Does the will to truth, as shaped by metaphysical thinking, necessarily originate from a justified, liberating, and life-affirming source? Focusing on Chapter Four of Nietzsche and Zen: Self-Overcoming Without a Self by André van der Braak, this article examines how both Nietzsche and Nāgārjuna respond negatively to this question. It first analyzes Nietzsche’s critique of the Western tradition’s "will to truth," followed by an exploration of Nāgārjuna’s analogous confrontation with Buddhist orthodoxy. The third section investigates the convergence of their approaches in deconstructing and transcending this will. Finally, van der Braak’s interpretation is subjected to critical assessment. The article argues that in both traditions, the desire for truth demands thorough critique, and overcoming it opens a path toward a lived philosophy beyond the dichotomy of truth and untruth—although van der Braak’s reading still requires greater clarity in conceptual and methodological distinctions.
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