MLA Commons | James A Benn | Activity https://mla.hcommons.org/members/jamesabenn/activity/ Activity feed for James A Benn. Sat, 04 Apr 2026 16:15:14 -0400 https://buddypress.org/?v=10.6.0 en-US 30 hourly 2 1ea71e3753e0a630240f4040208a0d21 James A Benn deposited “‘Action Buddhism’ in the Medieval Chinese Empire,” in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1894296/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 03:00:26 -0400 This essay will focus mostly on the Tang dynastic empire (618–907 CE), a “second
wave” empire as defined in the Introduction to this volume, and its relations with
Buddhism, although it will be necessary to say something about earlier Chinese dynasties
and about other religions. As we shall see, an awareness of history permeates
the relat…[Read more]

]]> 0 89d8ec1a85d11432585d459cff29f596 James A Benn deposited “‘Action Buddhism’ in the Medieval Chinese Empire,” in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1894295/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 03:00:25 -0400 This essay will focus mostly on the Tang dynastic empire (618–907 CE), a “second
wave” empire as defined in the Introduction to this volume, and its relations with
Buddhism, although it will be necessary to say something about earlier Chinese dynasties
and about other religions. As we shall see, an awareness of history permeates
the relat…[Read more]

]]> 0 f1373b0fccd123da762614f8c2dd6933 James A Benn deposited “Is Buddhist Self-Immolation a Form of Asceticism?” in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1894294/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 03:00:17 -0400 I am grateful for this opportunity to revisit some issues that remain
unresolved after my earlier publications on Buddhist self-immolation.

]]> 0 433029aa4d35c2e71a7cfb51c32979a5 James A Benn deposited “Is Buddhist Self-Immolation a Form of Asceticism?” in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1894293/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 03:00:16 -0400 I am grateful for this opportunity to revisit some issues that remain
unresolved after my earlier publications on Buddhist self-immolation.

]]> 0 715797b49000554d3a2b87090d635fce James A Benn deposited “Some East Asian Buddhist Attitudes Towards non-Buddhist Practitioners in India,” in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1894292/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 03:00:03 -0400 Abstract: The early eighth-century Chinese Buddhist apocryphal scripture
known as Lengyan jing or Śūraṃgama sūtra contains some vivid and
lengthy descriptions of demonic states that may arise for the practitioner in
deep states of meditation. In some of these states, the practitioner is said to
experience profound mis-perceptions of real…[Read more]

]]> 0 5d7ecb41e0f97d3b1663d97efdd785bb James A Benn deposited “Some East Asian Buddhist Attitudes Towards non-Buddhist Practitioners in India,” in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1894291/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 03:00:01 -0400 Abstract: The early eighth-century Chinese Buddhist apocryphal scripture
known as Lengyan jing or Śūraṃgama sūtra contains some vivid and
lengthy descriptions of demonic states that may arise for the practitioner in
deep states of meditation. In some of these states, the practitioner is said to
experience profound mis-perceptions of real…[Read more]

]]> 0 1a4c4705317f203981f385de3ffca5c9 James A Benn deposited “Princess Miaoshan, Self-immolator?” in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893757/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:00:34 -0400 In this paper, I offer a new reading of the popular narrative of
Princess Miaoshan in Chinese religion, placing it within the larger context
of self-immolation as found in Buddhist narratives and the actions of selfimmolators.
The acts of extreme violence done to Miaoshan by her father
and herself (she stabs the inside of her mouth with a…[Read more]

]]> 0 1ffcf22f200c105f1d3c1ac74ce68ba5 James A Benn deposited “Princess Miaoshan, Self-immolator?” in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893756/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:00:33 -0400 In this paper, I offer a new reading of the popular narrative of
Princess Miaoshan in Chinese religion, placing it within the larger context
of self-immolation as found in Buddhist narratives and the actions of selfimmolators.
The acts of extreme violence done to Miaoshan by her father
and herself (she stabs the inside of her mouth with a…[Read more]

]]> 0 6268f5e4b349d9bcefe182bed3ecbe15 James A Benn deposited “China II: Buddhism in the Sui, Tang (and Zhou) Dynasties,” in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893755/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:00:22 -0400 This is the final submitted version of my chapter for Brill’s Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Some changes have been made in the published version and that version should be cited. I am sharing this version in accord with the copyright policy for Brill, which allows sharing of the accepted manuscript but not of the published .pdf. Full publication d…[Read more]

]]> 0 b0ba8b6ff84d4b01fd94a1bb284daf88 James A Benn deposited “China II: Buddhism in the Sui, Tang (and Zhou) Dynasties,” in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893754/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:00:21 -0400 This is the final submitted version of my chapter for Brill’s Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Some changes have been made in the published version and that version should be cited. I am sharing this version in accord with the copyright policy for Brill, which allows sharing of the accepted manuscript but not of the published .pdf. Full publication d…[Read more]

