For whatever its worth … I’m tempted to provide some information from the Tamil 
paripāṭal (பரிபாடல் : 3) where I see a mathematical counting starting from 
’sūnya’ / ‘zero’. 

This poem, paripāṭal (பரிபாடல் : 3), is dedicated to tirumāl (திருமால், Vishnu).

Here, the numbers are counted as: pāḻ (பாழ், meaning ’nothing 
solid/concrete/meaningful…’), kāl (கால், one quarter, 1/4),  pāku (பாகு, one 
half, 1/2), oṉṟu (ஒன்று, one), iraṇṭu (இரண்டு, two), mūṉṟu (மூன்று, three), 
nāṉku (நான்கு, four), aiṉtu (ஐந்து, five), āṟu (ஆறு, six), ēḻu (ஏழு, seven), 
eṭṭu (எட்டு, eight), toṇṭu (தொண்டு, nine).

பாழ் என, கால் என, பாகு என, ஒன்று என, 
இரண்டு என, மூன்று என, நான்கு என, ஐந்து என, 
ஆறு என, ஏழு என, எட்டு என, தொண்டு என, 
நால்வகை ஊழி எண் நவிற்றும் சிறப்பினை …  

Now, I request our dear colleague Jean-Luc Chevillard for a translation from 
Gros for this part of the Paripadal poem. 

Thanks and regards,
rajam 


> On Jul 25, 2022, at 9:19 AM, alakendu das via INDOLOGY 
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> Dr.Dahejia,
> With due regards, I mention the following points on the issue of "Sunnya"
> 1) "Sunnyata" of Mahayana Buddhism is a purely philosophical concept 
> developed by Asanga and his brother BasuBandhu, embodying the principal of 
> "ChatushKotiBinirmuktwa"..
> 2) In the world of Mathematics,probably ,an ancient Indian text dating back 
> to 5th CE B.C, named as "Lokabibhaga" displayed use of decimal system ( 
> including aero) .I would be grateful if any further reference on this text 
> can be furnished.
> 3) AryaBhatta's name is  associated with the concept of zero" with 
> respect,although there is a view that Maya civilization of Central America 
> introduced the concept of zero.
> 
> Would like to be enlightened more on this.
> Regards
> Alakendu Das.
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from RediffmailNG on Android
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: Harsha Dehejia via INDOLOGY <[email protected] 
> <mailto:[email protected]>>
> Sent: Sun, 24 Jul 2022 16:20:43 GMT+0530
> To: Indology List <[email protected] 
> <mailto:[email protected]>>
> Subject: [INDOLOGY] Sunya
> 
> Friends:
> 
> Is there any evidence that the sunya of mathematics arose out of the sunyata 
> of Mahayana Buddhism?
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Hrtsha
> Harsha V. Dehejia
> 
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