Course Resources Archive

This module introduces students to the broad range of beliefs and practices within Buddhist and Hindu traditions. The module combines historical overviews with a study of the doctrinal, devotional and social aspects of Indian Religions. Students will work on primary Buddhist and Hindu texts in translation, as well as a range of secondary material.

Opening with a historical examination of the origins of Vedic Hinduism, the course will guide students through the complexities of Hindu belief and practice. As part of this an examination of the nature of Hinduism itself will take place – problematising the notion that the term 'Hinduism' is a useful one, or that it refers to a single religious faith. The Buddhism material opens by examining the life of the historical Buddha – and the context in which his teachings emerged. As well as introducing students to the basic concepts of Buddhist belief, the history of how these ideas have been interpreted will allow us to move into examining a number of key types of Buddhism. The course will address Theravada, Mahayana, Tantric and Zen Buddhism. Beyond Buddhism and Hinduism, we shall also note the emergence of Jain and Sikh traditions.

A student passing this module should be able to:

1. Demonstrate that they have gained an insight, which they can express, into Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, as well as a sense of the religion's social and historical development 

1. Articulate the influence of Hindu and Buddhist ideas on contemporary Western intellectual and popular cultures.

1. Show a familiarity with the required terminology, and a range of basic Sanskrit and Pali terms.

1. Critique the notion of what a religion consists of through a study of Hinduism and Buddhism.

1. Navigate their way through primary Buddhist and Hindu texts in translation, identify they key issues therein, and place the text in a broader context.

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.