INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
The basic thought, practices and history of Buddhism, including selflessness and relativity, practices of meditation, merit- making and compassion from both local and translocal perspectives. Includes a discussion of Buddhism as a contemporary, North American religion. Not open to students with credit for E ASIAN or LCA 308 prior to Fall 2019.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Sophomore standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Humanities & Arts Breadth - Humanities or Social Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe Buddhist ways of thinking, organizing knowledge, and navigating the inevitable realities of human existence: birth, death, sickness, aging, suffering, and constant change. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Discuss basic Buddhist concepts and use this awareness to become an informed, religiously literate global citizen. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Appraise the relevance and applicability of Buddhist resources for the larger human project of living a good and meaningful life. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Explain and practice "seeing through Buddhist eyes," a central aim of the academic history of religions approach. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Apply our analytical method of studying religion to understanding your own or other religious traditions. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Apply close reading techniques and religious historical methods for reading and analyzing primary Buddhist texts in translation. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe Buddhist ways of thinking, organizing knowledge, and navigating the inevitable realities of human existence: birth, death, sickness, aging, suffering, and constant change. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Discuss basic Buddhist concepts and use this awareness to become an informed, religiously literate global citizen. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Appraise the relevance and applicability of Buddhist resources for the larger human project of living a good and meaningful life. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Explain and practice "seeing through Buddhist eyes," a central aim of the academic history of religions approach. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Apply our analytical method of studying religion to understanding your own or other religious traditions. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Apply close reading techniques and religious historical methods for reading and analyzing primary Buddhist texts in translation. Audience: Graduate
Sources
Catalogue variants
- INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM · 3-4 credits.