REL 260 - Zen Buddhism and Meditation

Course Units: 1

This course is an overview of the advent and development of Zen (Chinese: Chan), a form of Buddhism centered on the practice of meditation. Using both primary and secondary sources, we cover the premodern origins of Buddhist meditation in India, the institutionalization of Chan in China, and its subsequent transnational journey throughout Japan, East Asia and the world. We consider the influence of Zen on the modern mindfulness movement and on widespread secular interest in meditation and wellness. Major subthemes include the question of religious experience; history and genealogy; Zen theories of language; Zen modernism and its influence in psychology, neuroscience and medicine. Throughout the course, we highlight the continual processes of translation, change and adaptation that have characterized Zen Buddhism since its beginning. CC: LCC, HUM ISP: AIS