California State University, Chico Department of Religious Studies RELS 313-01 BUDDHISM Instructor: Daniel Veidlinger Office location: Trinity 233 Telephone: 898-4637 Email: Office hours: Class days/time: Weds 2:00 4:50 Classroom: HOLT 268 Prerequisites: dveidlinger@csuchico.edu If you send me an email, be sure to include RELS 313 in the subject Wed 12:00-2:00 PM and Tues 2:00-3:30 or by appointment None FALL 2014 Course Usage of Blackboard Learn Copies of the course syllabus and major assignments may be found on Blackboard Learn. You are responsible for regularly checking the online resources, which is accessed through the portal at http://portal.csuchico.edu. Course announcements will be appear as BB Learn announcements. Course Description and Goals In this course we will discuss the basic teachings, practices, and cultural expressions of the major forms of Buddhism from ancient Asia to the modern West. Drawing upon both secondary works and with an emphasis on selected Buddhist primary texts, students will examine the three main Buddhist traditions of the Southern, Eastern and Central regions of Asia, known as Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana respectively. RELS/MJIS 204 Fall 09 page 1 of 11
The traditions will be evaluated philosophically, and will be placed within the specific historical and social contexts within which they arose and flourished. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the issues raised in class, to question the ideas brought forth and to constantly assess them in light of their own understanding of the human condition. This course counts towards the major and minor in Religious Studies (39 and 21 units respectively; see http://www.csuchico.edu/rs/). Students graduating with a major in this and other disciplines in the liberal arts are known for their overall educational preparation, their job flexibility, and their ultimate earning potential, especially when compared to graduates receiving a more narrow, technical, or vocational undergraduate education. Graduation with a minor in Religious Studies provides evidence of open-mindedness, perseverance, inquisitiveness, and the ability to relate to people of other cultures as well as to those who are highly educated themselves. Required Texts/Readings These books are available at Wildcat Store in the BMU Mitchell, Donald. Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Rahula, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught. New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1986. Other readings will all be available online Library Liaison If you need to do research in the library and have any questions, please contact the librarian responsible for the collection of religious studies books: George Thompson, ghthompson@csuchico.edu, 898-6603, MLIB 305 Classroom Protocol Active participation is crucial. You will be expected to have done all the readings for that session before class begins. Please arrive on time with cellphones off and with the books that we will be discussing that day. Please ask any questions that you have because the more discussion we have in class, the better the experience will be. RELS/MJIS 204 Fall 09 page 2 of 11
Dropping and Adding You are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, etc. found http://www.csuchico.edu/catalog/. You should be aware of the new deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping classes. Assignments and Grading Policy 32% Four quizzes worth 8% each will be given throughout the semester aimed at ensuring that you do the readings and pay attention in class. 18% A final exam during exam week will cover everything that we have learned in the course. 16% Two essays worth 8% each that are 1000 words (about 3 pages) long. These will be written on a topic posted on the course website by the professor. Note: Originality, clarity of thought, lack of grammatical and spelling errors, and proper citations are important parts of the work, where relevant. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! PAPER ONE DUE: September 17 PAPER TWO DUE: October 22 Late papers will lose a point for every 24-hours it is overdue. That means an A paper would get an A- after 24 hours, a B+ after 48, a B after 72, etc 12% A final paper of 1500 words (about 5 pages) in length on a topic that the professor has handed out or one of your own choosing that you discuss with the professor. The same criteria apply to this as to the papers noted above. DUE: December 10 8% A fifteen minute presentation on the readings due for one class. You will be able to sign up for your presentation online in the second week of classes. 10% Class participation: This includes attending class regularly, paying attention, making comments (I would rather you say something that is not quite correct than say nothing at all). It is also expected that you will come to class having done the readings and thought about them. Please don t feel shy about asking any questions that you have that s what the instructor is there for. RELS/MJIS 204 Fall 09 page 3 of 11
