The Many Faces of Buddha 佛之千面
Introduction
“The Many Faces of Buddha” exhibition
Edited by Jack Meng-Tat Chia & Ryan Da-Yu Soon
“佛之千面”
展览图录 谢明达 孙大宇 编
The Department of History at the National University of Singapore (NUS) is one of the oldest and yet most vibrant departments in NUS. It has a worldwide reputation for teaching and research excellence, and an impressive track record of producing successful graduates who can make their mark in the professional world. The Department’s teaching and research expertise lies primarily in the history of Southeast and East Asia, but there is a strong selection of course offerings in European, American, and military history, as well as the history of art, business, religion, science and technology.
The Buddhist Studies Group at NUS is a new interdepartmental research group composed of faculty and students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It serves as a forum for scholars, students, and the general public to collaboratively engage in academic exploration of Buddhism. This exhibition marks the inaugural event for the launch of the NUS Buddhist Studies Group.
The “Buddhism in World History” course conducted by A/Prof Jack Meng-Tat Chia explores the birth and evolution of Buddhism and its impact on Asian and world history. This course considers sources drawn from various Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana), from ancient times to the present day. Through an examination of the spread and development of Buddhism in Asia and the West, the course addresses a range of topics, such as the relationship between Buddhist institutions and the state, local traditions and popular practices, monastic and trading networks, imperialism and nationalism, and globalization and modernism.
By participating in this course last semester, students not only acquired knowledge on the history and development of Buddhism but also learned about the religious diversity of the world. They developed attitudes of understanding and respect for different cultural perspectives and practices. Students in this course were not just from History majors but also from other faculties and majors. There were even several foreign exchange students from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This demonstrates the broad appeal of religious history courses to a wide and diverse array of students from different academic backgrounds.
新加坡国立大学历史系是国大历史最悠久但又最具活力的院系之一。该系以卓越的教学与研究享誉全球，多年来持续培育杰出的毕业生，在各专业领域大展身手。该系的教学和研究专长主要在东南亚和东亚历史，但也在欧洲史、美国史、军事史以及艺术、商业、宗教、科学和技术等领域提供丰富的历史课程。
新加坡国立大学佛教研究组是一个由国大文学暨社会科学院教授与学生组成的跨院系研究群。它为学者、学生以及公众提供了一个共同进行佛教学术探索的平台。本次展览标志着国大佛教研究组的成立。
谢明达副教授上学期开设的《世界佛教史》课程探讨了佛教的历史和演变，以及它对亚洲与世界历史的影响。课程涉及从古至今各种佛教传统（上座部佛教、大乘佛教、金刚乘佛教）的来源与发展。通过考察佛教在亚洲与西方的传播和发展，该课程探讨了一系列课题，例如佛教群体与国家的关系、地方传统和民间习俗、寺院和贸易网络、帝国主义和民族主义，以及全球化和现代主义。
通过这门课程的学习，学生们不仅了解了佛教的历史和发展，还认识了世界宗教的多样性。他们形成了对不同文化观点与实践的理解和尊重态度。这门课程的学生有来自历史专业，也有来自其他学院和专业，甚至还有几位来自德国、英国和美国的国际交换生。这意味着宗教史课程对来自不同学术背景的学生具有广泛的吸引力。
The exhibition opens on 4 August 2024 from 12 pm to 6 pm.