Below is a brief overview of the content of the specializations available to graduate students as well as a sample of the courses offered in each group for the current academic year (2014).

Indian Buddhism (印度佛教組)

Courses for this group include the study of Indian Buddhism’s history, thought, scriptures as well as the acquisition of relevant language skills. In addition to courses in Sanskrit, Pali, Japanese and English (as research languages, focus is given to reading comprehension) and guided readings of early Buddhist canonical scriptures in both their Pali and Chinese versions, the study of sectarian Buddhist thougth (部派佛教思想) as well as the Mādhyamaka and Yogācāra schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism all form an integral part of this group’s curriculum.

• Study on Indian Mādhyamaka Philosophy (II)   (印度中觀思想專題研究)
• Mahāyāna-sūtrālamkāra-kārikā: Study on Sanskrit Literature (I)   (《大乘莊嚴經論》梵典研究)
• Āgama Studies (I)   (阿含經研究)

Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教組)

This specialization takes the study of China’s major Buddhist schools (宗派) and the texts that form the basis of their idiosyncratic doctrines as the core of its curriculum. Among them one may learn about the Tiantai (天台) and Huayan (華嚴) schools, as well as explore the Chan school’s  (禪宗) records and writings from different dynasties, thus investigating the school’s doctrinal evolution throughout its long history. Additionally, the study of important sūtras that have had great influence over the development of Chinese Buddhism, such as the Lotus Sutra (法華經) or the Pure Land texts (淨土), will also be at the center of one’s studies.

• Topics in Chan Buddhism in the China (III)   (漢傳禪學專題)
• Nature of Doctrine: Apologetics in Chinese Buddhism   (教義的本質：漢傳佛教護教研究)
• Topics in History of Chinese Buddhism (I)   (漢傳佛教史專題)

Tibetan  Buddhism (藏傳佛教組)

In addition to the study of the history of the different schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the doctrines of the major religious currents such as Mind Only (唯識), Tantra (密續), Mādhyamika (中觀) or Buddhist Logic (因明), students will also make use of the vast Western scholarship in the field of Tibetology. Great emphasis is placed on acquiring solid reading skills in Tibetan in order to delve into the rich Tibetan canon and make use of primary sources in one’s research.

• Topics in History of Tibetan Buddhism (I)   (西藏佛教史專題)
• Topics in Works of rJe yab sras gsum (I)   (宗喀巴師徒著作專題)
• Guided Reading of Tibetan Buddhist Texts (I)   (藏文佛典導讀)

Buddhist Informatics (佛學資訊組)

This group offers an innovative curriculum in digital humanities: Buddhist Informatics. The aim of this specialization is to enable students to contribute to the development of digital sources and tools in the field of Buddhist studies. DDBC strives for ethical and social responsibility and  is committed to the promotion of the Three Opens: Open Source, Open Access and Open Standards. On completion of the program the student will be able to competently markup modern or ancient texts, have studied one or more programming languages and know how to use a database system.

• Buddhist Informatics, Tools and Techniques (I)  (佛學資訊、工具與技術)
• Buddhist Lexicographical Resources   (佛學數位詞彙資源專題 — 音義與詞彙的數位化研究與應用)
• Buddhist Digital Archives and Buddhist Studies   (佛教數位典藏與佛學研究)