INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN BUDDHISM

AEAS 265/AREL 265:

Fall 2005 Class No. 8107

Class Time and Location: MW 5:45–7:05 in FA 114?

Instructor: Mark Blum

Office: HU 254e

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 1:00–2:00

Phone: 442-4183

e-mail: mblum@albany.edu

Textbooks

What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula

(Grove Weidenfield, 1959). ISBN: 0802130313

An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, history and practices by Peter Harvey

(Cambridge University Press, 1990). ISBN: 0521313333

ERes readings available through library ERes website

Prerequisites

This is a survey course with no prior knowledge of Buddhism, India, or its religious traditions required.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the culture, values, and history of the religion known as Buddhism in its original Indian setting. We will look at the broad question of how to identify the distinguishing aspects of what we call Buddhism today within the context of Indian religion and philosophy from which it sprang, including what Buddhist values have to say about the cultural forms created by human society, how religious deliverance or liberation is defined, what a Buddhist way of life is supposed to be about, and so forth. Although Buddhism can be studied from a variety of perspectives, this course will focus primarily on philosophical and religious issues of concern to the Buddhist tradition. Students are encouraged through their own research, however, to contribute to our collective learning experience by contributing other viewpoints, such as artistic, economic, political, etc., as these topics will never be excluded from our discussions but due to time constraints will have to play a supportive role.

Students are expected to attend all classes and being properly prepared means to have read the relevant reading assignment beforehand. There will be a considerable amount of material covered in this class, and while the total amount of pages to read is not great, the nature of the material requires concentration. No repeating of lectures or makeup exams for absentees is possible. If you know you are going to miss a class unavoidably, you must let me know ahead of time to be excused. Since the class only meets twice a week, any absences will have a major impact on what you retain.

Grading

Grades will be based on five areas of student performance, as explained in detail below:

1) general class preparation and participation, 2) two small homework assignments,

3) midterm and final examinations, 4) a research paper, 5) a short, 5-7 minute oral presentation summarizing the results of the research paper.

1) Classwork: You will be expected to attend all classes and to have done the required reading as indicated in the syllabus before coming to class. If you cannot attend class due to illness or other pressing business, it is your responsibility to learn what was discussed that day by means of borrowing notes from another student.

2) Homework: There will be two written assignments, each only ONE page. The restriction to one page should be understood to mean that the instructor expects a tight philosophical presentation of what you choose to include as relevant material. These must be typed, and should be well written, with all sources properly noted, including class lectures and anything from the Internet. NOTE: Students are discouraged from using Internet sources unless they can be demonstrated to be of sufficient academic or religious authority. If you choose to use Internet sources, you must give the source URL or this will be considered plagiarism.

Homework #1: Based on lectures, class discussions, and reading, describe a personal experience of duhkha and what a Buddhist analysis would be of it. Due 9/21.

Homework #2: How does understanding the Three Marks or Characteristics of Existence lead one to liberation? How is this different in the Mahāyāna? Due 11/9.

3) Midterm and Final Examinations: Generally speaking the midterm will cover the early Buddhism and the Final will cover Mahāyāna. BUT, if you do not understand the basic themes of early Buddhism your understanding of Mahāyāna will be skewed. The Final Exam will therefore require relevant comparisons of doctrines and practices, and your preparation must include Early Buddhist thought and practice as well. Both exams will have both identification and short essays. In principle makeup exams will not be given, but in unavoidable absences this may occur with prior consent of the instructor.

4) Research Paper: You will write a critical analysis of any short Buddhist scripture, or a chapter in a long Buddhist scripture. It is also acceptable to write on an idea, famous individual, or institution, but this usually takes more preparation time. The best papers contain a detailed critical analysis of the text along with a summary of what is known historically about when the text was written and the nature of its impact. The written length should be between 5 and 10 pages and is due the day you give your presentation. Regarding content:

1) Don�ft take the book-report approach: a mere summary of either the contents of the text you read or someone�fs research on it will result in a lower grade. Don�ft merely present your opinions: whether you liked or didn�ft like your material is not the point.

2) Do try to present a thoughtful analysis: Your insights are valuable and if presented responsibly and coherently will result in a higher grade. Do state why you appreciated or what you learned from the text or topic. and do it a way that is precise on what it was that impressed you and why.

5) Presentation: You will present a summary of your research paper in class on the day you hand it in. This will last only 5 to 7 minutes. Because this is very brief, the best presentations are those in which the presenter does not read the paper but presents a coherent summary of the paper�fs contents. If necessary, prepare note cards or an outline to help guide you, and always remember to ask for questions at the end.

Grading Scheme:

Classwork/Preparation 15%

Homework 10%

Research Paper 20%

Oral Presentation 10%

Midterm Exam 20%

Final Exam 25%

Class Schedule

Readings are from What the Buddha Taught (BTaught), An Introduction to Buddhism (IntroB), and ERes files (ERes)

Date	Topics		Readings
Aug 29	Class outline
Aug 31	Film		BTaught ch. 1
Sept 5	no class		ERes #1
Sept 7	Buddhist geography & linguistic issues. Buddhism as philosophy, as religion. Historical context of Buddhism in India in the 4th/5th century BCE.		IntroB xx-14,
Sept 12	Life of the Buddha & the meaning of buddha		IntroB 14-31; ERes #2
Sept 14	Four Noble Truths. First Truth: Duḥkha		BTaught ch. 2 & 91-94; IntroB 47-53
Sept 19	Second Truth: Causation of Duḥkha; pratītya-samutpāda		BTaught ch. 3 & 53-54; IntroB 53-60
Sept 21	1st homework due. Third & Fourth Truths: Nirvāṇa & The Path		BTaught chs. 4 & 5; IntroB 60-72
Sept 26	Meditation; the Saṅgha; Early Buddhist history		IntroB 73-82, 244-270; ERes #3 & 4
Sept 28	Pāli Canon Readings		ERes #5
Oct 3	no class
Oct 5	no class
Oct 10	Doctrines: nonself, epistemology, three marks		BTaught ch 6; ERes #6
Oct 12	no class
Oct 17	Abhidharma		IntroB 83-89; ERes #7
Oct 19	MIDTERM EXAM
Oct 24	Intro to Mahāyāna culture		IntroB 89-94, 121-133; ERes #8
Oct 26	Faith & Devotion: Readings from Lotus & Sukhāvatīvyūha sūtras		ERes #9 & 10
Oct 31	Emptiness: Readings from Perfection of Wisdom sūtras		ERes #11 & 12
Nov 2	Nāgārjuna & the Mādhyamika school		IntroB 95-104; ERes #13
Nov 7	Nāgārjuna II		ERes #13 continued
Nov 9	2nd homework due. Yogācāra & Tathāgatagarbha		IntroB 104-120; ERes #14
Nov 14	Logic & Tantra		IntroB 133-138; ERes #15 & 16
Nov 16	Ethics & Buddhism today in Asia		IntroB ch. 9; ERes #17
Nov 21	Buddhism in the West; ecoBuddhism		ERes #18 & 19
Nov 23	no class
Nov 28	Student Presentations
Nov 30	Student Presentations
Dec 5	Student Presentations
Dec 7	Review
Dec 19(M)		FINAL EXAM from 5:45 – 7:45PM