Buddhism in the West - ARL100403

• Title: Buddhism in the West
• Guaranteed by: Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies (21-UFAR)
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Actual: from 2024
• Semester: summer
• Points: 0
• E-Credits: 5
• Examination process: summer s.:
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited / unknown (unknown)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment
• Guarantor: Dr. phil. Joseph Chadwin
• Teacher(s): Dr. phil. Joseph Chadwin
• Class: A – Mezioborová nabídka VP: Filosofie, náboženství

Annotation

In this course we will examine Buddhism in the Western world. We will cover its gradual introduction and spread to its current state. By exploring the various manifestations of Buddhism in the West as well as the question of how Buddhism has been affected by Western religions, we will also discuss the nature of Buddhism and religion itself and tackle some major questions related to the overall study of religion: At what point does Buddhism stop being Buddhism? Why is Buddhism so commonly seen as a philosophy and not a religion in the West but not the East? Can the term “Buddhism” be misleading? Are the terms “East” and “West” useful when it comes to examining Buddhism and religion in general?

Last update: Chadwin Joseph, Dr. phil. (13.01.2025)

Course completion requirements

Students can choose between either a written essay or an oral exam. The exam will be fully based on lecture content and students will not be expected to carry out additional reading.

Last update: Chadwin Joseph, Dr. phil. (13.01.2025)

Literature

Please note that these are not required reading but are for students who wish to deepen their understanding of the subject. The exam will be fully based on lecture content. All lectures will be recorded and all lecture slides will be made available.

-Batchelor, Stephen. 2015. The Awakening of the West: The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture. Brattleboro: Echo Point Books & Media.

-Baumann, Martin. 1995. “Creating a European path to Nirvâna: Historical and contemporary developments of Buddhism in Europe.” Journal of Contemporary Religion, 10 (1), pp. 55-70.

-Chadwin, Joseph and Lukas K. Pokorny. 2021 “Chinese Buddhism in Austria.” In Hans Gerald Hödl, Astrid Mattes, and Lukas Pokorny, eds. Religion in Austria, Volume 6. Vienna: Praesens Verlag, 113–160.

-Garfield, Jay L. “Buddhism in the West.” Online: https://info-buddhism.com/Buddhism_in_the_West_Jay_Garfield.html

-Lenoir, Frédéric Lenoir. 1999. The Adaptation of Buddhism to the West. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

-Prebish, Charles S. and Martin Baumann, eds. 2002. Westward Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Asia. Berkeley: University of California Press.

-Wilson, Jeff. 2012. Dixie Dharma: Inside a Buddhist Temple in the American South. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.

Last update: Chadwin Joseph, Dr. phil. (14.01.2025)

Requirements to the exam

The exam will be fully based on lecture content. All lectures will be recorded and all lecture slides will be made available.

Last update: Chadwin Joseph, Dr. phil. (14.01.2025)

Syllabus

1. Introduction

2. Buddhism in the Nineteenth Century

3. Buddhism in the Twentieth Century

4. Buddhist Orders in the West

5. Buddhism and Spirituality

6. The Portrayal of Buddhism in the West

7. Buddhism in the Czech Republic

8. Buddhism and Education

9. Buddhism and Mindfulness

10. The Impact of the West on Eastern Buddhism

Last update: Chadwin Joseph, Dr. phil. (13.01.2025)