This course will survey the rich and varied culture of Buddhist traditions in China, Korea and Japan. Students will learn of the different types of Buddhist art in China such as Pure Land narrative art, Chan portraits of masters, Chan-influenced secular art, ritual art, Japanese Zen paintings, Shingon and Tendai esoteric Buddhist ritual-art, Chinese pagodas, Japanese Zen architecture, Korean Son and other Buddhist art and architecture traditions.
In this course, students will be introduced to the history and development of the visual arts and architecture of the Buddhist world of the Himalayan and Mongolian regions. Students will learn of the relationship between architecture and environment, between art and ritual, and explore the art and architecture traditions that have emerged from these regions.
Chan is the Chinese sound-translation for the Prakrits “jhāna” and Sanskrit “dhyāna”. Abhidharma explains four dhyānas in the realm of form, preceded by a preparatory path. Sarvāstivāda Yogācāra texts explain the practice of dhyāna. The Indian background, combined with Chinese and Japanese developments explain Chan/Zen. Classical Chan is the practice of Mazu Daoyi (709-788). Many groups were formed. Linji (Rinzai) and Caodong (Sōtō) are best known.
An introductory course on the schools of Buddhist thought in Japan. It examines the official introduction of Buddhism to Japan, Prince Shotoku's contribution to its spread, the six Buddhist schools of Nara, the aristocrats versus commoners during the Heian period, the rise of the Kamakura Buddhism. The Buddhist schools that came under this survey will include the six Buddhist schools of Nara, Tendai, Shingon, Jodo, Jodoshin, Rinzai and Soto Zen, Nichiren, and some new sects that began to appear from about the end of the Edo period (1603-1868).
The course will begin with a historical review of the two major movements of Ch'an Buddhism in China, Gradual Enlightenment of the Northern School and the Sudden Enlightenment of the Southern School and their introduction to Japan where they developed as Soto and Rinzai sects. The course will focus on the Obaku sect as well, which emerged as a combination of Zen thought and Nembutsu practice. An examination of the basic doctrinal differences among the three schools will form an integral part of the course.
Buddhist Japanese is a specialized course designed to train students in reading and translating Japanese Buddhist texts. It will also introduce students to the use of dictionaries, reference works, encyclopedias and other materials relevant to research work in Japanese Buddhist texts.
An introduction to the history and present state of Buddhism in the West. Major thrust of this course will be the reception of Buddhism by Western philosophers and intellectual from the 19th century, the evolution of schools of Buddhist studies, the establishment and work of Buddhist Societies in Europe and America, and the arrival, growth and present day practice of various Buddhist groups, both 'ethnic' and 'western' since the 1960's.
A study of history of Buddhism focusing on the flourishing of Buddhism from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD in Central Asia; the significance of the trade and pilgrim routes and the political background in the spread of Buddhism, Buddhist savants and their contribution in Central Asia; new trends in Buddhism; spread of Buddhism in Mongolia and Tibet.
This course covers the rise and development of Buddhism in Thailand. It presents the interrelationships between Buddhism and Thai society. It includes various subtopics such as Buddhist influence in Thai politics, Thai education, Thai arts and architecture, etc. Contemporary issues regarding Buddhism in Thailand are also be discussed.
A study of basic structure of the English language, which includes sentence structure, punctuation, spelling rules, word formation and paragraph writing. The class will be in the mode of a writing lab.