How Can Educators Teach about Buddhism?

Dr. Tim Hall

On a recent trip to Washington D.C., I had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art with its special exhibit, Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia. This temporary exhibit will be shown until February 6th, at which time it will be moved to a permanent location in the museum. So I am using this blog to share my experiences at the exhibit with additional resources for educators who need more content to teach about Buddhism in their classes. I will begin with resources associated with the exhibition and then provide more general classroom resources while noting particular pedagogical perspectives to consider.

Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia

Buddhism has influenced and been influenced by the cultures of Asia, since its earliest beginnings in India with Siddhartha Guatama (563–483 B.C.E.) or the Buddha. This influence is evidenced in Buddhist art, a source of beauty and contemplation, displayed in Encountering the Buddha. This exhibit has over two hundred objects that date over two millennia. Educators can use the artworks to demonstrate the core principles of the cultural studies method to understanding religion as follows: