REL 3010 - Buddhist Traditions

This course is an introduction to the panorama of Buddhist traditions in South, Southeast, Central and East Asia. We will study the history of Buddhism, its characteristic doctrines and teachings, and try to assess the impact it has had on Asian civilizations. Special attention will be devoted to the problem of the religious ideals and how that is to be pursued. We will read scholarly studies on the traditions as well as original Buddhist texts in translations.

Credits: 4 hours