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Titel
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Buddhism
This course provides an introduction to Buddhism with focus on its worldview, central beliefs, practices, and historical development. Students are introduced to Buddhism as both a philosophical and religious tradition and explore how Buddhism has developed differently across cultures and historical periods. Particular emphasis is placed on Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) and the role of Buddhism in a modern, secularized Western context.
The course begins with the life and legend of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, and examines how the Buddha narrative functions as both biography and religious model. Students gain insight into the historical origins of Buddhism in ancient India and the spread of Buddhist traditions throughout Asia and the Western world.
A central focus of the course is Buddhist cosmology and key concepts, including karma, samsara, nirvana, the Four Noble Truths, and dependent origination (the Twelve Linked Chain of Causation). Through textual analysis and class discussion, students explore Buddhist understandings of suffering, desire, rebirth, and liberation, as well as the practical and ethical implications of Buddhist teachings.
The course introduces the three main branches of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana) and examines similarities and differences in doctrine, ritual, and religious practice. Special attention is given to Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana), including its rituals, symbolic universe, attitudes toward death, and concepts of enlightenment. Students work with excerpts from the Tibetan Book of the Dead and analyze the Tibetan sky burial ritual as an example of Buddhist perspectives on impermanence, rebirth, and the body.
The course also addresses Buddhism in the modern world and examines how Buddhist ideas and practices have been adapted in secular and Western contexts. Students discuss contemporary representations of Buddhism as a “religion of peace” and reflect critically on the relationship between religion, violence, identity, and globalization.
Throughout the course, students apply concepts and methods from the academic study of religion, including textual analysis, ritual analysis, and historical contextualization. Emphasis is placed on understanding Buddhism as a diverse and dynamic tradition shaped by both historical development and modern reinterpretation.
Core Topics
The life and legend of the Buddha
The historical development and spread of Buddhism
The three major branches of Buddhism:
Theravada
Mahayana
Vajrayana
Core Buddhist concepts:
Karma
Samsara
Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths
The Twelve Linked Chain of Causation
Buddhist ethics and worldview
Buddhist rituals and religious practices
Tibetan Buddhism/Vajrayana traditions
Death, rebirth, and the Tibetan sky burial ritual
Buddhism in the West and secular Buddhism
Buddhism, peace, and violence in modern debate
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Explain the historical origins and development of Buddhism
Account for central Buddhist beliefs, concepts, and practices
Compare the three major branches of Buddhism
Analyze Buddhist texts and rituals using relevant terminology
Explain the significance of the Buddha in Buddhist tradition
Discuss Buddhist understandings of suffering, rebirth, and liberation
Reflect on the role of Buddhism in modern and secular societies
Apply key concepts and methods from the academic study of religion
Materials
Primary and Secondary Sources
The Buddha Legend (Text 1 in Horizon, pp. 265–266)
Anna von Sperling: “Buddhism is not only a religion of peace”, Information, 29 May 2009
(Horizon, Text 7, pp. 273–275)
Excerpt from the Tibetan Book of the Dead
(http://www.onelittleangel.com/wisdom/quotes/book.asp?mc=471)
Analysis of a Tibetan Sky Burial
YouTube documentary on the life of a Buddhist monk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUp4jUMIy68
Text book: English translation of: Ahle, Andersen, Hvithamer, Jensen: Horisont — Grundbog i religion, Gyldendal, 2013, pp. 244-264
Total sum of pp.: app. 30 pp.
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