This course examines the development of Buddhism in the West, a process that began with Westerners encountering Buddhism in Asia, led to Asian Buddhists coming to propagate Buddhism in the West, and is now resulting in the development of new forms of Buddhism that are distinctly Western, so much so, in fact, that whether they continue to qualify as Buddhist is an open question. A key focus of the course will be specific teacher-student lineages spanning generations, which will help to throw some of the key factors in the historical development of Western Buddhism into relief. The course will also focus on some of the seminal texts of Western Buddhism. Here our concern will be the dynamic intellectual culture at work behind and with Western Buddhism, which has been highly influential even outside of Buddhist circles [3 credits]
This course examines the development of Buddhism in the West, a process that began with Westerners encountering Buddhism in Asia, led to Asian Buddhists coming to propagate Buddhism in the West, and is now resulting in the development of new forms of Buddhism that are distinctly Western, so much so, in fact, that whether they continue to qualify as Buddhist is an open question. A key focus of the course will be specific teacher-student lineages spanning generations, which will help to throw some of the key factors in the historical development of Western Buddhism into relief. The course will also focus on some of the seminal texts of Western Buddhism. Here our concern will be the dynamic intellectual culture at work behind and with Western Buddhism, which has been highly influential even outside of Buddhist circles [3 credits]
