Buddhism

The graduate program in Buddhist Studies examines the Buddhist tradition in all of its diversity. Brook Ziporyn's research focuses on Mahayana Buddhism. He studies the metaphysical, axiological and epistemological developments in Chinese thought and religion, and also works on comparative philosophical issues emerging from the encounter between Indo-European and Sinitic thinking as evidenced in Chinese Buddhism, especially Tiantai, and the implications of this encounter for contemporary thought.   George Bond works on Theravada Buddhism.  He focuses on both classical Theravada thought as found in the Tipitaka and the contemporary interpretations of Theravada.  He studies colonial and post-colonial interpretations of Theravada in Sri Lanka. Sarah Jacoby’s research focuses on Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. She studies Buddhist doctrine and ritual in practice, specializing in the Tibetan tradition of scriptural revelation, Tibetan biography and autobiography, the role of women and sexuality in Tibetan Buddhism, and Eastern Tibetan area studies.

Students in this program are expected to do significant work in an affiliated department, usually Anthropology, History, or Art History. 

Resources at Northwestern are complemented by those at other institutions in the area.  Students in this field have taken courses and seminars at the University of Chicago and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Normally applicants should have a good reading knowledge of either Chinese, Sanskrit, or Tibetan before entering the program.  Before completing the program, a student must pass exams in one of these classical languages and also, if working in Theravada, an exam in Pali.  In addition one must pass exams in two modern languages. Other languages may be required after candidacy, depending on the focus of a student's research. 

Core Faculty

• George Bond
• Sarah Jacoby
• Brook Ziporyn

Support Faculty

• Antonio Terrone