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Visual and literary narrative traditions about the life of the Buddha, and the influence of these narratives on Buddhist belief and practice.
This paper is an exploration of the visual and literary narrative traditions about the life of the Buddha and the influence of these narratives on Buddhist belief and practice. Students will read biographical materials from the Tripiß?¡aka, the early Indian biographies of the Buddha, and the vernacular biographical traditions of East and Southeast Asia (in English translation). Students will also work with visual images (sculpture and two-dimensional works) of the Buddha from South, Southeast and East Asia.
| Paper title | Life of the Buddha: Text and Iconography |
|---|---|
| Paper code | RELS328 |
| Subject | Religious Studies |
| EFTS | 0.1500 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2020 |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $904.05 |
| International Tuition Fees (NZD) | $3,954.75 |
- Prerequisite
- One 200-level RELS or RELX paper
- Restriction
- RELS 428, RELX 328, RELX 428
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music, Theology
- Notes
- May not be credited together with RELS 333 or 458 passed in 2009 or 2011.
- Contact
- Dr Elizabeth Guthrie-Higbee: elizabeth.guthrie-higbee@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
View more information on the Religion website: www.otago.ac.nz/religion
- Teaching staff
- Dr Elizabeth Guthrie-Higbee
- Paper Structure
- Assessment:
- Five marked tutorial contributions 25%
- One 2,500-word essay 25%
- Final two-hour examination 50%
- Teaching Arrangements
- Campus: Weekly lectures.
Distance: Online discussion. - Textbooks
- A coursebook has been developed for this paper (which includes readings from Buddhist texts, in English translation).
- Course outline
- View sample course outline for RELS328
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- On successful completion of the paper students should be able to
- Demonstrate knowledge of the origins and development of scriptural and visual narratives about the life of the Buddha in India during the first centuries CE
- Be familiar with the modes of transmission of these scriptural and visual narratives to Southeast and East Asia during the first millennium CE
- Present and share research on the life of the Buddha within a peer group in a constructive manner
