THEO-060 Buddhist Perspectives on Death and Dying

Faculty:

Bogin, Benjamin

“Whatever is subject to origination is subject to cessation.”
This course will explore the concept of death and the process of dying in Buddhist thought. Beginning with a brief introduction to Buddhist theories of life, death, and rebirth, we will move on to consider the place of death in the philosophical, literary, ritual, and artistic traditions of Buddhism. Specific topics to be discussed include death in the life-story of Buddha Shakyamuni, contemplation of corpses in the early monastic tradition, near-death journeys to hells and other worlds, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Zen funerary traditions, the deathbed practices of Pure Land Buddhists, and the contemporary Buddhist hospice movement. Readings will consist of primary texts in translation supplemented by secondary literature concerning Buddhist perspectives on death and dying

Credits: 3.00

Prerequisites: None

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2008-2009 Fall and Spring
• 2009-2010 Fall and Spring
• 2010-2011 Fall and Spring
• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring

More information
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