]]> 0 fb8a16b033e6eb5a860131993bf26ebf James A Benn changed their profile picture https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893730/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:48:45 -0400 0 557a2bca5f95ba8cfc01beb7da55e6aa James A Benn deposited “‘Action Buddhism’ in the Medieval Chinese Empire,” https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893729/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:44:22 -0400 This essay will focus mostly on the Tang dynastic empire (618–907 CE), a “second
wave” empire as defined in the Introduction to this volume, and its relations with
Buddhism, although it will be necessary to say something about earlier Chinese dynasties
and about other religions. As we shall see, an awareness of history permeates
the relat…[Read more]

]]> 0 f82e353452bdf8fde58c5f1dcd888106 James A Benn deposited “Is Buddhist Self-Immolation a Form of Asceticism?” https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893727/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:35:18 -0400 I am grateful for this opportunity to revisit some issues that remain
unresolved after my earlier publications on Buddhist self-immolation.

]]> 0 ecef37476b91ebc28a60853170ceed7b James A Benn deposited “Some East Asian Buddhist Attitudes Towards non-Buddhist Practitioners in India,” https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893726/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:31:07 -0400 Abstract: The early eighth-century Chinese Buddhist apocryphal scripture
known as Lengyan jing or Śūraṃgama sūtra contains some vivid and
lengthy descriptions of demonic states that may arise for the practitioner in
deep states of meditation. In some of these states, the practitioner is said to
experience profound mis-perceptions of real…[Read more]

]]> 0 6aec027661a654fedff757350c2c1190 James A Benn deposited “Princess Miaoshan, Self-immolator?” https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893725/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:25:34 -0400 In this paper, I offer a new reading of the popular narrative of
Princess Miaoshan in Chinese religion, placing it within the larger context
of self-immolation as found in Buddhist narratives and the actions of selfimmolators.
The acts of extreme violence done to Miaoshan by her father
and herself (she stabs the inside of her mouth with a…[Read more]

]]> 0 5b98865c232d3ec4f9723f87410e83fe James A Benn deposited “China II: Buddhism in the Sui, Tang (and Zhou) Dynasties,” https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1893639/ Sun, 21 Jul 2024 22:14:35 -0400 This is the final submitted version of my chapter for Brill’s Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Some changes have been made in the published version and that version should be cited. I am sharing this version in accord with the copyright policy for Brill, which allows sharing of the accepted manuscript but not of the published .pdf. Full publication d…[Read more]

]]> 0 7e1bdc4f0fea888ff68588cf484aca68 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 726 Topics in Chinese Religions: Death, Funerals, Burial in Chinese Religions McMaster University, Term II 2022–23 in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1829374/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 02:24:42 -0500 Syllabus for graduate seminar at McMaster University. In this seminar we will examine practices surrounding death in a variety of Chinese religions. We will explore the various understandings of the death process, preparation for death, and the afterlife. We will look at the post-mortem treatment of the body, changing funerary practices and…[Read more]

]]> 0 b249c664573dc79f53c9c0dd36555279 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 726 Topics in Chinese Religions: Death, Funerals, Burial in Chinese Religions McMaster University, Term II 2022–23 in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1829373/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 02:24:39 -0500 Syllabus for graduate seminar at McMaster University. In this seminar we will examine practices surrounding death in a variety of Chinese religions. We will explore the various understandings of the death process, preparation for death, and the afterlife. We will look at the post-mortem treatment of the body, changing funerary practices and…[Read more]

]]> 0 e3df1346343d1b2888e654ca68544b45 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 726 Topics in Chinese Religions: Death, Funerals, Burial in Chinese Religions McMaster University, Term II 2022–23 https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1829279/ Wed, 11 Jan 2023 15:03:45 -0500 Syllabus for graduate seminar at McMaster University. In this seminar we will examine practices surrounding death in a variety of Chinese religions. We will explore the various understandings of the death process, preparation for death, and the afterlife. We will look at the post-mortem treatment of the body, changing funerary practices and…[Read more]

]]> 0 82b2ccf9d9c94ca38d1c1636b5c50ef9 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 718 Topics in Buddhist Studies: Recent Scholarship McMaster University, Term II 2020–21 in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1722817/ Tue, 12 Jan 2021 02:24:18 -0500 Course Description
In this seminar we shall read and discuss a selection of recent important works on and around Buddhism and material culture (in English). In addition we shall survey trends in recent Buddhist Studies scholarship produced in other languages (Chinese, Japanese, French, German, etc.). Students will be required to write regular,…[Read more]

