Nietzsche and Zen: the Self and Salvation

Abstract

Nietzsche and Zen Buddhism are two approaches which have often been taken to be quite opposed. In one area, their view on the self, however, their philosophies are surprisingly quite alike. On a close reading, both deny the "self" in much the same way, though they use different language. Rather than merely challenge intuitions at a philosophical level, both approaches aim at influencing their audiences' lives intimately, and propose certain ideals one could aspire to. However, there is a tension between their denial of a causally autonomous self and the voluntary pursuit of such an ideal. The first two sections analyze Nietzsche and Zen's ontological view on what kind of self we fundamentally have; the third section aims to show parallels between their normative, achievement oriented philosophies.