasangika"- I'm sure there are many Kagyupa's, Sakyapa's and Nyingmapa's that would be very surprised to learn this!

HYT is based on the correct view of emptiness, which from the prasangika's point of view IS the madhyamika prasangika view.

The Mahayana views "Nirvana" to be an illusion also.

Nirvana is LIKE an illusion, but not (real) illusion.

True, non-dual "Enlightenement" being seen as transcending the llusory duality of Samsara/Nirvana.

No school of thought upholds this view stronger than the Madhyamika Prasangika

All phenomena possess two natures:
That which is revealed by correct perception
And that which is induced by deceptive perception.
The object of correct perception is ultimate reality,
The object of deceptive perception is conventional reality.