Buddhism began as one of many ascetic movements in India and over the course of two and a half millennia grew to become one of the world’s major religions, with followers in every corner of the world. This subject traces how Buddhism changed and adapted, and how new doctrines and practices were woven into the tapestry of this tradition as it moved.

Everything that lives will one day die. Throughout history and around the world, this immutable truth has generated a rich array of responses, as people work to make senses of, and manage, their own and others’ mortality. This subject introduces students to the fascinating and challenging task of thinking through death and dying.

What does it mean to be well? Who or what defines wellness? And what happens when we all, inevitably, become unwell? This subject critically explores the concept of wellness through history and across Buddhist, comparative religious, biomedical, and philosophical traditions, positioning contemporary wellness discourse against other concepts of ‘the good life’, including sukha, eudaimonia, health, and happiness. The subject invites reflection on how wellness functions today simultaneously as a moral approach to life, a routine for daily living, and as part of multi-trillion-dollar industry.

Explore a wide range of aspects of death and dying in contemporary Australia in this discovery topic. The death and dying topic considers medical knowledge alongside broader socio-cultural and religious contexts, to bridge the gap between our healthcare and deathcare systems. You will develop compassion and understanding for the diversity of human responses to death. The topic of death and dying will provide a sound foundation for those particularly interested in pursuing patient and compassion centred healthcare.