To what extent is Nishitani Keiji’s thought compatible with Mahāyāna’s śūnyatā/emptiness? Some critics may raise doubts to this regard because Nishitani would allegedly be turning śūnyatā into a metaphysical principle, something Nāgārjuna—to begin with—warned against. However, it is possible to argue to the contrary. From an analysis of Nishitani’s three-field topology (fields of consciousness, nihility, and śūnyatā) and his use of the soku-hi logic, it is possible to interpret that rather form turning emptiness into a metaphysical principle, he articulates a discourse of śūnyatā whose function is to expose the limits of human thought and language. This way, it would be possible to recover our true contact with things just as they are and with ourselves. In this sense, I believe, Nishitani would actually be in line with Nāgārjuna’s intent.
Keywords: Nishitani Keiji, śūnyatā/emptiness, soku-hi logic, Nāgārjuna