This Fall (2006) the Buddhist Studies Seminar will resume its monthly series of public lectures with a stellar line-up of guest speakers. Starting September 21st, Joseph Walser will kick things off with a presentation of materials from his recently published book Nagarjuna in Context: Mahayana Buddhism & Early Indian Culture (Columbia Press, 2005). On October 5th David Gray will give a talk entitled "The Illumination of the Hidden Meaning: Tsong Khapa and the Art of Interpretation." (Gray is an alumnus of the Buddhist Studies program at Columbia, and his forthcoming translation of the Cakrasmvara Tantra will be published this Spring by the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. Later that month on the 26th, visiting scholar Yao Chongxin will present on Buddhist art and archaeology--"A Reexamination of Northern Qi Buddhist Stone Sculptures of Qingzhou, Shantong." And for our final meeting before the winter break, we are pleased to welcome Bernard Faure. Professor Faure has recently joined the faculty at Columbia University, and will be presenting a lecture entitled "The Silent Witnesses: Twin-Devas in East Asian Religions".
The Spring series will start in February with Serinity Young, Wendi Adamek, and Kevin Trainor.
The Buddhist Studies Seminar generally meets the third Thursday of every month at 5:30 in the Faculty House on the campus of Columbia University. If you would like to attend a session of the Buddhist Studies Seminar, please join our mailing list via the email field in the blue box in right hand column of this blog. And for a complete schedule of the fall series, please click here.
