Some More Unsystematic Notes on Sunya

The paper is an overview of the themes regarding the concept of śūnya “void” in Indian thought, mainly mādhyamika, with reference to apoha semantic theory, and in relation with another couple of problematic relationships, the metaphoric use of words (diffused in the milieu of poetics) and the paradox of ineffability (current in vedantic brahmanical circles). Did the mathematical, the grammatical, or the Buddhist philosophical meaning of śūnya come first? The paper tries to illustrate the great deal of debate current on this question, but does not offer a unique answer.