Buddhism and the Arts

Buddhism and arts have long been intimately related. In this course, we will explore various artistic expressions of Buddhist ideas, such as mandalas, gardens, landscapes, and musical liturgies. We will further study iconography and Buddhist sculptures. We will study primary sources, secondary literature, visual culture, and multimedia expressive forms through class discussions, presentations, field trips, and guest lecturers. Undergraduates must enroll for 5 units; graduate students can enroll for 3-5 units. Note: This is a graduate /upper level seminar with a high reading load. Prerequisites: Solid foundation in either Buddhist studies or East Asian Studies. Students must have taken at least one course in Buddhist studies. Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units. This course will be in East Asia Library, room 212.