Inspired by the terse elegance of haiku, the rhythmic urgency of Buddhist chants, and the one-pointed attention honed by meditation, Beat Generation writers such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsburg, and Gary Snyder revolutionized American literature by coupling Eastern religious practices with Western literary forms. In examining the Buddhist roots of the Beat movement, “Buddhism, the Beats, & Beyond” will discuss the poetry of Basho, traditional Zen stories, and the basic teachings of the Buddha alongside relevant texts by Kerouac, Ginsburg, Snyder, and other Buddhist authors.
IHENG 391, “Buddhism, the Beats, & Beyond” is an upper-level ISP class focusing on Buddhist-inspired literature. This “blended” course runs from May 15th through June 19th and will meet face-to-face on six Tuesday afternoons from 12:00 – 3:55 pm. The rest of the course will happen online, at your convenience.
“Buddhism, the Beats, & Beyond” will be taught by Dr. Lorianne DiSabato, who has taught writing and literature classes at Keene State College for over ten years. A graduate of the University of Toledo, Boston College, and Northeastern University, Dr. D’s research specialties are 19th century American literature and American nature writing.
In addition to teaching at KSC, Dr. D is a Senior Dharma Teacher in the international Kwan Um School of Zen. Dr. D began practicing Zen meditation in 1989. She has practiced with groups in Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, and she was a resident and Head Dharma Teacher of the Cambridge Zen Center for two and a half years.
Interested? You can register online, or you can contact Dr. D for more details.
Pedestrian Thoughts 
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