Buddhism includes communities, practices, philosophies, and technologies spanning roughly twenty-five hundred years and covering diverse regions across Asia and more recently, the rest of the world. Buddhists themselves often describe their practice as a “path.” In a similar way, we will take a journey through many of the practices, communities, and movements that developed over the course of its history. This will include writings authored by Buddhists, themselves, films about different aspects of Buddhism, lectures, discussions, and class activities.
The course is divided thematically into three sections: Buddhist origins, Buddhist philosophies, and Buddhist practices. It is also designed to prepare students for the Fall course, “Japanese Religions.”