Introduction to Buddhism

Introduction to Buddhism is a clear, practical guide to Buddhist history, ideas, traditions, and everyday practice with Professor Daniel Martin. This Religion & Spirituality course helps students understand where Buddhism began, what it teaches, how it developed across cultures, and how its insights can be applied thoughtfully in modern life.

Explore Buddhist History, Teachings, Traditions, And Practice

• Build a strong foundation in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the meaning of Buddha, and the origins of Buddhist thought.
• Understand core teachings such as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, karma, rebirth, dependent arising, and nirvana.
• Compare major Buddhist traditions, including Theravada, Mahayana, Zen, Pure Land, Tibetan Buddhism, and Vajrayana practice.
• Connect Buddhist ethics, meditation, compassion, symbols, rituals, and modern applications to everyday life.

A clear, practical guide to Buddhist history, ideas, traditions, and everyday practice with Professor Daniel Martin.

In Introduction to Buddhism, students move step by step through the foundations of one of the world’s most influential Religion & Spirituality traditions. The course begins with the world before Buddhism, the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the meaning of awakening, and the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

From there, Professor Daniel Martin explains the central ideas that shape Buddhist philosophy and practice. Students examine the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, impermanence, suffering, no-self, karma, rebirth, dependent arising, and nirvana in a way that is accessible without oversimplifying the depth of the tradition.

The course also introduces Buddhist practice and discipline, including meditation, mindfulness, concentration, ethics, compassion, the Five Precepts, and the relationship between monastic and lay life. Students will see how Buddhist teachings are preserved through scripture and oral tradition, and how different communities have interpreted and lived these teachings over time.

Across lessons on Theravada, Mahayana, Zen, Pure Land, Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana practice, Buddhist art, symbols, rituals, pilgrimage, and Buddhism in the modern world, students gain a broad and balanced view of the tradition. By the end of this Introduction to Buddhism course, students will be able to discuss Buddhist history and ideas with greater confidence, recognize major traditions and practices, and reflect more clearly on how Buddhist perspectives can inform everyday life.