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Concept of Śūnya (Zero) in Jaina Canons : (129)
symbol, which appears from 100 BC onwards. Table 1 is suggestive of support of India's claim for initiation of the concepts of zero and place value notation.
Table 1: Computational Zero in Different Countries No. Country Period Symbol
Base 1. Maya 500 B. C. Bar & dot numerals Vigesimal system, 357 CE
Carved arrow for zero Word Numerals 771 CE China Ancient times Rod numerals
Decimal, positional 541 CE Small zero
No need for zero 700 CE Vacant space
Called kong 725 CE
1247 CE 3. Greece 2000-700 BC Alphabetical numerals Decimal base,
No need for zero 150 CE 7,0,0,
Omicron, Ptolemy 300-600 CE 4. Egypt 3000 BC Pictographic numerals Decimal notation,
1880 BC Zeroless hieratic No need for zero
system Blank space, nfr (zero level)
5.
Babylon
Blank space
2000 BC 500 BC 312-64 BC
Sexagesimal system Angle bracket sign Mixed system
Punctuation mark Slanted double wedge
6.
India (Bhārata)
3000 BC
0,.
1500-700 BC
Numbers more than 10 12 Kșudra word for zero
Indus valley seals, Kak Vedas, Medhātithi, Lag. Shukla, Mahadevan Alphabetical numerals
700-200 BC
300 BC
Alphabetical numerals involving zero Stibuka term for zero Numbers of 10250 Math. Zero, Blank space
Vararuci Bhadrabāhu, Vindu Jaina texts Pingala
200 BC
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