PhD Programs in Buddhist Studies in Asia
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 6:10 am
This is just for the future. Next month I'm starting an online Masters program in Buddhist Studies through the International Buddhist College of Thailand which ends in April 2016 (it's a 3 year program which actually totals 2 years and 9 months). After that I'd like to get a PhD in Buddhist Studies (or some related field -- I'd be interested in doing Sanskrit or Chinese but doubt I could enter into a PhD program in those subjects without a Masters in those fields). At present there are no legitimate online PhD programs in Buddhist Studies available that I know of. So I will probably have to move somewhere. In a way I'd like to stay in India (I live in Dharamsala) so that I can stay close to my Tibetan Buddhist studies. In another way, a few things turn me off from the idea of doing a PhD in India. One, the weather in most of the places that I could potentially go (The Central Institute of Tibetan Studies in Varanasi etc.) would be hard for me to deal with; I can't really see myself anywhere on the plains in India. Two, the status of a degree from India would not be as good as most other countries (although still better than some, ie Nepal). Three, things are just run so poorly and are so disorganized in India and also with the Tibetans, that I fear I would have to jump through hoops of BS on a regular basis at any Indian or Tibetan college in India. Fourth, dealing with the often rather overt racism of the Indians and Tibetans in an academic context may be hard to deal with as a PhD candidate (probably mainly with the administration; anyone who has lived in India/Nepal for a long time knows what I am talking about). Even the most "Western" option, Rangjung Yeshe, doesn't seem that appealing on several counts. However I'd like to stay in Asia, for a lot of reasons, and ideally in a Mahayana country. In terms of countries other than India, Taiwan seems like the most ideal, since it's Mahayana, affordable, has a strong connection with Tibetan Buddhism, and Chinese is pretty much the most important language after Sanskrit for Tibetan Buddhist studies. I'm also interested in Japan and maybe Korea, though I worry that they would be too expensive. Mongolia might be cool. Most of the other Asian countries don't seem that terribly appealing or appropriate for Tibetan/Mahayana/Vajrayana studies, for fairly obvious reasons. One thing I should mention is that I'm not interested in living a dormitory/monastic lifestyle and need a good amount of privacy and freedom. Availability of decent and affordable housing is a must.
Any suggestions? This is three years from now but I'd like to start thinking about it now. I'm open to any suggestions for universities in Asia with PhD/doctoral programs in Buddhist Studies, whether in India or anywhere else in Asia.
Any suggestions? This is three years from now but I'd like to start thinking about it now. I'm open to any suggestions for universities in Asia with PhD/doctoral programs in Buddhist Studies, whether in India or anywhere else in Asia.