RELG 320 - Introduction to Buddhism (3 credits)

This course provides an introduction to the diverse Buddhist traditions of the world through a study of theories, practices, images, and social settings. It begins with an examination of stories of the life of Buddha and the religious-political situation in India at the time his ideas began to flourish. It also follows the development of later Buddhism in India and its manifestations as Theravada traditions of Southeast Asia. It also examines Buddhism’s development of a Mahayana and Tantric traditions in Tibet and East Asia.