Professors Michael Brose, Amanda Porterfield, and Robert Torry

Buddhism in America, RELI 2500 HI 57, 1:20-2:35 TTh, Spring 2002 Professors Michael Brose, Amanda Porterfield, and Robert Torry

Buddhism has played a role in American intellectual life since its discovery by Emerson and Thoreau in the 19th century. Today it is one of the fastest growing—and fastest changing—religious movements in the United States today. This course will explore Buddhism’s impact on American culture as well as some of the ways in which it has been transformed by American culture. The course will examine the historical development of American interest in Buddhism, focusing on the writings of D. T. Suzuki, the poets of Beat Zen, novels by J. D. Salinger and Peter Matthiessen, and several popular Buddhist films.

List of Readings

Available at the UW Bookstore:

William Barrett, Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki Klaus K. Klostermaier, Buddhism: A Short Introduction Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard J. D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey Carole Tonkinson (ed.), Big Sky Mind: Buddhism and the Beat Generation

Available for xeroxing, borrowing, in-library reading in the Hoyt Hall Library:

Amanda Porterfield, “Buddhism and the Deconstruction of Selfhood,” in The Transformation of American Religion Excerpts from Emily Dickinson, R. W. Emerson, and Mark Epstein in American Religious History, ed. Amanda Porterfield Excerpts from Bosho, Dogen, Bernard Glassman, Alan Watts

SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Tuesday January 22: Introduction and Little Buddha

Thursday January 24: Little Buddha cont.

**For more info. on Tibetan/Vajrayana Buddhism, see the following links: Quiet Mountain Vajrayana Buddha nature Tibet Shambhala Tuesday January 29: Amanda Porterfield, “Buddhism and the Deconstruction of Selfhood,” in The Transformation of American Religion

Thursday January 31: “Buddhism and the Deconstruction of Selfhood” cont. plus “Introduction” and Chapter One in Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki

Tuesday February 5: Klaus K. Klostermaier, Buddhism: A Short Introduction, Part I

Thursday February 7: Klostermaier, Part I, cont.

Tuesday February 12: Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard See the Map of Nepal for Matthiessen's journey

Thursday February 14: Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard, cont.

Tuesday February 19: catch-up

Thursday February 21: First papers due. Focusing on Little Buddha or The Snow Leopard, explain how (one or both of) these works address American readers, and present Buddhism to an American audience.

Tuesday February 26: Klostermaier, Part II

Thursday February 28: Poems from Bosho, Dogen et al

Tuesday March 5: Poems by Jack Kerouac in Big Sky Mind: Buddhism and the Beat Generation plus excerpt from R.W. Emerson, Nature

Thursday March 7: Poems by Allen Ginsberg in Big Sky Mind: Buddhism and the Beat Generation plus poems by Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson

Tuesday March 12: Poems by Gary Snyder in Big Sky Mind: Buddhism and the Beat Generation

Thursday March 14: Chapters 2-4 in Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki

Tuesday March 19: Chapters 5-7 in Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki

Thursday March 21: Chapters 8-10 in Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki

Tuesday & Thursday March 26 & 28 SPRING BREAK

Tuesday April 2: catch-up Thursday April 4: Second paper due. Papers should be 5-6 pages in length, typed double spaced, 12 pt. font with 1” margins. Paper topic: What about Suzuki’s Buddhism made it attractive to Americans, and stimulated their religious and artistic imaginations?

In class: Kundun

Tuesday April 9: Kundun, cont.

Thursday April 11: Klostermaier, Part III

Tuesday April 16: Klostermaier, Part III, cont.

Thursday April 18: Speaker(s) from Students for a Free Tibet

Tuesday April 23: Alan Watts, et al

Thursday April 25: Bernard Glassman, et al

Tuesday April 30: J.D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey

Thursday May 2: J.D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey, cont.

Tuesday May 7: Autumn in New York

Thursday May 9: Autumn in New York, cont.

Final, comprehensive take-home exam due Tuesday, May 14