This introductory course is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the key topics and methodological approaches in the academic study of Buddhism. As a foundation in the study of Buddhism as a major pan-Asian and global religious force, it provides essential background to more specialised courses or seminars offered at LMU. No previous knowledge of Buddhism or other religions born in India is required. Topics to be discussed by the lecturer include the life and legacy of the Buddha, the theory of action (karma) and debates surrounding the existence of a permanent soul, meditation and the path to liberation, conceptions of the body and Buddhist rituals, the formation and transmission of key Buddhist texts, Buddhist conceptions of time, space, and the environment, and Buddhism and the political power. An array of examples will be discussed, primarily drawn from pre-modern societies in Asia (and with a focus on Southern and Central Asia), but we will also address modern and contemporary phenomena on the global stage. The course will also include a group visit to the Museum Fünf Kontinente to better understand objects connected to Buddhist arts and ritual practice. |
- Teacher: Vincent Tournier