Thesis Abstract: Arthur Schopenhauer’s Appropriation of Buddhism in formulating his Concept of the Will-to-live

This thesis argues that Schopenhauer appropriated Buddhist concepts in the formulation of his concept of the will-to-live. He borrowed concepts from this school because he found it as a truth to human existence. This is based from the textual sources and historical accounts that the researcher had gathered. This also argues with the other claim of some of the passages from Schopenhauer’s book that Buddhism did not influence him. 

The researcher asked on the first chapter of this thesis “What are the Buddhist doctrines that influenced Schopenhauer?” the researcher discusses The Four Noble Truth and NIrvana. Moreover, under the expansion of Buddhism, Nagarjuna and Yogacara School are the minor influential factors to the development of the concept. Buddha exposed the reality of the world, wherein humans are under the spell of ignorance and desire, as suffering. Moreover, Nagarjuna’s concept of sunyata supports the concept of the will-to-live through emptying the self in order to free the self from suffering. They are attached too much to the self. The meaning of emptying the self is not self-annihilation but self-mortification of the wants of the self. 

How then did Schopenhauer appropriate those concepts into the development of his concept of the will-to-live? 

The ‘will-to-live’ or ‘will’ is interchangeably used by Schopenhauer. The will-to-live is the inner nature of the world. This world as representation is just an objectification of the will or rather a mirror of our will. He explained it that what’s true to human experience is also true to the whole universe. Schopenhauer followed the inductive logic in explaining the essence of the world. Anything which is subject to the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason and Principium Individuationis bounds man to experience suffering. If the ‘will’ always affirms the will, then suffering is the ultimate consequence of his actions. Ordinary introspective consciousness directs the will to be aware and yields knowledge of the phenomena. And, only those who have denied the will through asceticism and aesthetic contemplation salvation is possible. 

The researcher found out that he appropriated those doctrines such as the Four Noble truths as the hidden structure for his concept of Will-to-live. The researcher does not know what Schopenhauer tried to imply because there are passages from his major work that he withdraws from this claim. 

In short, it is plausible that the influence of Buddhist doctrines accounts the argument of this thesis that Schopenhauer borrowed from these doctrines in order to formulate his concept of the will-to-live. His knowledge and admiration to Buddhism lead to the emergence of a new idea. 

Keywords: Will-to-live, asceticism, aesthetic contemplation, Buddhism, Nirvana, Four Noble Truths, Sunyata, Word as will and representation, willing,