Buddhist Life Writing

Fall 2011

Buddhist Life Writing

Listed in: Asian Languages and Civilizations, as ASLC-252  |  Religion, as RELI-252

Faculty

Maria R. Heim (Section 01)

Description

(Offered as RELI 252 and ASLC 252) From the biographies of Gotama Buddha to the autobiographies of western converts, life writing plays a central role in teaching Buddhist philosophy, practice, history, and myth. This course explores the diverse forms and purposes of Buddhist life writing in the literary and visual cultures of India, Tibet, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Japan, and America. Reading the lives of eminent saints and laypersons, charismatic teachers, recluses, and political activists, the course aims to broaden understanding of how Buddhists have variously imagined the ideal life. We will pay particular attention to how literary and cultural conventions of genre guide the composition of lives.

Fall semester.  Professor M. Heim

Course times and locations

RELI 252 - L/D

Section 01
Tu 08:30 AM - 09:50 AM WEBS 220
Th 08:30 AM - 09:50 AM WEBS 220

Textbooks

Below are the textbooks used in this course, along with pricing information and availability at local bookstores. The price range shown is based upon queries to multiple online booksellers; click on the the price field to see detailed pricing information.

This is preliminary information about books for this course. Please contact your instructor or the Academic Coordinator for the department, before attempting to purchase these books.

ISBN	Title	Publisher	Author(s)	Price
9780061730450	That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row	HarperOne	Jarvis Jay Masters	From $6.63-$23.95
9780385527064	Confession of a Buddhist Atheist	Spiegel & Grau	Stephen Batchelor	From $10.58-$44.54
9780860132936	The Story of Gotama Buddha	Wisdom Publications (MA)	Jayawickrama, trans.	From $7.87-$71.95
9780143106227	The Life of Milarepa (Penguin Classics)	Penguin Classics	Tsangnyön Heruka	From $9.46-$22.01
9780813365992	The Silk Road Journey With Xuanzang	Westview Press	Sally Hovey Wriggins	From $9.71-$32.82
9780814716830	Handsome Nanda (Clay Sanskrit Library)	Clay Sanskrit	Ashvaghosha	From $21.38-$32.72
9780977924523	The Living Buddha: An Interpretive Biography (Soka Gakkai History of Buddhism)	Middleway Press	Ikeda, Daisaku	From $10.77-$28.27
9781888375671	Learning True Love: Practicing Buddhism in a Time of War	Parallax Press	Sister Chan Khong	From $8.32-$26.27

Offerings

2022-23: Not offered
Other years: Offered in Fall 2011, Spring 2014, Spring 2018