Transregional travels to Bodhgaya in the Long First Millennium
Key information
- Date
- Time
-
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Venue
- Senate House, SOAS
- Room
- SALT (Alumni Lecture Theatre)
- Event type
- Lecture
About this event
Bodhgayā, the place of the Buddha’s awakening, is arguably one of the most prominent places in Buddhist history and imagination.
It was one of the four ‘Great Places’ (mahāsthāna) recommended for visits by the Buddha towards the end of his life (Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra); hence, it is not surprising that it very quickly became one of the major Buddhist pilgrimage places, not only visited by Indian monastics and laypeople but also, from at least the 4th century to the 12th century AD, by Chinese travellers and pilgrims. Some of these travellers wrote records or left inscriptions in situ. This lecture will give an overview of these sources and will trace the history of Bodhgayā reflected in them.
Attendance
This event is free and open to all.
Sponsor and organiser
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Lecture Series in Chinese Buddhism is kindly sponsored by the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation. It has been organised by the SOAS Centre of Buddhist Studies.
About the speaker
Max Deeg is Professor in Buddhist Studies at Cardiff University, Wales. His research focuses on the transmission process of Buddhism from India to China and, more specifically, on Chinese sources on India. He is preparing a new translation and commentary of Xuanzang’s Record of the Western Regions of the Great Tang (Datang Xiyu ji) and is one of the two PIs on the ongoing 'Xuanzang Trail' project in Bihar, India, which explores the Buddhist sites in Bihar mentioned in Xuanzang’s Record (supported and funded by the Bihar Heritage Development Society).