4% You will be required to attend four events related to this course during the semester. These can include a visit to a place of worship, a movie about Buddhism, a Yoga or meditation class, a play, music or other event that you discuss with the instructor. Please write a two-page (total) report about your experiences explaining how they relate to this course. Was what you saw similar or different from what you expected based on your readings and the lectures? Think about the meaning behind what you witnessed and write this down. You may report equally on all four events or devote the bulk of the two pages to one of the events, but please at least include a brief summary of each of the events. Due: December 10 The final Grade calculations are as follows: A > 92% A- 90 92 % B+ 87 89 % B 83 86 % B- 80-82 % C+ 77 79 % C 73 76 % C- 70 72 % D+ 65 69 % D 60-64 % F < 60 % Academic integrity University Policies and Campus Resources Students are expected to be familiar with the University s Academic Integrity Policy. Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at California State University, Chico, and the University s Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. The policy on academic integrity and other resources related to student conduct can be found at: http://www.csuchico.edu/sjd/integrity.shtml The policy of the Department of Religious Studies is that anyone found to have blatantly cheated or plagiarized on an assignment will automatically fail the course and be referred to student judicial affairs for further disciplinary action. RELS/MJIS 204 Fall 09 page 4 of 11
NOTE: IF YOU CHEAT ON AN EXAM OR PLAGIARIZE ON A PAPER YOU WILL FAIL THE COURSE. Off Campus Resources Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DSS Office (Disability Support Services) to establish a record of their disability. Special accommodations for exams require ample notice to the testing office and must be submitted to the instructor well in advance of the exam date. Student Computing Computer labs for student use are available http://www.csuchico.edu/stcp located on the 1 st floor of the Merriam Library Rm 116 and 450, Tehama Hall Rm.131 and the BMU Rm 301. Additional labs may be available to students in your department/college. Student Services Student services are designed to assist students in the development of their full academic potential and to motivate them to become self-directed learners. Students can find support for services such as skills assessment, individual or group tutorials, subject advising, learning assistance, summer academic preparation and basic skills development. Student services information can be found at: http://www.csuchico.edu/5.-studentservices.html. University Writing Center The CSU, Chico writing center is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the University Writing Center. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing Center information can be found online at http://www.csuchico.edu/uwc. Student Learning Center The mission of the Student Learning Center (SLC) is to provide services that will assist CSU, Chico students to become independent learners. The SLC prepares and supports students in their college course work by offering a variety of programs and resources to meet student needs. The SLC facilitates the academic transition and retention of students from high schools and community colleges by providing study strategy information, content subject tutoring, and supplemental instruction. The SLC is online at http://www.csuchico.edu/slc/. RELS/MJIS 204 Fall 09 page 5 of 11
RELS 313 Course Schedule (Note: subject to change with fair notice. The readings should be done BEFORE class ) Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines 1 Aug 27 The Vedas and Early Indian Religion: This first session will look at the aims of the course and discuss various approaches to the study of religion. How can we study and understand other religions? We will also begin to examine the religion of India just prior to the Buddha s time. Posted Online on Blackboard Learn: Harvey The Buddha and His Indian Context (1-4) Devdas Background of Buddhism (5-9) Watch Movie Online: The Buddha 2 Sept 3 The Life of the Buddha and the First Noble Truth: The encounter of a pampered prince with the harsh realities of disease and death that taught him about suffering and caused him to abandon worldly gains and seek enlightenment will be explored The Four Noble Truths, the Three Characteristics: We will discuss the Noble Truths discovered by the Buddha: that life is unsatisfactory because we always have desires that are unmet; that suffering can cease through breaking our attachment to desires; and that there is an eightfold path by which to do this Mitchell, (9-32) Rahula, Chapter Two: The First Noble Truth: Dukkha (16-28) Rahula, Chapter Three: The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya (29-34) Rahula, Chapter Four: The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha (35-44) Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Rahula (92-3) 3 Sept. 10 Karma and Rebirth : The continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth and its connection to our good and bad actions will be explored Conditioned Origination and Enlightenment:We will look at the mechanism of cause and effect called Paticcasamuppada which is fundamental to the Buddhist view of a universe in constant flux. We will also look at how the understanding of this process can lead to enlightenment, or Nirvana.
