Introduction to Indian Buddhism

This introduction to Indian Buddhism examines methods of learning, the philosophy of education, metaphysics and ethics, and the relationship between philosophy and practice (between abstract thought and embodied life) as developed across the four schools that have shaped Buddhist philosophy worldwide. No prior knowledge of Buddhism is expected or required, nor is any existing commitment to Buddhism. The course does not require students to resist, abandon, or modify whatever religious, philosophical, or moral traditions they currently hold. We will begin with the simplest secular, non-denominational meditation technique, understood as a prerequisite for genuine education in ancient Greece, China, and India and continuing in various forms to the present day. We will then memorize a four-line poem by Jñānaśrīmitra (fl. 975–1025 C.E.) that encodes the entire evolution of Indian Buddhist philosophy. Along with introducing the philosophical content of these verses, we wil l examine how their grammar and language embody the distinctive way of thinking and living associated with the worldview they articulate, demonstrating what it might mean to put abstract philosophical ideas into practice. We will conclude with a discussion, so this is not really a drop-in, drop-out event. It is a come-at-the-beginning-and-stay-till-the-end kind of event.