ASIAN 3353 - Mysticism in Chinese Religion

(crosslisted) RELST 3353
(GHB) (CA-AS)

Fall. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

D. Boucher.

This course will examine techniques of spiritual cultivation in both the Daoist and Buddhist traditions of China. In particular we will compare and contrast methods which focus on the manipulation of bodily energies and fluids, particularly in the early and medieval Daoist traditions, with the Buddhist emphasis on cognitive transformation, particularly in the Chan school. Some of our discussion will also look at the debates on the nature of mystical states as “pure consciousness events” on the one hand, or culturally-specific constructions on the other. (RL)