You just dropped a power trio of philosophy—Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and the Upanishads—and they’re surprisingly connected. Here’s a quick breakdown of how they intersect and diverge:
Schopenhauer & the Upanishads
- Schopenhauer loved the Upanishads. He called them “the most rewarding and elevating reading possible in the world.”
- He resonated deeply with the idea of a singular, underlying reality (Brahman) and the illusion of the world (Maya).
- His concept of the “Will” as the root of existence echoes the Upanishadic idea of a cosmic force or essence behind appearances.
- He also admired the ascetic ideal—overcoming desire, detachment—which the Upanishads promote as a path to liberation (moksha).
Nietzsche & Schopenhauer (and thus, the Upanishads indirectly)
- Nietzsche started off influenced by Schopenhauer but eventually rejected his pessimism and asceticism.
- While Schopenhauer said: “deny the will,” Nietzsche said: “affirm life!”
- Nietzsche would have found the Upanishadic escape from the world (via renunciation) too life-denying—he wanted a yes to life, with all its chaos and suffering.
- That said, Nietzsche’s idea of the eternal return and the cyclical nature of existence does parallel some Vedantic and Samkhya ideas.
In a sentence:
- Schopenhauer sees the Upanishads as a path to understanding the futility of desire and the illusory nature of the world.
- Nietzsche rebels against both, seeking meaning within life, not beyond it—but even he circles back to themes the Upanishads explore.
Would you like a chart comparison or a quote-off between them? Or want to go deeper into how these philosophies could apply to everyday life?
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