Intro to Buddhism: South Asia

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course offers an introduction to Buddhism from its origins in India to its spread across South Asia. We examine the foundational doctrines taught by the Buddha, and the manner in which these were transmitted orally and in writing. We will consider major developments in Indian Buddhism such as Mahāyāna and tantra, and the transmission of various Buddhist doctrines and practices to various countries across South Asia. In doing so, we will attend to processes of reception and adaptation, and to the interactions between Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions. At the end of the course, we will be familiar with the broad history of South Asian Buddhism, including details of its various texts and major figures.