]]> 0 a814196dcca026f4b9cab888c5a91881 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 718 Topics in Buddhist Studies: Recent Scholarship McMaster University, Term II 2020–21 in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1722816/ Tue, 12 Jan 2021 02:24:17 -0500 Course Description
In this seminar we shall read and discuss a selection of recent important works on and around Buddhism and material culture (in English). In addition we shall survey trends in recent Buddhist Studies scholarship produced in other languages (Chinese, Japanese, French, German, etc.). Students will be required to write regular,…[Read more]

]]> 0 f741e539b1d44ec72d821eb5789c980c James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 718 Topics in Buddhist Studies: Recent Scholarship McMaster University, Term II 2020–21 https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1722672/ Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:03:02 -0500 Course Description
In this seminar we shall read and discuss a selection of recent important works on and around Buddhism and material culture (in English). In addition we shall survey trends in recent Buddhist Studies scholarship produced in other languages (Chinese, Japanese, French, German, etc.). Students will be required to write regular,…[Read more]

]]> 0 69973bb118940e07fd2a6bf13c79a3df James A Benn deposited Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1704175/ Tue, 04 Aug 2020 02:26:06 -0400 Syllabus for a level 2 course on Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views. To be taught online Fall 2020.
Please contact me if you want more details of the online content (there are 4 short videos per module, plus other resources)

]]> 0 69973bb118940e07fd2a6bf13c79a3df James A Benn deposited Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1704174/ Tue, 04 Aug 2020 02:26:06 -0400 Syllabus for a level 2 course on Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views. To be taught online Fall 2020.
Please contact me if you want more details of the online content (there are 4 short videos per module, plus other resources)

]]> 0 dddf3b9b19fa30016f4a004119d4dbe6 James A Benn deposited Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1704067/ Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:53:53 -0400 Syllabus for a level 2 course on Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views. To be taught online Fall 2020.
Please contact me if you want more details of the online content (there are 4 short videos per module, plus other resources)

]]> 0 eaaa7b98df7737bd28d38ece282c00ba James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 726 Topics in Chinese Religions: Health, Healing, and Medicine in Chinese Religions McMaster University, Term II 2019–20 in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1674093/ Fri, 03 Jan 2020 16:25:22 -0500 In this seminar we will examine representations of health and accounts of disease in a variety of Chinese religions. We will explore the various vectors of disease, including the so-called “winds” and various types of demonic infestation. We will identify modes of
healing that employ therapies such as mineral, animal, and vegetable drugs, exo…[Read more]

]]> 0 7c8fb549dc62e0176c9c28e6ab667fa4 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 726 Topics in Chinese Religions: Health, Healing, and Medicine in Chinese Religions McMaster University, Term II 2019–20 in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1674092/ Fri, 03 Jan 2020 16:25:21 -0500 In this seminar we will examine representations of health and accounts of disease in a variety of Chinese religions. We will explore the various vectors of disease, including the so-called “winds” and various types of demonic infestation. We will identify modes of
healing that employ therapies such as mineral, animal, and vegetable drugs, exo…[Read more]

]]> 0 de4a2eb0cf555a3b092f412ea29c6899 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 726 Topics in Chinese Religions: Health, Healing, and Medicine in Chinese Religions McMaster University, Term II 2019–20 https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1673998/ Thu, 02 Jan 2020 15:40:55 -0500 In this seminar we will examine representations of health and accounts of disease in a variety of Chinese religions. We will explore the various vectors of disease, including the so-called “winds” and various types of demonic infestation. We will identify modes of
healing that employ therapies such as mineral, animal, and vegetable drugs, exo…[Read more]

]]> 0 b5cd187c021df644017c9f647da3bf60 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 3UU3 Buddhism in East Asia McMaster University Winter 2019 in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625629/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:25:31 -0500 Syllabus for my course 3UU3, Buddhism in East Asia planned for Winter term 2019

]]> 0 b5cd187c021df644017c9f647da3bf60 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 3UU3 Buddhism in East Asia McMaster University Winter 2019 in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625628/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:25:31 -0500 Syllabus for my course 3UU3, Buddhism in East Asia planned for Winter term 2019

]]> 0 a45d8489bd873c575536fb1aae2ff89c James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 2MT3 Asian Meditation Traditions December 2019 in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625627/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:25:27 -0500 This is the version of the syllabus for Asian Meditation Traditions at the end of the first term in which I offered it–Fall 2018.

]]> 0 35c5b4ba7bafdb47bd7cdb86dcd70d2b James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 2MT3 Asian Meditation Traditions December 2019 in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625626/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:25:26 -0500 This is the version of the syllabus for Asian Meditation Traditions at the end of the first term in which I offered it–Fall 2018.

