The aim of the course is to understand the notion of mind, mental processes and the role of meditation in mental development and the possibility of radical psychological transformation. Through a close reading of various primary sources from the Buddhist canon and a systematic study of the major elements of Buddhist psychology, we will explore the model of mind in Buddhist philosophy and the basic ideas of the theory of meditation in the Buddhist traditions in South and East Asia.

We will explore this question from a critical perspective and by relying on primary sources.           

Each class will be based on close reading of primary and secondary texts.

In the first part of the course we will explore Buddhist psychology and meditation practices (Mindfulness, Vipassana, Samadhi, Compassion), as they appear in the early Buddhist texts. In the second part of the course, we will study modern Buddhist interpretations of these practices, interpretations that came from a renewal of meditation practice in the early 20th century in Southeast Asia.