Home > Activities > "Esoteric" Buddhism and the Polemics of Superiority in Medieval Sinitic Buddhism

a public event

"Esoteric" Buddhism and the Polemics of Superiority in Medieval Sinitic Buddhism

Center for Buddhist Studies Colloquium Series with RICHARD MCBRIDE

Wednesday, November 12, 2003
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
UCLA
243 Royce Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Richard McBride
Religious Studies, Pomona College

The concept of mijiao (Jpn. mikkyo), literally "esoteric teaching," has a long history in scholarship on medieval Sinitic Buddhism. But far from being a descriptive term for what scholars presently call "Esoteric Buddhism," it is a polemical term related to the rhetoric of the superiority of the Mahayana. Looking at how "esoteric teaching" and its mate "exoteric teaching" are employed in Buddhist literature can help us understand why the existence of "Esoteric Buddhism" in the Sinitic world is difficult to demonstrate.

Rick McBride is Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Pomona College. A native of Los Angeles, he earned his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at UCLA in 2001 with a dissertation on "Buddhist Cults in Silla Korea in their Northeast Asian Context."  Dr. McBride has published several articles on aspects of Korean Buddhism, religion, and culture.  He is also a member of the international translation team for the "Collected Works of Wonhyo" project.  Dr. McBride has taught previously as a lecturer at UCLA and UC Irvine, and was Visiting Assistant Professor of Chinese Religions at the University of Iowa from 2002-2003.

To keep up with Asia-related events in Southern California, visit the calendar section of the Asia Institute website. If you would like to receive a weekly email newsletter listing Asia-focused events, please send your name and email address to asia@international.ucla.edu.

Sponsor(s): Center for Buddhist Studies, Asia Institute