- To Buddhism's first noble truth, that all life is full with suffering, Schopenhauer adds that the entire experienced world is not fully and entirely real. It is mere representation (Vorstellung) and has only the kind of phenomenal reality that the shadows have in Plato's cave.
- To the second noble truth, that all suffering is rooted in desire, Schopenhauer adds two things:
a) Suffering is actually rooted in both desire and fear (the inclinations to approach or avoid), the two primary motivators of all actions. Both of these inclinations are, for Schopenhauer, included in the concept of will. Thus, all suffering is rooted in willing.
b) The true underlying nature of the entire phenomenal universe is Will (urge, force, energy, drive). Der Wille is what everything actually is beneath its surface appearances. - There is hope, despite the fact that life is full of suffering and that the world is all an illusion. There may not actually be very much hope because a) most people do not realize the real situation we are in (Noble Truths #1 & #2), and b) even if they did realize it, most people would not have the wisdom or strength to undertake what is necessary to get beyond the illusion and suffering.
- The two ways to salvation from the suffering and illusion are
- aesthetic encounter with The Beautiful
- the practice of asceticism
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