This course aims at students without previous knowledge of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It provides an introduction to Mahāyāna Buddhism in the widest sense. After a brief look at the development of Buddhism in India after the death of the Buddha, this course concentrates on the historical, philosophical and religious origins of Mahāyāna Buddhism in India.

The period of Abhidharma Buddhism witnesses some of the most important and innovative development in Buddhist thoughts. Accordingly, familiarity with the doctrinal categories of the Abhidharma, and with at least some of the major issues debated in this period, is a sine qua non for a proper understanding of the history of Buddhist thoughts. Such a familiarity is also indispensable for the understanding of the doctrinal evolution in the Mahāyāna in its proper perspective.

The period of Abhidharma Buddhism is of great importance for a proper perspective of the development of Indian Buddhism in general. It was essentially in this period that Buddhist ‘philosophy’ first evolved. Traditionally, there were said to be eighteen Abhidharma schools, sometimes also referred to as the Hīnayāna schools. This course will begin with an outline of the historical evolution of these schools, highlighting the doctrinal controversies that led to

In all Tibetan Buddhist schools – Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug – practices are basically classified into Sūtra and Mantra paths. All four schools have instructive literature to both Sūtra and Mantra. The present course will survey the most elaborate Guide on Sūtra: Lam rim Chen mo (“A Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path”) produced by the founder of the Gelug School, Tsongkhapa Lobsan Drakpa (1357-1419), with references to the corresponding literature of other schools.