Lecture series | Buddhism

12 June 2025 Report

THIS COURSE WAS IN DUTCH | Who was Buddha? What is Buddhism? Is Buddhism as we know it here the same as Buddhism in Asia? Learn all about Buddhism from the inspiring religion scholar Paul van der Velde in a series of six sessions. With his in-depth knowledge and colourful anecdotes, he will take you on a journey of discovery. Sign up for this series of lectures and see Buddhism in a new perspective.

May - June 2025 | Location: Elinor Ostrom Building| Radboud Reflects |This course has been rated with an average score of 9.

Check the announcement

Retrospect

This course is very comprehensive and thorough, and calls for a follow-up.
It was a very interesting course with beautiful stories. The stories were presented in such a way as to hold your attention. It was also nice to have objects to look at.
The teacher was very charismatic. I learned a lot. Having read the book beforehand made it easier to distinguish between all the terms. I gained a very broad and honest picture of Buddhism.
I would like to pay special compliments to the teacher for his committed, unique and positively detached way of looking at things. He is not trying to "find the truth", but rather to identify all the "ins and outs".

Announcement

Buddhism in the West

In Western societies, we know Buddhism through Zen meditation or mindfulness exercises. But the world of Buddhism is more than the 'anti-stress religion' that the West likes to portray. It is a religion with a rich tradition, which is not always as peaceful as one might think.

History and practice

What is the history of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha? And what are the Buddha's teachings? Buddhism originated in what is now India and Nepal. Today, however, the religion can be found throughout a great part of Asia, and there are many different Buddhist movements in the West.

This ancient religion has a rich tradition that has evolved over time and developed regional characteristics. In addition to organised religious expressions in monastic communities, there is everyday Buddhism for lay people. What is the relationship between these two worlds? And are there any differences between how men and women participate in the Buddhist religion?

Are you curious about the life of the Buddha and the history of Buddhism? And would you like to know more about the practice and current state of Buddhism? Then sign up for this series and take a seat in the lecture halls!

Programme

History: Buddhism originated in a specific context in India. In this session we will look at the history of ancient India. We do not have a biography of the Buddha, but we do have an idealised life story.
The Teachings of the Buddha: The teachings of ancient Buddhism are the focus of this session. These teachings were strongly influenced by the context in which the Buddha lived.
The Soul, Karma and the Universe: Further developments: Buddhism has specific views on the human 'soul', karma and the universe.
Mahayana and Vajrayana: Over time, new schools emerged: Mahayana (including Zen) and Vajrayana. They are sometimes very different from ancient Buddhism.
Practices: The practices of Buddhism are varied, from worshipping the Buddha statue to meditation and pilgrimage.
The West: Developments in the West. The West has its own forms of Buddhism, of 'practice'. Western esotericism, especially Theosophy, plays an important role here.

Teacher

Paul van der Velde is Professor of Comparative Religious Studies, specialising in Asian religions, at Radboud University. He is known as an inspiring storyteller. He regularly travels to Asia. His lectures are therefore full with anecdotes. He will undoubtedly bring one of his many statues to the meetings.

Contact information

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Organizational unit: Radboud Reflects