Malcolm David Eckel

Malcolm David Eckel studied Sanskrit at Oxford and received his PhD from Harvard University in comparative religion with special emphasis on the Buddhist traditions of India, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. He is Professor of Religion and Director of the Institute for Philosophy and Religion at Boston University, where he has taught courses on Buddhism, comparative religion, and the religions of Asia. Professor Eckel has been a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship and the Metcalf Award for Teaching Excellence, Boston University’s highest award for teaching. He also has served as Boston University’s Distinguished Teaching Professor of the Humanities. Professor Eckel is a popular lecturer on The Great Courses’ lecture series. In addition to many articles, he has published three books on Buddhism: To See the Buddha: A Philosopher’s Quest for the Meaning of Emptiness; Buddhism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places; and Bhaviveka and His Buddhist Opponents. His experience as a traveler in India and Southeast Asia, and his knowledge of Buddhism and Hinduism, the two religions that dominate ancient and modern Myanmar, make Professor Eckel particularly suitable to lead this trip.

Tours Led by Malcolm David Eckel

• Eastern India: From Bodh Gaya to Kolkata to Puri
  January 6 - 21, 2024 | Malcolm David Eckel An adventure into remote areas of eastern India - from Bodh Gaya where the Buddha attained enlightenment to Patna where a casket believed to contain the Buddha’s ashes was found, to the great city of Kolkata, to Bishnupur’s Laterite Hindu temples, to the Buddhist Golden Triangle of the East, to the intricately carved Jain caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, and to the Sun Temple at Konârak.
• Himalayan Kingdoms: Ladakh, Sikkim, Bhutan Tour
  September 21-October 10, 2024 | Malcolm David Eckel Travel through the three Himalayan Kingdoms of Ladakh, Sikkim, and Bhutan to explore elaborately decorated Buddhist monasteries and formidable fortress-palaces built by former monarchs. View snow-topped Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third tallest mountain in the world, and enjoy these highland cultures including the Gangtey Tshechu honoring the 8th century guru who brought Buddhism to Bhutan.