ASIAN 3320 - Buddhist Meditation Traditions

(crosslisted) RELST 3320
(ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG)

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

D. Boucher.

This course will examine both the practice of and the ideology surrounding forms of meditation in Buddhist traditions from South, Southeast, and East Asia in premodern and contemporary times. We will explore early canonical accounts of the practice as well as later formulations that emerged as central foci of specific sectarian traditions. We will also discuss some modern scientific explorations of meditation practice and its increasing role as a psychotherapeutic tool. (RL)