ASN 5017 TIBETAN RELIGIONS & CULTURE
Exploring the thought and practices of Tibetan people, this course gives particular attention to the religious and cultural forces that have come to define a Tibetan identity. We will discuss the pre-Buddhist indigenous shamanic tradtion of Bon, the assimilation of Indian Buddhism by the Tibetans, the history and geography of Tibet as a cultural domain, and modern western perceptions of Tibet. In seeking to understand the Tibetan identity, we will develop ongoing conversations around central themes such as the ritual life of Tibetan Buddhism, philosophical thought and literature in Tibet, and the role of monasticism in Tibetan culture.