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The Bakhshali Manuscript:The World's First Use of Zero in Mathematics

Zero is a basic part of modern math and technology. We use it every day without thinking. But there was a time when the idea of “zero” didn’t even exist. The journey of zero—from being just a placeholder to becoming a key mathematical tool—is an incredible story that started centuries ago.


One of the most important discoveries in this journey is the Bakhshali Manuscript—an ancient Indian text that shows the earliest use of the zero symbol. Found near the village of Bakhshali in present-day Pakistan, this manuscript has changed how we understand the history of mathematics. It proves that ancient Indian scholars had a deep understanding of numbers long before the modern world.

In this article, we’ll explore the origin of zero, the importance of the Bakhshali Manuscript, and how this ancient text reshaped the timeline of mathematical progress.

What Is the Bakhshali Manuscript?

The Bakhshali Manuscript is an old Indian math text written on birch bark. It is known as the oldest known record of the zero symbol. The manuscript is filled with mathematical problems, solutions, and concepts that show just how advanced Indian mathematics was—even more than 1,000 years ago.

Discovery of the Manuscript

In 1881, a farmer near the village of Bakhshali (close to Peshawar in modern-day Pakistan) discovered the manuscript buried in a field. It included around 70 pages of birch bark, written in an ancient Indian script called Sharada. The language is a form of Sanskrit influenced by the local region.

The Bakhshali Manuscript contains a collection of math rules, examples, and solutions, covering topics like:
  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Fractions
  • Square roots
  • Linear and quadratic equations
  • Arithmetic and geometric progressions

The First Use of the Zero Symbol

The most amazing part of the Bakhshali Manuscript is its use of a dot symbol to represent zero. In Sanskrit, this is called “shunya-bindu” (literally meaning "dot of emptiness").

This dot acted as a placeholder in numbers—for example, to show the difference between 10 and 100. This idea is what eventually led to the development of the decimal place-value system we still use today.

What’s even more incredible is that this manuscript uses zero much earlier than any other known text in the world.

How Old Is the Bakhshali Manuscript?

Figuring out the exact age of the manuscript has been a challenge for researchers. In 2017, the University of Oxford used carbon dating to test the age of the pages. They found that different pages were written in different centuries—from the 3rd to the 10th century CE.

However, after further analysis, experts believe the manuscript was likely written sometime between the 9th and 11th centuries CE. This still makes it the earliest known use of zero as a symbol in the world.

Why Is the Bakhshali Manuscript Important?

The Bakhshali Manuscript proves that ancient India played a huge role in shaping modern math. Its use of zero helped create the decimal system, which is the base of:
  • Modern mathematics
  • Science and engineering
  • Computer programming
  • Digital technology

It also shows how Indian scholars used a logical and step-by-step approach to solving math problems—something that continues to influence learning today.

Conclusion: A Dot That Changed the World

The Bakhshali Manuscript is more than just an old book. It is a symbol of ancient India’s genius in mathematics. Its early use of zero not only changed the way we count but also made modern science and technology possible.

This small dot, hidden in an ancient manuscript, started a revolution. As scientists continue to study the Bakhshali Manuscript, it reminds us that human curiosity and the desire to understand the world have always driven progress—from ancient India to the digital age.

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