F17 RELS 3010: Introduction to Buddhism Instructor: Dominic Sur ([email protected]) Office: Old Main, 321T Office Hours: Monday, 9:00AM – 10:00AM Phone: (435) 797-9058 Class time: MWF 3:30PM – 4:20PM Final Exam: Monday, 11 Dec 2017, 3:30PM – 5:20PM Location: Geo 302
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the Buddhist religion—its history, ideas, practices, and sociology. It is also a course that uses Buddhism to learn about human culture, institutions, and the agendas and the happenings that drive them. Our class begins with Buddhism’s origins in India, its spread throughout Asia to the West. The course will also examine the historical and cultural contexts in which Buddhist beliefs and practices developed— and continue to develop. That means this course will learn about how and why people in different periods interpret their religions, cultures, even themselves, in different ways. We will also explore a wide variety of sources in order to look at the many ways in which Buddhists speak about the Buddha, what he and his followers say about the meaning of life, death, and human nature, the practice of meditation and the pursuit of nirvana and enlightenment. We will also examine the views of contemporary Buddhist teachers and the challenges Buddhism faces in the modern world.
The class will read, write, and talk about Buddhist texts together. Beyond reading some primary source material (i.e., Buddhist scriptures) from a variety of different Buddhist traditions in-class together, our class will also employ a variety of media for learning: traditional lecturing, the use of photographs, “material culture” (i.e., physical religious objects), visual art, YouTube clips, PowerPoint slides, and film in order to gain a more complex view of the ways in which Buddhism is used in the lives of those who embrace it.
This class also involves an academic survey of the Buddhist religion, it will also make use of three different types of contemporary Buddhist writings: (1) the memoir of a Zen Buddhist monk in Japan, (2) a discourse on morality and ethics from the world’s most prominent Buddhist teacher, and (3) a teaching on Buddhist philosophy from a charismatic Buddhist master from Bhutan. This array of materials is meant to help the class understand Buddhism (and religion more generally); and in order to foster the critical thinking and complex reasoning that lies at the intersection of cultural literacy and historical knowledge.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE: STUDENTS IN RELS 3010 WILL BE ABLE TO:
1. Understand and explain the basic Buddhist worldview: the story Buddhists communities tell themselves about where they come from (their history and origins), where they are going (their goals and destinies), and why they are obliged to engage in certain types of behavior (their customs, practices and laws).
2. Analyze basic Buddhist ideas about the nature of reality, meditation, and Buddhist ethics. Buddhism, like all religions, concerns itself with the “big questions” in life, which our class will also explore from a variety of perspectives: what is the meaning and purpose of life? why is there something rather than nothing? Is there a difference between the way things appear and the way they really are? What is the most meaningful way to live (and die)?
3. Identify and describe how historical and cultural change influences the interpretation of Buddhist ideas, practices, and society. Here, we look at questions, such as What are the features that distinguish past societies and cultures from ours? What elements and concerns are shared between past and present societies and cultures?
4. Articulate the issues and concerns facing Buddhism in the modern world, including Buddhism’s transmission to the West and the issues confronting historically Buddhist cultures in a rapidly transforming and globalizing world. How does Buddhism negotiate science, technology, and politics in the modern world?
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS: There are two types of materials for this course: books, which you must purchase, and scanned excerpts, which I will provide for you on Canvas ahead of class time in order for you to download and print out. The use of E-books is not permitted and may be penalized. It is the students responsibility to purchase physical copies of the required textbooks. There are good reasons for this. The required textbooks are:
The Dalai Lama’s 1999 Ethics for the New Millennium (New York: Riverhead Books) Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse’s 2008 What Makes You Not a Buddhist (Shambhala Publications) Charles Prebish and Damien Keown’s 2006 Introducing Buddhism (Second Edition. New York: Routledge) Soko Morinaga’s 2012 Novice to Master: An Ongoing Lesson in the Extent of My Own Stupidity. (Translated by Belenda Attaway Yamakawa. Boston: Wisdom Publications)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Total points possible in RELS 3010: 100. Two response papers (first is worth 20 points; second is worth 25 points = 45 points), mid-term exam (20 points), final exam (25 points), attendance (10 points), and in-class participation (5 extra credit points possible based on substance––and the instructor’s discretion). Please note that the course requirements are subject to change once the term begins. Changes to the syllabus will be announced to the class. It is the student’s responsibility to check for class emails and class announcements on Canvas before each meeting.
