Topics in Buddhism (440-0-20)

Instructors

Mark McClish

Meeting Info

Crowe 4-130 Rel Studies Sem Rm: Thurs 2:00PM - 5:00PM

Overview of class

"The Spread of Buddhism in Its First Millennium: Southern Asia and the Silk Road"

This course will explore the rich and fascinating history of Buddhism from its founding in the mid-first millennium BCE to around the middle of the first millennium CE, prior to the rise of influential tantric traditions. We will focus on the emergence of Buddhism as well as the development and spread of Buddhist institutions, practices, beliefs, and art. Our explorations will take us from Buddhism's homeland in north India to the rest of the subcontinent, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia and across the Silk Road to Inner Asia and China. In doing so, we will explore literature, archaeology, art, and inscriptions. In all instances we will focus on questions of peoples and communities: transmission, reception, adaptation, and innovation. The intent of this course is to provide graduate students with basic competency for research in these areas by working with critical sources and debates on the subject. Students will carry out original research in support of a final paper.

Teaching Method

seminar

Class Materials (Required)

tbd

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for graduate students or permission only.