RELI 281 - Life in a Buddhist Monastery

Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)

(Same as ASIA 281) Buddhist monasteries are complex, hierarchical spaces within which the monk or nun must learn to discipline their body, generate transferable merit, and come to a deeper understanding of life and death as realized through the daily routine of the monastery. Monastics are ordinary people living an extraordinarily alternative lifestyle. In this Intensive we explore the tensions between textual ideals and material lived lives within monastic space. Our readings include primary and secondary texts. In addition to the Community- Engaged Learning weekend spent at Tsechen Kunchab Ling, you also visit, as part of a research project, other Buddhist monasteries in the region and discover the continuities and discontinuities between monastic institutions. Michael Walsh.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Instructor: Students must write a short paragraph on why they want to take this intensive.

One 2-hour period.

Course Format: INT