Evaluation: 93 – 100 A 73 – 76 C 90 – 92 A- 70 – 72 C- 87 – 89 B+ 67 – 69 D+ 83 – 86 B 63 – 66 D 80 – 82 B- 60 – 62 D- 77 – 79 C+ 59 or less F
Exams may contain multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer questions, any of which may be drawn from either lectures or readings. NO MAKE UP EXAMS will be given except in cases of officially documented hospitalization.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance is mandatory. Only officially sanctioned absences—by the university or a doctor—will be excused. Students will be penalized for repeated absences without notification.
PARTICIPATION: Often, class lectures will be highly participatory in character, depending on the assumption students have read the assigned course material to date. In-class discussions thereby providing students with an opportunity to foster a critical component of higher education: intelligent self-expression. In class discussions, students should strive to participate on the basis on course materials. This means articulating your thoughts by asking relevant questions and making insightful comments in class in response to readings assigned and comments that are made. Regardless of your career plans, participation in a college class such as ours will be of immense benefit in the future. And it will help with comprehension of the material—for you and your classmates—and make the time we spend together more fun. Your regular and thoughtful engagement in class is highly encouraged.
GROUND RULES FOR LECTURES: • Arrive on time. Repeated tardiness will be penalized. • Turn your phone off. If you cannot turn your phone off, either leave it outside of class or do not attend. Students who use their phones in class will be penalized without notification or remedy. • Bring paper and pen/pencil to class for note-taking. • No Laptop use allowed in class (unless officially warranted). • No smart phone use in class (unless officially warranted).
Studies show that laptops and smartphones in class hurt student performance. Too often these bits of technology, instead of helping us focus our efforts, are the source of distraction. Students may take notes in class by hand only. Often, the night before each class, lecture notes will be made available to students on Canvas for download before class.
RE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: All students should download and read College Paper Tips for advice on how to avoid some basic errors. Academic Integrity––Plagiarism, Cheating, Falsification: Students are obligated to know USU’s policies concerning academic integrity. In short, any student who plagiarizes (uses someone else’s words without explicit attribution), cheats or falsifies anything during the term will receive an automatic F grade with no remedy. This is a zero tolerance policy. Students must sure they know how to avoid plagiarism. First response paper should be 8-10 double- spaced typed pages; Second response paper should be 10-14 double-spaced typed pages; both should be submitted with 12 point font and 1-inch margins. Failure to follows these guidelines results in a lower grade. You should submit response papers on Canvas in .doc or .docx or pdf form, where they will be checked for plagiarism through turnitin.com. No form of plagiarism or cheating will be tolerated. This is a serious matter. Don’t risk the consequences. If you do not know what constitutes plagiarism and academic dishonesty, see: http://catalog.usu.edu/ content.php?catoid=3&navoid=265. There will be no makeups for these assignments—and no late submissions will be accepted without a significant loss to the grade.
*Often, students think they have successfully submitted a paper when they have not. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their paper is uploaded to Canvas before the assignment due date. Please read College Paper Tips for information on how to make sure you have uploaded correctly. Consult CIDI if you have any questions.
MID-TERM & FINAL EXAMS: The take-home mid-term exam and in-class final exam (date above) will consist mostly of multiple choice (including vocabulary) questions.
A STYLE MANUAL: Students in RELS 3010 are required to purchase Gordon’s Writing with Sources. This book contains all the information you need for writing papers in college. This is important because much of your grade in this course depends on your ability to write well. To give just one example of a fatal error, there is a world of difference between the following two sentences:
• “Let’s eat, mom!” • “Let’s eat mom!”
The first is an invitation for mom to eat with us; the second suggests that we eat mom. The comma makes all the difference.
The quality of English (grammar, proofreading, organization, etc.) will play a major role in how I grade your response, so make sure you write well. There are several style manuals that are superior to Gordon’s. If you wish, you may purchase and use one of the following instead:
• Strunk & White’s Elements of Style (fourth edition). Amazon has used copies for less than a dollar. This is the simplest writer’s manual. Knowledge and command of its contents (i.e. correct comma use, etc.) are requisite for every first year college student. • Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers (6th or 7th edition). This is an excellent guide covering everything in Strunk & White, but with additional content on Academic writing and research. • Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (7th or 8th edition). This book should be purchased by students intending to do work in the Humanities and Social Sciences such as History, English, Religious Studies, etc. • If you are planning on pursuing a Master’s Degree or Ph.D., then, in addition to one of the above style manuals, I strongly recommend purchasing Booth, Colomb, & Williams’ The Craft of Research (3rd edition). This book shows how to build research and how to write it in a scholarly way. A must for anyone considering grad school.
* NOTE TO S.T.E.M. STUDENTS: Students planning on going into the so-called STEM fields (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) might think that the particulars of writing— or a Religious Studies class, in general—are not essential for their careers… This is wrong. People who are successful in STEM spend a significant amount of time writing—e.g., grant proposals (i.e. asking for money for their research) or communicating about their work. Moreover, no matter how brilliant you are, if you cannot express yourself in a clear, articulate manner, you will have a hard time shining. Thus, a mastery English composition is a must for those going into STEM fields—and anyone who claims a higher education.
