Asian Religions

Authors

  • Prof. Pankaj Jain Author

Keywords:

Asian Religions, Indian Traditions, Chinese Philosophy, Japanese Religion, Dharma Studies, Jain Studies, Buddhism, SWAYAM Course, Online Religious Studies

Abstract

Asian Religions

Instructor: Prof. Pankaj Jain (FLAME University, Pune)
Platform: SWAYAM
Language: English
Level: Undergraduate
Duration: Self-paced
Status: Upcoming
Category: Humanities and Social Sciences
Enrolled Learners: 94

Course Overview

This course introduces the religious and philosophical traditions of Asia, including India, China, and Japan. Asia's cultural legacy offers enduring models of pluralism and continues to influence global thought, spirituality, and lifestyle. The course encourages learners to rethink conventional categories such as "religion", "culture", and "science" through non-Western lenses.

Weekly Topics

  • Introduction to Asia

  • Indian Traditions

  • Chinese Traditions

  • Japanese Traditions

Selected Readings

  • Embree, Ainslee (ed.), The Hindu Tradition, Vintage Books, 1977

  • Cook, Francis Dojun, How to Raise an Ox, Center Publications, 1990

  • de Bary, W.T., The Buddhist Tradition in India, China, and Japan, Vintage Books, 1972

  • Sargeant, Winthrop, The Bhagavad Gita, SUNY Press, 2009

  • Kitagawa, Joseph, Religion in Japanese History, Columbia University Press, 1990

  • Lau, D.C. (trans.), The Analects of Confucius & Tao Te Ching, Penguin Books

  • Wright, Arthur, Buddhism in Chinese History, Stanford University Press, 1971

  • Dundas, Paul, The Jains, Routledge, 2002

About the Instructor

Prof. Pankaj Jain is a leading scholar in Dharmic Ecology, Jain Studies, and Diaspora Studies. He serves as Director of the India Centre and Head of Humanities & Languages at FLAME University. A widely published academic, he has also appeared in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Story of God series.

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Author Biography

  • Prof. Pankaj Jain

    Prof. Pankaj Jain is a distinguished scholar in the fields of Dharmic Ecology, Jain Studies, Film Studies, and Diaspora Studies, with nearly three decades of experience spanning academia and the corporate world. He currently serves as the Director of the India Centre and Head of the Department of Humanities & Languages at FLAME University, Pune.

    Previously, he was the founding co-chair of the India Initiatives Group and an Associate Professor at the University of North Texas. Dr. Jain holds a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, an M.A. from Columbia University, and a B.E. from Karnatak University.

    He is the author of several acclaimed monographs, including Modern Jainism, Dharma in America, Science and Socio-Religious Revolution in India, and Dharma and Ecology of Hindu Communities. His scholarship has been featured in major international platforms such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Morgan Freeman’s The Story of God.

Published

2025-06-20

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Dharma Studies Bulletin

Section

Online Educational Resources