PHL 338 - Zen and Tibetan Buddhism

Course Units: 1

Mahayana Buddhist philosophy explains the nature of reality as emptiness, which means that the nature of reality is beyond (and thus empty of) words, concepts and characteristics. Mahayana Buddhism also regards compassion as the primary motivation for ethics. This course focuses on the metaphysical theories of two schools of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy: Chinese/Japanese Zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. The course examines Zen Buddhist theories of No-Self and the nature of mind that makes sudden enlightenment possible, as well as Tibetan Buddhist theories of interdependent arising and emptiness. This course is applicable to the Asian Studies and Religious Studies majors. CC: HUM, LCC