Several times during the term students will be asked to write short reflections in class. Students are responsible for having paper and pencil for this purpose. There is no schedule for these reflections. They will be given without prior notice to students. Their contents are incorporated into the participation grade. Furthermore, if any student feels that oral participation is impossible, you may speak with the instructor about submitting regular reflections in lieu of oral participation.
There may be opportunities for extra credit during the term, but not in the last two weeks of the term. Assignments and their value will be determined at the instructor’s discretion. Students may inquire personally.
Response papers for this class do not need to include a bibliography, but they do need to be properly cited. Moreover, each response paper should be written perfect English. In order to write in perfect English and cite your sources properly, two things are needed: (1) time for editing your own work. This means writing a first and then a second draft. And (2) using the style manual you purchased. Please see College Paper Tips for guidance. For “the rules” as to how your response papers are graded, see the Writing Evaluation Rubric.
S c o r e L e v e l s
Content Conventions Organization • Is well thought out and answers the • No spelling, grammatical, or • Information is clearly focused in an prompt punctuation errors organized and thoughtful manner • Reflects application of critical • Use of multiple sources, including • Information is constructed in a thinking based on the readings and lectures and readings logical pattern to support the lectures solution • Proper citation of sources • Has clear summary and response to • Appropriately incorporates evidence
A the reading content from sources by accurate paraphrasing, citation, and analysis. • Consistent integration and application of lecture material
• Is well thought out and supports the • Few (1 to 3) spelling, grammatical, • Information supports the solution to solution or punctuation errors the challenge or question • Has application of critical thinking • Good use of vocabulary and word • Proper citations are used throughout that is apparent choice the essay. B • Has clear explanation of the reading • All necessary citations are included • Incorporates evidence from sources in-text by accurate paraphrasing, quotation, • Integration and application of lecture and analysis. material
• Supports the solution • Minimal (3 to 5) spelling, • Project has a focus but might stray grammatical, or punctuation errors from it at times • Has application of critical thinking that is apparent • Low-level use of vocabulary and • Information appears to have a word choice pattern, but the pattern is not • Has no clear explanation of the consistently carried out in the project reading • Some errors in proper citation. • Information loosely supports the C • Uses a few examples from the solution reading • Little use of lecture material
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Key terms: Ch. 3: the Four Noble Truths, duḥkha (“suffering”/”dissatisfaction”), greed, hatred, and delusion, dependent-origination, Eight-fold path, “three higher trainings” in wisdom, morality, and meditation, five aggregates, doctrine/view of no-self; Ch. 4: monk, monastic, lay, householder, Buddhist nuns
Key questions: What is the Buddhist worldview? (What the heck is a “worldview”?) What is suffering and how is it caused? What does it mean to see there is “no self”? What is the relationship between the view of no self and dependent origination? What is the difference between the lay Buddhists and monastics?
Week 3 (Sept 11, 13, 15): formation
Reading: Prebish and Keown, Chapter 5: “Buddhism in India,” pp. 77–94; Chapter 6: “Mahāyāna,” pp. 97–117; *short electronic reading to be announced
Key terms: Tripitaka, Mauryan Empire, Ashoka (Sanskrit: aśoka), stupa, abhidharma, Mahayana, tantra, mantra, Vajrayana, mandala, emptiness, compassion, buddha nature, Madhyamaka, Yogacara, three bodies of the Buddha, Pure Land
Key questions: What is in the Buddhist canon? What is distinctive about Mahayana Buddhism? What is Buddhist tantra? What is Pure Land Buddhism?
Week 4 (Sept 18, 20, 22): Meditation & the Theravada
Reading: Prebish and Keown, Chapter 7: “Meditation,” pp. 119–140; Chapter 8, “Buddhism in South-east Asia,” pp. 141–161; *short electronic reading to be announced
Key terms: Calm, Insight, mindfulness, ritual, “taking refuge,” “attainment of cessation,” tantric generation and perfection
Key questions: What is meditation? How does it help Buddhists? What is the difference between Calm and Insight meditations? What does it mean to take refuge? What is the Theravada?
Week 5 (Sept 25, 27, 29): Mahayana East Asia & tantra in Tibet
Reading: Prebish and Keown, Chapter 9: “Buddhism in East Asia,” pp. 163–183; Chapter 10: “Buddhism in Tibet,” pp. 186–201; Dalai Lama, “Deity Yoga,” pp. 185–197 (electronic reading)
Key terms: Chan/Zen, transmission of dharma, Nichiren, Padmasambhava, Atisha (Sanskrit: atiśa), Marpa and Milarepa, Dalai Lama
Key questions: What is distinctive about Chinese and Tibetan Buddhisms? (think about big questions like this in terms of ideas, practices, and social organizations) What are the main mediums through which Buddhism is transmitted across cultures? What is “deity yoga”?
