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Undergraduate Coursework in Buddhist Studies

For the major in Buddhist Studies, students are required to complete 36 senior-level credit points of BDST-coded or cross-listed units, including optional language units. Your pathway will be shaped by the conjunction of your particular interests and the available offerings.

The 36 senior-level credit points must include at least one of the two overview units: BDST2612 Buddhist Meditative Practices or BDST2611 Buddhist Philosophical Traditions. As an additional option, two senior-level Asian language units may count towards the major. Cross-listings are important components for this interdisciplinary major. Students may chose pathways focussed on particular geo-cultural areas, textual studies, cultural studies, or some combination thereof.

Junior Level:

  • BDST1602 Introduction to Buddhism

This unit is not a prerequisite for BDST senior units; it serves as an introduction to the topic for majors and students in other disciplines.

While BDST1602 would be an optimal First Year preparation for majors, BDST majors may enter the program with the grounding provided by First Year units in history, philosophy, religion, political science, sociology, anthropology, and/or the variety of Asian studies offerings (12 credit points from subject areas listed in Table A in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Handbook).

Senior Level:

  • BDST2612 Buddhist Meditative Practices
  • BDST2613 Zen and Chan Buddhism
  • BDST2614 Buddhist Lived Worlds
  • BDST2616 The Buddha’s Words
  • BDST2611 Buddhist Philosophical Traditions
  • BDST2615 Buddhism and Contemporary Issues

Cross-listings:
Units that are currently cross-listed with the Buddhist Studies major for 2013 are:

  • CHNS3607 Chinese Buddhist Texts
  • ASNS2626 Religious Traditions of South Asia
  • PALI2601 Pali Intermediate 1
  • PALI2602 Pali Intermediate 2
  • SANS2601 Sanskrit Intermediate 1
  • SANS2602 Sanskrit Intermediate 2
  • SANS3601 Sanskrit Advanced 1
  • SANS3602 Sanskrit Advanced 2
  • SANS2612 Sanskrit Research Preparation 1
  • SANS3612 Sanskrit Research Preparation 2

The Program plans to cross-list the following units in the future:

  • ASNS2627 India, China Tibet: Cultural Relations
  • ASNS2613 Chinese Thought
  • ASNS2620 Classical Indian Philosophy
  • ASNS2623 India: Tradition and Modernity
  • ASNS2625 Buddhism in Modern Asia
  • ARHT2641 Art and Archaeology of Southeast Asia
  • RLST2613 Philosophy of Religion: East and West

Language Options
Any two senior-level units in these language areas count toward the BDST major:

  • SANS Sanskrit
  • PALI Pali
  • CHNS Chinese
  • JPNS Japanese
  • KRNS Korean

Honours

The prerequisites for Honours is credit or above in 48 Senior credit points from BDST coded and cross-listed units including both BDST2611 (to be changed to 3000 level) and BDST2612 and a minimum of 2 senior units of study (totalling 12 senior level credit points) from any of the following languages: Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese (Classical or Modern), Japanese or Korean.

The following Honours units are offered:

  • BDST4001 Buddhist Studies Honours A
  • BDST4002 Buddhist Studies Honours B
  • BDST4003 Buddhist Studies Honours C
  • BDST4004 Buddhist Studies Honours D

Students may also take one Asian Studies or Studies in Religion Honours first semester (methodology) seminar.