Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, and “Buddhism”

Schopenhauer and Nietzsche were the first thinkers who introduced the ideas of Bud­dhism to Europe in the 19th century, and some scholars claim that both authors were also deeply influenced by it, thus laying the foundations of “European Buddhism”. This article examines whether this is actually the case, and, if so, which influences of Buddhism were adopted by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer and incorporated into their thinking. Given the fundamental discrepancy in the assignment of the concept of “nihilism” in East and West (Buddhism and Western philosophy), this section outlines Nishitani’s (1900–1990, Kyo­to School) core concept, based on his “Position of Śūnyatā” (emptiness, 空 kū / kōng).