Tibet: History, Culture, and Religion

Course Overview

Course No. 30390

Dispel Western myths and discover the complex reality of Tibet through 24 illuminating lectures with Professor Constance Kassor.

This course explores:

• Tibet’s geopolitical struggles under Chinese rule
• The development of unique Buddhist traditions
• Ancient dynasties and language formation
• Nomadic lifestyles and cultural preservation
• The Dalai Lama’s role past and future

Video Lectures

01: Life at the Roof of the World (11 min)

Debunk “Shangri-la” myths and introduce Tibet’s geopolitical complexities.

02: When the Dalai Lama Broke with China (23 min)

Analyze the 1951 annexation and 14th Dalai Lama’s exile.

03: The Birth of Buddhism’s Gelug Sect (22 min)

Trace Tsongkhapa’s 14th-century founding of the Dalai Lamas’ tradition.

04: The Zhang Zhung and Yarlung Dynasties (17 min)

Investigate Tibet’s early kingdoms and the mysterious Dunhuang texts.

05: Tibetan Prehistory in Folktales (20 min)

Explore the million-line Epic of Gesar and trickster Aku Tonpa stories.

06: How Tibetan Language Invented an Empire (22 min)

Discover how 7th-century King Songtsen Gampo created written Tibetan.

07: The Buddha and Four Noble Truths (23 min)

Understand Siddhartha’s enlightenment and core Buddhist teachings.

08: Christians, Muslims and Bonpos (26 min)

Examine Bön religion’s influence on Tibetan Buddhism and minority faiths.

09: Tibetan Tantra and Taboo (24 min)

Contrast public sutras with secretive tantric practices.

10: Tibetan Cuisine (20 min)

Sample yak-based dishes and high-altitude culinary adaptations.

11: What Makes Tibetan Buddhism Unique? (23 min)

Study the Three Dharma Kings’ Indian influences on local Buddhism.

12: Nyingma – Oldest Buddhist Sect (25 min)

Learn how Padmasambhava established Tibet’s first Buddhist school.

13: Tibetan Buddhism’s Revival (19 min)

Trace the faith’s resurgence after 9th-century persecution.

14: Reincarnation Tradition (22 min)

Understand tulku lineages like the Karmapas’ conscious rebirths.

15: Sakya Buddhism’s Family Rule (24 min)

Explore 1,000 years of Khön family religious leadership.

16: Tibetan Nomads Under China (21 min)

Document how resettlement programs disrupt ancient migratory patterns.

17: Festivals of Tibet’s Lunar Calendar (22 min)

Celebrate Losar (New Year) and covert protest traditions.

18: Mysterious Lives of Dalai Lamas (27 min)

Profile the 14th Dalai Lama’s Nobel-winning peace efforts.

19: Old Traditions in New Century (23 min)

Track the Dalai Lama institution from Gendun Drub to today.

20: WWII, China and the 14th Dalai Lama (26 min)

Relive the 1950 Chinese invasion and young Dalai Lama’s dilemma.

21: Tibetan Diaspora (17 min)

Follow 100,000 exiles preserving culture abroad.

22: Tibetan Art Survival (23 min)

Decode thangka paintings and banned religious iconography.

23: Future Without the Dalai Lama? (28 min)

Consider Tibet’s existential challenges after the 14th Dalai Lama.

24: History in 24 Questions (20 min)

Separate fact from fiction about the “Tibetan Book of the Dead.”