]]> 0 6a598611e4b3080f112c107f05c17afb James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 712 Topics in the Study of Chinese Buddhist Texts I: Translated Texts Nirvana Sutra McMaster University, Term II 2019 in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625625/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:25:22 -0500 Draft version of syllabus for graduate seminar on Nirvana Sutra

]]> 0 ffe5b24d97ae32bbafdd00b7394476fa James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 712 Topics in the Study of Chinese Buddhist Texts I: Translated Texts Nirvana Sutra McMaster University, Term II 2019 in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625624/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:25:21 -0500 Draft version of syllabus for graduate seminar on Nirvana Sutra

]]> 0 626d579e459baf298bbce48f6a885805 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 3UU3 Buddhism in East Asia McMaster University Winter 2019 https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625595/ Wed, 12 Dec 2018 01:59:42 -0500 Syllabus for my course 3UU3, Buddhism in East Asia planned for Winter term 2019

]]> 0 817a8cd68ad983a8b2991f5c1cd5a487 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 712 Topics in the Study of Chinese Buddhist Texts I: Translated Texts Nirvana Sutra McMaster University, Term II 2019 https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625569/ Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:43:40 -0500 Draft version of syllabus for graduate seminar on Nirvana Sutra

]]> 0 587eeeddbf4784135ae12654024423d4 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 2MT3 Asian Meditation Traditions December 2019 https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1625568/ Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:59 -0500 This is the version of the syllabus for Asian Meditation Traditions at the end of the first term in which I offered it–Fall 2018.

]]> 0 288e7f67ff34730b4cadb3b0dbfb6c7d James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 2MT3 Asian Meditation Traditions in the group Religious Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1617262/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 16:41:51 -0400 This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of meditation systems in Asia taught at McMaster University in Fall 2018

]]> 0 8ea21ef13d94cd80469355024afc658e James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 2MT3 Asian Meditation Traditions in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1617261/ Sat, 01 Sep 2018 16:41:50 -0400 This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of meditation systems in Asia taught at McMaster University in Fall 2018

]]> 0 8062a3838c7df05f9088e9aecdc9e183 James A Benn deposited Religious Studies 2MT3 Asian Meditation Traditions https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1617135/ Fri, 31 Aug 2018 14:35:05 -0400 This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of meditation systems in Asia taught at McMaster University in Fall 2018

]]> 0 c6a5c53c15ecc5befdbcbb6a2d3b5c93 James A Benn deposited Seminar on Chinese Religions in Literature and Performance in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1592854/ Tue, 19 Dec 2017 05:38:18 -0500 Syllabus for a graduate seminar on Chinese Religions at McMaster University Term II 2017-2018

]]> 0 70dc18d252f02937e0ba44b9fb517f20 James A Benn deposited Seminar on Chinese Religions in Literature and Performance https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1592782/ Mon, 18 Dec 2017 17:51:27 -0500 Syllabus for a graduate seminar on Chinese Religions at McMaster University Term II 2017-2018

]]> 0 6a54c246cde5323562c78a287e0be7f1 James A Benn deposited recent Scholarship in Buddhist Studies Graduate seminar in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1581000/ Sun, 10 Sep 2017 01:00:00 -0400 Graduate seminar in Buddhist Studies at McMaster University

]]> 0 cba2916433c9522dd6ee11a0e05cdc14 James A Benn deposited recent Scholarship in Buddhist Studies Graduate seminar https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1580924/ Fri, 08 Sep 2017 19:35:29 -0400 Graduate seminar in Buddhist Studies at McMaster University

]]> 0 2bebb06f9c3626d65c89ae064669d8c0 James A Benn deposited One Mountain, Two Traditions: Buddhist and Taoist Claims on Zhongnan shan in Medieval Times in the group Buddhist Studies https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1575696/ Thu, 13 Jul 2017 01:00:02 -0400 article about Mount Zhongnan in the Tang dynasty

]]> 0 b176a9fab92764e13bc2227d6c4487f5 James A Benn deposited One Mountain, Two Traditions: Buddhist and Taoist Claims on Zhongnan shan in Medieval Times https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1575598/ Tue, 11 Jul 2017 20:12:24 -0400 article about Mount Zhongnan in the Tang dynasty

]]> 0 85d8903004fbf9fea62481d393e1dc1a James A Benn's profile was updated https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1575587/ Tue, 11 Jul 2017 19:44:49 -0400 0 e1c099a87fa7c79ff08b1f46946ffba6 James A Benn changed their profile picture https://hcommons.org/activity/p/1575585/ Tue, 11 Jul 2017 19:39:46 -0400 0