RLBcB548 Buddhism in Central Asia

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2021
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s) (plus 1 for the colloquium). Recommended Type of Completion: z (credit). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Taught online.
Teacher(s)
Tibor Porció (lecturer), Mgr. Jana Valtrová, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Valtrová, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Ivona Vrzalová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 2. 3. to Tue 4. 5. Tue 18:00–19:30 VP
Prerequisites
The language of instruction is English. Proficiency in any Central Asian language is not required. Students are expected to engage in on-line class discussion.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 35 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 1/35, only registered: 0/35, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/35
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 14 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Buddhism has played a significant role in the historical and cultural interrelations of the Central Asian peoples. Yet, scholarship on Central Asian Buddhism remains somewhat terra incognita for non-specialist Buddhologists and general readers. In terms of geography the course is designed to cover “Serindia” (a term coined by Aurel Stein); and, historically-chronologically, from the early Middle Ages to the end of the Yuan Dynasty. In its first part the course offers an introduction to the history of the expansion of Buddhism in "Serindia" and along the Silk Roads. Then it explores the long and complex historical process that shaped the Turkic-Uyghur Buddhism and its literature. Finally, the political, social and cultural developments in Central Asia will be discussed and analyzed, which, from the 13th century onwards, were to an increasing degree influenced by contacts between Tibetans, Mongols, Uyghurs and Chinese.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students will be able: - to understand the history of Buddhism in Central Asia in the studied period, - to understand the key terms of the Buddhist doctrine of this period, - to understand the current state of scholarship in this field.
Syllabus
  • 1. “Serindia” and its distinct areas. (2. 3.) 2. A History of Buddhism in Central Asia: the Early Period (100 BC–850 AD) (9.3.) 3. Buddhism among the Parthians (16. 3.) 4. Buddhism in Bactria (23. 3.) 5. Buddhism in Sogdiana and among Sogdians (30. 3.) 6. Buddhism in the Tarim Basin (6. 4.) 7. Peoples and empires in the northern steppe (13. 4.) 8. Buddhism among the Türks (20. 4.) 9. Buddhism among the Uyghurs 1 (27. 4.) 10. Buddhism among the Uyghurs 2 (4. 5.)
Literature
    recommended literature
  • The spread of Buddhism. Edited by Ann Heirman - Stephan Peter Bumbacher. Leiden: Brill, 2007, viii, 474. ISBN 9789004158306. info
Teaching methods
The language of instruction is English. Proficiency in any Central Asian language is not required. Students are expected to engage in class discussion.
Assessment methods
All students are expected to prepare for lectures by reading selected texts and actively participate in class discussions (20% of assessment). 80% of assessment comprises of a written exam, different for BA and MA levels respectively - essay (3-5 pages).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
Teacher's information
Reading list: Porció, Tibor. 2015. The Turkic Peoples of Central Asia and Buddhism. Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia 8/2: pp. 15-42. Tremblay, X. 2007. The Spread of Buddhism in Serindia – Buddhism among Iranians, Tocharians and Turks before the 13th Century. In: The Spread of Buddhism. Eds: A. Heirman and S.P. Bumbacher. Brill, Leiden, Boston, pp. 75–129. Wilkens, Jens. 2016. Buddhism in the West Uyghur Kingdom and Beyond. In: Transfer of Buddhism Across Central Asian Networks (7th to 13th Centuries). Ed: C. Meinert. Brill, Leiden, Boston, pp. 191–249.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2021/RLBcB548