Dr. David Gitomer
SAC 448
(773) 325-1282
dgitomer@condor.depaul.edu
http://www.depaul.edu/~dgitomer
Office hours: Monday 3:30-5 by appointment; other times by appointment, including before and after this class.

BROAD PURPOSES OF THE COURSE:
· To explore the worlds of Buddhism in its different cultural settings from its roots in ancient India through its development in South, Southeast and East Asia to its contemporary life in North America.
· To understand how Buddhism, like all religions, develops in a historical context, how it has influenced culture and is in turn shaped by culture.
· To learn the "language" of Buddhism, the terms and concepts in Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese that Buddhists use to explain their unique vision.
· To gain a sense of the lived experience of Buddhism through visits to and interactions with Buddhist communities in the Chicago area.

SPECIFIC APPROACHES:
The course will be historically oriented, in that the religions will be treated chronologically and developmentally, and thematically oriented, in that the unique qualities of Buddhism will be discussed in terms of the problems of existence and ultimate meaning faced by all peoples. Thus each class will combine lecture with discussion of particular texts, usually original sources. The role of the visual arts, particularly painting, sculpture and architecture in shaping and expressing Buddhism will also be stressed. Because of time limitations, the course is more oriented toward the development of the fundamental ideas and forms of Buddhism in South Asia (the Indian cultural region). Most of the characteristic forms of Buddhism developed in South Asia. Attention to Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism is limited to those forms of Buddhism which are distinct developments of those regions. Students are invited to investigate the Department's other offerings in the religion and culture of East Asia.