Associate Professor of Religion
 
David Drewes joined the Department of Religion in 2006. He is a scholar of ancient Indian Buddhism. His research focuses primarily on early Mahāyāna, early Buddhism, and the history of scholarship on Buddhism. His publications aim to present transformative visions of its history, worldview, and praxis. He teaches a range of classes on Buddhism, and sometimes also classes in Sanskrit and Tibetan. Before coming to the University of Manitoba, he taught at the University of Virginia and Indiana University Bloomington.
 

Education

PhD University of Virginia (2006)
MA University of Virginia (1999)
BA Lawrence University (1994)

Research

Early Mahayana, early Buddhism, Buddhist sutra literature, History of Buddhist studies

Teaching

1000-level
RLGN 1322 Introduction to Eastern Religions
 
2000-level
RLGN 2020 Introduction to Buddhism

3000-level
RLGN 3170 Eastern Religions in the West: Buddhism
RLG 3266 Readings in Buddhist Texts
 
4000-level
RLGN 4100 Advanced Studies in Buddhism
RLGN 4270 Theoretical Approaches: Eastern Religions

Selected Publications

“Oral texts in Indian Mahāyāna,” Indo-Iranian Journal 58, no. 2, 2015, pp. 117-41.
“Dharmabhāṇakas in Early Mahāyāna,” Indo-Iranian Journal 54, no. 4, 2011, pp. 332-72.
“Revisiting the Phrase ‘sa pṛthivīpradeśaś caityabhūto bhavet’ and the Mahāyāna Cult of the Book,” Indo-Iranian Journal 50, no. 2, 2007, pp. 101-143.