14233
Seminar
WiSe 22/23: Buddhism, Daoism, and the Daode jing: the Reception of Buddhism in China
Friederike Assandri
Comments
Buddhism, originating in India, was introduced in China around the first century CE and in the following centuries spread to all levels of society. In the process it affected Chinese religion and philosophy profoundly, and at the same time underwent enormous changes itself, with developments like for example Zen Buddhism, so well-known in the West today.
The ancient Daode jing, the classic of the way and the virtue, a foundational text of Daoism said to have been authored by Laozi played an extraordinary role in this reception of Buddhism in China.
Not only was its terminology borrowed in the earlier translations of Buddhist scriptures, and it’s presumed author Laozi in some circles equated with the Buddha, it also served as an important vehicle to transport Buddhist concepts into Chinese philosophy: medieval Daoist thinkers like especially Cheng Xuanying (7th century) wrote commentaries that integrated foreign Buddhist thought into the reading of the Daode jing, thus entering those concepts from foreign, Indian, Buddhist intellectual environment into more mainstream Chinese philosophy.
We will study the Daode jing as a philosophical and religious text, and follow its interpretations and interactions with Buddhism through the medieval period.
close
16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Tue, 2022-10-18 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-10-25 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-01 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-08 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-15 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-22 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-29 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-12-06 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-12-13 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-03 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-10 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-17 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-24 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-31 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-02-07 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-02-14 10:00 - 12:00