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CS92PROD
Zen Buddhism Across East Asia: Teaching and Practice (FYS)
RELI 224F
Spring 2020 not offered

In this course, we will examine Zen/Chan Buddhism in history and in its contemporary practice. We will trace how Zen Buddhism sprouted from Chinese religious traditions in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), flourished in the Song Dynasty (906-1279), and then spread to other East Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. Then, we will pay attention to the ways in which Zen Buddhism found its way to modern Western society, through figures such as D. T. Suzuki and Okakura Kakuzo since the 19th century.

Course readings consist of primary sources of Zen Buddhism, which are available in English translation. A wide range of texts will be read closely, from early manuscripts discovered in Dunhuang to contemporary works inspired by Zen Buddhism, supplemented by secondary scholarship. We also investigate how Zen Buddhism has been expressed in garden designing, poetry, tea ceremony, and as a way of life in contemporary Western society. A field trip to a Zen meditation center will be organized during the course.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS RELI
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Student Option
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (RELI-MN)(RELI)

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
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