This introductory course examines Buddhism from a double perspective. On the one hand, it studies the tradition descriptively, examining some of its religious, philosophical, historical and sociological aspects. On the other hand, this course also seeks to bring out the personal relevance of Buddhist ideas, ensuring that they are not just considered as objects but also as partners in an ongoing conversation. We start by examining the Theravada tradition of South and South-East Asia through which we seek to understand some of the basic Buddhist ideas such as no-self, suffering and its origin, and the possibilities for freedom. We then move to the Indian and Tibetan Mahayana traditions, which are characterized by an increase in the importance of compassion on the basis of the bodhisattva ideal. In dealing with Buddhism in Tibet, we focus more particularly on the tantric aspects of its tradition. Throughout the course, we are careful to consider Buddhism not just as a set of thought provoking ideas that can be studied in abstraction from their implementation, but as being based on socially inscribed practices. We examine a broad range of practices, ranging from so-called popular rituals to the practices of virtuosi. In particular, we examine meditation in the Theravada and Tibetan Tantric traditions. In this way, we gain a realistic appreciation of the nature, role and difficulties of such a practice, and dispel some of its misunderstandings. Lecture and discussion. Requirements: full attendance and participation; two 4-to 6-page essays. No prerequisites. Enrollment limited to 30.