Buddhist Studies

This course is an intensive introduction to the history, doctrine, and monastic culture of Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen Buddhism in the light of modern scholarship. We will focus on the interrelationships between Chan and Zen philosophy, ritual, literature, institutional structure, and meditative practice. Our approach will be multidisciplinary, drawing from anthropology, history, philosophy, and literary hermeneutics, and we will use a wide range of primary and secondary readings as well as visual resources. Prerequisites: None.