“The Four Propositions and One Hundred Negations of Nargajuna are as follows:

( One )
1. Everything that is, does not come out from itself. (singularity)

( Many )
2. Everything that is, does not come from something else. (plurality)

( Being )
3. Everything that is, does not result from adding one thing to another. (existence)

( Nonbeing )
4. Everything that is, does not come out from nothing. (non-existence)

About these propositions, four types of statements can be made: affirmative, negative, affirmative and negative, and the negation of both affirmative and negative.

(4 x 4 = 16)

About these sixteen, three kinds of statements can be made: past, present, future. (16 x 3 = 48)

And about these forty-eight, there can be two aspects: the actual (the real), and the potential (the ideal). (2 x 48 = 96)

Together with the original four propositions there are 100 negative propositions.

(96 + 4 = 100)

After all these efforts, still we cannot identify either ontological or phenomenal existence, and we cannot find any reason to be attached to some special metaphysical entity or to the phenomenal world.”

— Suzuki Roshi