Ma^dhyamika， one of the major streams of Indian Maha^ya^na Buddhism which was to have a profound impact on all subsequent forms of Buddhism which arose in East Asia and Tibet. Based chiefly in the "middle way" 中论 philosophy of Na^ga^rjuna 龙树， the Ma^dhyamika thinkers sought to investigate a middle ground between the two extremes of existence 有 or non-existence 无 of things. Seen through the logic of dependent co-arising 缘起， all things were seen to be lacking of inherent nature 自性--to be empty 空. The most important successor to Na^ga^rjuna in the development of this school was a^ryadeva 圣提婆（170-270， also commonly written 提婆） who helped to complete the framework of the Ma^dhyamika system in his Catuh-/sataka 四百论， etc. He was followed a few centuries later by such figures as Buddhapa^lita （佛护， c.470-540）， Bha^vaviveka （清辩， c. 490-570） and Candraki^rti （月称， c. 650）， who worked out， each in their own ways various types of proofs for the explanation of and apprehension of the nature of emptiness. Some of the most important basic antagonistic positions within the broad Ma^dhyamika tradition can be seen in the disagreement between Bha^vaviveka and Candraki^rti: while Bha^vaviveka used one form of logical argumentation to establish the truth of emptiness in a positive manner， Candraki^rti denied the validity of the use of logical propositions which ended up affirming any sort of positive position. This basic disagreement would become embedded within the Ma^dhyamika school to the extent that two distinct philosophical factions developed: the Sva^trantika （Dulilunzhengpai 独立论证派）， which basically followed the position of Bha^vaviveka and the Pra^san!gika （Guimiulunzhengpai 归谬论证派）， which supported the opinion of Buddhapa^lita and Candraki^rti. Some later （eighth century） Ma^dhyamika thinkers such as S/a^ntaraks!ita 寂护 and Kamala/si^la 莲华戒 blended the Ma^dhyamika theories together with that of the Yoga^ca^ra movement， which had risen in popularity during the fifth century. The Three-treatise school 三论宗 which arose in East Asia was based primarily in the basic positions of the school's earliest thinkers， Na^ga^rjuna and a^ryadeva.