HISTORY OF BUDDHISM

This course provides an introduction to the study of Buddhism for those with no or little previous knowledge of the subject. It will explore the main doctrines and scriptures, ethics, ritual and other practices, monastic life, and the spread of Buddhism beyond Asia and in modernity.
By the end of this course a typical student should be able to do most of the following:

• Locate the origins of Buddhism in its socio-religious context;
• Outline the spread of Buddhism in Asia and beyond;
• Explain the fundamental concepts of Buddhist soteriology and ethics and relate these to Buddhist practices;
• Describe its main scriptural authorities;
• Identify a range of motivations underlying ordination and the relation between clerics and Buddhist societies;
• Discuss some of the above with reference to relevant primary and secondary sources.
The course is an elective for the BA in Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and North Africa.

By the end of this course unit students should normally:

1. Have gained a good knowledge and critical understanding of the main topics concerning the cultural history of Buddhism;
2. Have gained an understanding of the continuties and discontinuities between modern and with pre-modern Buddhism;
3. Be able to find and use critically a range of materials including books, journals, primary sources, and web-based resources relevant to the topics studied in the course.
4. Write a sustained argumentative essay on the basis of their study of the bibliography of the course.

Students should have some basic knowledge and understanding of Indian and East Asian history.

Formation, transmission and diversity of the Buddhist scriptures. Sociology of the Buddhist monastic order and the early Buddhist communities. Continuities and discontinuities of the Buddhist doctrines and practices. Narration and development of the Buddha's figure and the emergence of the Bodhisattva's ideal. Introduction to the Mahāyāna scriptures. Chan/Zen and East Asian Buddhist schools. Buddhism and society. Ritual and religious practices. Buddhism and modernity.

The following are background readings. The instructor will provide further bibliographical indications in class and on the course website in Moodle:

Donald Lopez, Jr.ed. Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism, Chicago University Press, 2005.

D. Keown, C. Prebish, Introducing Buddhism, Routledge, 2010 (second edition)
Francesca Tarocco, Technologies of Salvation: (Re)locating Chinese Buddhism in the Digital Age. Journal of Global Buddhism, vol. 18, 2017 (online)

A short (about 500 words) research essay on a topic selected by the candidate that references and cites the texts we have studied. Students are encouraged to work on the paper beforehand but cannot use their notes during the exam.

Lectures and reading assignments. Seminars on Indian, Chinese and Japanese Buddhism with guest lecturers. E-learning platform on Moodle.

English

For any inquires write to Professor Francesca Tarocco: francesca.tarocco@unive.it

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development