Columbia University in the City of New York · Courses
EARL GU
6 courses with the subject EARL GU, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
EARL GU4310LIFE WRIT/TIBET BUDDHIST LIT4.00
This course engages the genre of life writing in Tibetan Buddhist culture, addressing the permeable and fluid nature of this important sphere of Tibetan literature. Through Tibetan biographies, hagiographies, and autobiographies, the class will consider questions about how life-writing overlaps with religious doctrine, philosophy, and history. For comparative purposes, we will read life writing from Western (and Japanese or Chinese) authors, for instance accounts of the lives of Christian saints, raising questions about the cultural relativity of what makes up a life's story
CC/GS/SEAS: Partial Fulfillment of Global Core Requirement Through interdisciplinary theoretical approaches (mostly in the fields of religion, anthropology, literature, and history), this course engages the genre of writing about sacred space in Tibetan Buddhist culture, addressing the micro (built environment) and macro (natural environment) levels of this important sphere of Tibetan literature. Through Tibetan pilgrimage accounts, place (monasteries, temples, etc) based guidebooks, geographically focused biographies, and pictorial representations of place, the class will consider questions about how place-writing overlaps with religious practice, politics, and history. For comparative purposes, we will read place based writing from Western and other Asian authors, for instance accounts of the guidebooks to and inscriptions at Christian churches, raising questions about the cultural relativity of what makes up sacred space. Fall 2026: EARL GU4312 Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment EARL 4312 001/12172 Th 10:10am - 12:00pm 522c Kent Hall Gray Tuttle 4.00 27/25
Since Buddhism was introduced to Korea 1,600 years ago, the religion has had great impact on almost all aspects of the Korean society, making significant contributions to the distinct development of Korean culture. In this course, we will explore how Buddhism has influenced and interacted with various fields of Korean culture such as art, architecture, literature, philosophy, politics, religions, and popular culture. Buddhist scriptures, written in classical Chinese, with their colorful imaginations, have stimulated the development of Korean literature. Buddhist art, sculpture, and architecture have also catalyzed the Korean counterparts to bloom. The sophisticated philosophy and worldview of Buddhism, along with its diverse religious practices and rituals have added richness to the spiritual life of Korean people. Buddhism also attracted a significant number of followers, often playing important roles in politics. Throughout the course, we will not only investigate the influence of Buddhism on diverse aspects of Korean culture on their forms and at their depths, but also examine the interactions between Buddhism and other religions, as well as politics. Students will learn how Korean people have formed and reformed Korean culture through the medium of Buddhism
EARL GU4322Enlightenment or Salvation: Practices and Rituals of Korean Buddhism4
In this course, we will explore basic doctrines and practices of Korean Buddhism. Since Buddhism was first introduced to Korea 1,600 years ago, it has attracted and inspired almost all classes of people in the peninsula with its diverse and sophisticated philosophy and rituals. Korean Buddhists not only transformed this imported tradition to meet their own religious needs, but also contributed to the development of pan-East Asian Buddhist traditions such as Huayan/ Hwaŏm/ Kegon Buddhism. In this course, we will explore Hwaŏm and Sŏn as well as Maitreya and Amitābha worships and death rituals in Korea. In particular, we will examine how Korean Buddhists integrated Hwaŏm and Sŏn traditions into a unified system; how they developed unique Sŏn theories of meditation; and how devotional/ worship practices interacted the indigenous traditions of Korea. Throughout the course, we will also pay careful attention to the close interactions between Korean and other East Asian Buddhist traditions. Fall 2026: EARL GU4322 Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment EARL 4322 001/12173 T 4:10pm - 6:00pm 212d Lewisohn Hall Seong-Uk Kim 4 7/15
EARL GU4328Texts, Paintings, and Images of Korean Religions3.00
The course explores the doctrines, practices, and rituals of Korean religions through iconic texts, paintings, and images. The texts, paintings, and images that the course covers include ghost stories, doctrinal exegeses and charts, missionary letters, polemical and apologetic writings, catechism, folklores, and ritual paintings
Through interdisciplinary theoretical approaches (mostly in the fields of religion, anthropology, and history), this course examines THE key institution in Tibetan culture, namely monasteries. We will address the monastery from many different angles, from the physical infrastructure and soteriological justification to its governing documents as well as economic and educational roles
