The difference between the concepts of saṃsāra e nirvāṇaset forth by the historical Buddha (VI-V B.C.) in his first sermon seem to be disputed by the equalization of the two terms effected by Nāgārjuna (II A.D) in a topical passage of his MK. This article, firstly, supports the thesis that the contradiction is just a seeming one and that the relation of difference or identity between the two dimensions depends on the philosophical register, respectively epistemological and ontological, being used - in both cases for soteriological purposes - by the Buddha and Nāgārjuna. Secondly, we wish to prove that, in any case, Nāgārjuna's ontology, far from being a philosophical novelty or an evolution of the thought of the founder of Buddhism, is, on the contrary, one of the possible applications of the "non-self" doctrine (anātma-vāda) - probably the most important and original contribution of Buddhist thought to the history of world philosophy - expounded by the Buddha in his second sermon.
Buddha; Nāgārjuna; saṃsāra; nirvāṇa; svabhāva; anātma-vāda