Buddhism in Tibet
- Course Code:
- 15PSRH008
- Unit value:
- 0.5
- Year of study:
- Any
- Taught in:
- Term 1
The second segment deals with Tibetan ritual practice and addresses such topics as ritual structures, ritual typologies, initiations, consecrations and the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon.
The third area of study centres around Tibetan Buddhist doctrines. It examines, in some detail, the positions of the various schools and assesses their respective literary contributions to Tibetan Buddhist thought.
In the fourth segment, emphasis will shift to the socio-political sphere, investigating the impact of Buddhism on Tibetan society, in particular with reference to institutional monasticism. Each of these segments will include analyses of some of the more salient features of the Buddhist culture of Tibet, including the practice and concepts of meditation, re-incarnation, spiritual lineage, guru-disciple relationship as well as the social and political manifestations of religious government.
Objectives and learning outcomes of the course
This course aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to Tibetan Buddhism.
At the end of the course students:
- will have acquired a sound foundation in the historical, doctrinal and sociological dimensions of Tibetan Buddhism;
- will be equipped with a basic knowledge of the various Buddhist traditions of Tibet, their history, doctrinal differences and manifold socio-political spheres of influence;
In addition, by shedding light on the close links that existed between the religious and political authorities in traditional Tibetan society, students will have become sensitised to the religious and political issues that affect the relationship between the current Tibetan authorities and their counterparts in the People Republic of China.
