The Buddhist Universe: An Introduction (MULT10021)

Buddhism began as one of many ascetic movements in India and over the course of two and a half millennia grew to become one of the world’s major religions, with followers in every corner of the world. This subject traces how Buddhism changed and adapted, how new doctrines and practices were woven into the tapestry of this tradition as it moved into Southeast Asia, Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, and later Tibet, Mongolia, North America, Europe, and Australia. We will examine its complex history, how doctrine and practice influence each other and how Buddhist identity informs the lives of people who identify as Buddhists today.

The subject will mainly be a history of ideas that aims to give students a conceptual grasp of important Buddhist tenets, myths, and symbols. In addition to these theoretical concerns, we will examine connections between theory and practice and some of the most urgent issues that confront adherents today.