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Rahula, Chapter Five: The Fourth Noble Truth: Magga (45-50) Mitchell, 33-45 Online: The Shorter Exposition of Kamma. Rahula, Chapter Six: The Doctrine of No-Soul: Anatta (51-66) Mitchell, 50-64 Adittapariyaya Sutta, Rahula (95-97) 4 Sept. 17 PAPER ONE DUE No Soul Anatta: We will look in more detail at one of the most unique doctrines of Buddhism, the idea that we do not have a permanent Soul 5 Sept. 24 QUIZ ONE Online: Kapstein, Collins Online: Pudgalavada Buddhism, Metzinger Meditation: Buddhism recognizes and uses many different types of meditation. Samatha or calming meditation is used to focus the mind and block out distractions. Brahma-Vihara Meditation is often called visualization meditation and is used to cultivate kindness and compassion for all beings. Vipassana, also known as Mindfulness Meditation, leads to insight into the workings of the body and eventually the mind itself enabling the practitioner to understand that there are thoughts, but no thinker. Rahula, Chapter Seven: Meditation or Mental Culture:Bhavana (67-75) Mitchell, (79-85) Metta Sutta, Rahula (97-98) Satipatthana Sutta, Rahula (109-119) Online: Meditation, Kornfield, Kabat-Zinn 6 Oct 1 The Community of Monks Sangha: The rules governing the life
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines of these religious virtuosos will be looked at, along with role of monks in society at large The Role of Women and Nuns in Early Buddhism: The Buddha was originally reluctant to admit women to the Sangha, but he eventually did and they became important contributors to the religion. Online: The Sangha Online: Friedman Remarkable Women, Nun Readings 7 Oct 8 The Different Schools: Hinayana, Mahayana and the Bodhisattva Ideal: Developments in Buddhism made it more accessible by introducing a holy being who could help people in the difficult task of reaching Nirvana. This led to a split from the orthodox schools that believed each person was solely responsible for their own spiritual welfare Paramita Literature, Madhyamaka and the Tathagatagarbha Doctrine: Examines early Mahayana philosophical literature which emphasizes emptiness Mitchell (103-149) 8 Oct 15 QUIZ TWO Online: The Heart Sutra, Explanation of the Heart Sutra Madhyamaka. This key Mahayana philosophy will be examined in more depth Yogacara and the Doctrine of the Three Bodies of the Buddha: This lecture examines the Mind Only school which believes that nothing exists save consciousness. We will see how the earthly, historical Buddha is understood to be just one manifestation of a heavenly Buddha, who in turn is merely a part of the cosmic Buddha, thereby incorporating many theistic ideas
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Online: The Two Truths Philosophy (Newland) Madhyamaka (Siderits) Mitchell, (149-153) Online: Robinson The Celestial Bodhisattvas and Buddhas Yogacara 9 Oct. 22 SECOND PAPER DUE Tantra and Tibet: Buddhism mixed with some Hindu and animistic ideas and focused on powerful incantations, called mantras, visualizations, and (sometimes strange) rituals, and the union of male and female powers in the universe Mitchell, (160-196) Online: Vajrayana Readings 10 Oct. 29 Buddhism in China - The Lotus Sutra, The Flower Ornament Sutra (Hua Yen), Chan Buddhism: These are important early Mahayana Schools and Sutras that greatly expand the powers of the Buddha and introduce the idea of skillful means whereby different methods of teaching may be used to teach people of different temperaments. We will also explore the philosophy of sudden enlightenment and the anti-intellectually oriented practices of Chan, known more commonly by its Japanese name, Zen Mitchell (197-226) 11 Nov. 5 QUIZ THREE Online: The Jewel Net of Indra, Pure Land Sutra, Lotus Sutra Online: Chan Readings, Alan Watts Buddhism in Japan: The unique expressions of Buddhism in Japan during the Nara, Heian and Kamakura periods will be explored Mitchell, (275-306) Online Buddhism in Japan 12 Nov. 12 Theravada Practice: We will examine the practice of this school in light of its philosophy and discuss the reasons for their divergence.
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Mangala Sutta, Rahula (98) Online The Popular Tradition, Primary Texts, Popular Buddhism 13 Nov. 19 Buddhist Responses to Modernity in Theravadin Lands, Protestant Buddhism: We will question why the religion was claimed by its proponents to have anticipated modern Western science and philosophy, and why there were attempts to purify the degraded forms which were practiced by Asians Buddhist responses to Modernity in Mahayana Lands, The Tibetan Situation: The response of Buddhism to communism, another supposedly atheistic philosophy, will be assessed, focussing in particular on the situation of Tibet Mitchell, (323-354) 14 Dec. 3 QUIZ FOUR Online: Modernization Online: Tibet and Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhism in Europe, Theosophical Society: We will explore the reasons why many intellectuals embraced Buddhism as a paragon of morality, rationality and social justice Buddhism in North America: The continuing popularity of Buddhism in North America will be assessed. Why are so many young people in particular attracted to it? Online: Buddhism Beyond Asia, Olcott Mitchell, (357-398) Online: Nattier Who is a Buddhist? (204-210) McMahan The Making of Buddhist Modernism 15 Dec. 10 EVENTS and FINAL PAPER DUE Buddhist Ethics: We will look at how the ideas of Buddhism have influenced the moral outlook and behavior of the faithful. Online: Buddhist Ethics and Kraft Engaged Buddhism