Buddhist Enlightenment: Visions, Words, and Praxis
FYSEMR 62Z
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
How do you get enlightened? Is the Buddha a god or human? How many Buddhas are there in the world? How many celebrated enlightened women do we find in Buddhism? How do you know if someone is enlightened? And why does enlightenment matter? These are basic questions that even most recondite books of Buddhism often fail to answer.
This seminar looks at famous visual images of Buddhist enlightenment – not only iconographies of Buddhist divinities, but also architecture, gardens, ritual instruments, and maps of the world – and using them as our gateways to study narratives, parables, metaphors, and theories that explain what enlightenment is, how to attain enlightenment, and how to retain it in one’s everyday life.
The seminar encourages students to apply their understanding of Buddhist enlightenment as a way to better appreciate their own religious traditions and/or spiritual identities for the sake of enriching their inner selves as well as their social interactions.
NOTE: There will be two class tours built into the seminar. One is to visit Harvard’s Digital Buddhist Art Museum (CAMLab) which is hosting this fall a new exhibition on the Buddhist enlightenment as it is expressed in various Asian Buddhist art. The other will be a trip to Harvard’s hidden treasure, the authentic Japanese tearoom at 5 Bryant Street where we try Zen and Esoteric Buddhist meditations with correct breathing and visualization techniques - on the tatami mat and in the muted light filtered through the shoji screens. Dates of the two outings are TBA. They will be indicated on the syllabus, which will be published by the end of June. There is no cost to students.
Class Notes
First-Year Seminars are available only to first-year students. You may apply to both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 First-Year Seminars via the FYS lottery between July 6 and August 6, 2026 at 11:59PM-midnight.
You may apply to as many seminars each term as you would like, but we recommend you apply to at least six in fall and three in spring.
As part of your application, you must provide a brief statement on why you are interested in each seminar. You will be notified of lottery results for both fall and spring seminars at 5 pm on August 11. If you are unsuccessful in the lottery, you may still join any seminar with open seats. A list of open seminars and instructions on next steps will be available on the First-Year Seminar Program website August 11 at 12 Noon.
Not Available for Cross Registration
