Buddhist Practice

Though Buddhism has often been described as belonging more to the category of "philosophical system" than "religious tradition," the rich and varied ritual traditions of the Mahayana and Tibetan varieties of Buddhism underscore the fact that, for the vast majority of Buddhist practitioners, what it means to be a Buddhist has little to do with the "philosophical" concerns of the literate monastic community.* The lessons below are designed to introduce students to the multifaceted world of Buddhist ritual in the Himalayas as a counterpoint to their "philosophical" study of Buddhist scripture and ideas.

Lesson 1: Buddhist Iconography. This lesson is designed to introduce students to the iconography of Himalayan Buddhist art while encouraging them to reflect on the function and meaning of that art in the lives of practitioners.

Lesson 2: Ephemeral Art. This lesson provides a powerpoint presentation and accompanying reflection question on the production of sand mandalas and butter sculptures in Tibet and encourages students to understand the role of art in Buddhist practice.

*Special thanks to Dr. Todd Lewis for opening my eyes to this elegantly simple, yet essential and meaningful concept for approaching comparative religions.