Week 6 (Oct 2, 4, 6): dharma in the West & mid-term
Reading: Prebish and Keown, Chapter 11: “Buddhism in the Western World,” pp. 205–216; Chapter 12: “Socially Engaged Buddhism,” pp. 218–232; *short electronic reading to be announced
Key terms: socially engaged Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh, Interbeing, Vietnamese Zen,
Key questions: Is there an American Buddhism? What does it look like? What does Buddhism gain and what does it lose in becoming American?
*Take-home mid-term due at the beginning of class Monday, October 9th
Week 7 (Oct 9, 11, 13): ethics and the Dalai Lama
Reading: Prebish and Keown, Chapter 13: “Ethics,” pp. 235–253; Dalai Lama’s Ethics for the New Millennium, chapters 1 and 2.
Key terms: ethics, modern society, happiness, science as religion
Key questions: What are ethics? Is the desire to be happy and avoid suffering universal? Why? How does modern living effect our ethics? How do you see the relationship between religion and science? Do you agree with the author’s distinction between religion and spirituality? What do you think we should do when some conduct acceptable to one community, but unacceptable to another?
Week 8 (Oct 16, 18): the Dalai Lama (cont.) *No class Friday!
Reading: Dalai Lama’s Ethics for the New Millennium, chapters 3–6
Key terms: Buddhist philosophy, middle way view, dependent origination, altruism
Key questions: What is the nature reality according to the Dalai Lama? How does knowledge of reality lead to less suffering? What is the value of empathy and compassion? What types of situations encourage compassion and empathy in your life? Is genuine happiness really bound to ethical conduct? Why or why not?
Week 9 (Oct 23, 25, 27): Dalai Lama (cont.)
Reading: Dalai Lama’s Ethics for the New Millennium, chapters 7–11
Key terms: so-pa, humility, compassion, equanimity, suffering, wise discernment, universal responsibility
Key questions: What is sopa? What difference does motivation make –– what makes “giving to get” different than “giving without attachment”? How many types of suffering are there? At what moments in your life have you felt strong compassion? Where are your compassion boundaries? Has suffering ever connected you to others? How?
Week 10 (Oct 30, Nov 1, 3): Dalai Lama (cont.)
Reading: Dalai Lama’s Ethics for the New Millennium, chapters 12–16
Key terms: ethics, education, society, family, economics, politics, warfare
Key questions: Why does the Dalai Lama argue that compassion should be at the center of all actions? What does behavior shaped by universal responsibility look like? Is religion still relevant in the modern world? Why or why not?
Week 11 (Nov 6, 8, 10): memoir and Zen
Reading: Soko Morinaga’s Novice to Master: an ongoing lesson in the extent of my own stupidity
Key terms: zazen, koan, training,
Key questions: What does it mean to say Zen training relies more on actions than words? What is the role of frustration in Zen training? What does Morinaga mean when he writes: “the purpose of practice is not to increase knowledge but to scrape the scales off the eyes…”? What is the role of teacher and disciple in Zen? How is it different than other Buddhist traditions? Why does the Roshi give Soko money for the disposal of his corpse? What is a koan for? What does it mean to say: “Enlightenment is liberation from the dross of learning and experience that, without one’s being aware of it, has accumulated and settled like so much sediment”?
Week 12 (Nov 13, 15, 17): contemporary teaching
Reading: Dzongsar Khyentse’s What Makes You Not a Buddhist
Key terms: “the four seals,” impermanence, happiness, pain, emptiness, limits of logic, “relative truth,” “primordial purity”
Key questions: What is DJK’s message to readers? How is his approach different that either the Dalai Lama’s or Soko Morinaga’s? What are the four seals? What is relative truth? What is primordial purity?
Week 13 (Nov 20): TBA
Reading: This will be declared as the week approaches and in consultation with the class
Key terms:
Key questions:
Week 14 (Nov 27, 29, Dec 1): preparing papers
Reading: a draft of a classmates final paper
Key terms: editing, proof-reading, re-drafting
Key questions: What is the point of this paper? Does this paper have a thesis? Does it do analysis or only description of Buddhism? Can this be written more clearly? More simply? Are there interesting points that need more unpacking? Are there points repeated throughout that can be pared down?
No-Test Days (Dec 4, 6, 8): preparing for finals
Agenda: Finish final papers
Finals Week: Final Exam