Bakersfield College s2

Bakersfield College

WELCOME TO EASTERN RELIGIONS d

S Phil B32: Eastern Religions e

f 9:35 – 11:10, Hum 104 v

r CRN 72223 Fall 2009 i

Professor: Michael McNellis i

Office: FACE 15A (east of Humanities bldg) r

Office Telephone: 395-4935 "

— My E-mail: [email protected] u

My URL: http://www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/mmcnellis a

OFFICE HOURS (by appointment as well) s

Mon/Tue/Wed/Thurs: 11-12:00 PM a

a COURSE DESCRIPTION h

. The topic of religion is arguably the most important global issue for us to understand today, s

especially given our ever-increasing socio-economic dependence on world affairs. This e

class is to challenge you to begin thinking about religion and the ways it has been defined, w

s so as to help differentiate religion from, for example, forms of political ideologies and e

practices. In short, to differentiate between the “sacred” and the “profane” will be our first task of this course. Then we will extend this understanding to two of the most influential eastern religions of the world (Hinduism and Buddhism), examining their religious worldviews, which include their interpretation of the cosmos, of “god or gods”, of sacred scripture, and of sacred rituals. We will also discuss Sikhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, though much more briefly. The distinct nature and background of the interrelationship between cosmology and human nature will be amply discussed. The method of the course is designed to view religion through a historical and comparative framework, utilizing short but indicative writings from primary sacred scriptures.

Understanding religious worldviews helps us better appreciate the responses to perennial problems that have faced humanity since its “beginning”: that of the Absolute, of being human, of the ways of world, of life-after-death, etc. A course in religion concerns the everyday individual and his/her relationship to the world and neighbors.

REQUIRED Textbooks and Materials: 1. Olivelle, Patrick, Upanisads, New York : Oxford University Press, 1998. 2. Prabhavananda and Isherwood, trans., Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God, New York : Signet Classic (Penguin Putnam Group), 2002. 3. Lopez, Donald, The Story of Buddhism:AConcise Guide To Its History & Teachings, HarperSanFrancisco, 2002 4. Tu, Weiming, Centrality and Commonality: An Essay on Confucian Religiousness, New York: SUNY 1989 5. A Guide to The Bodhisattva Way of Life by Santideva, trans. Vesna and Alan Wallace (Snow Lion,1997) 6. You will be required to download certain primary documents from my Web site. (This is a requirement, as I have PDF’d certain readings to save you a significant amount of money for books. You will be expected to print the documents and bring them to class.)  Professor’s handouts

SUGGESTED Readings 1. Li, Chenyang, The Tao Encounters the West: Explorations in Comparative Philosophy, New York: SUNY, 1999 2. Rahula, Wapola, What the Buddha Taught, Grove Press, 1974 3. Watson, Burton , trans., The Lotus Sutra, New York : Columbia University Press

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

1) Know past and current issues and religious practices in the study of eastern religious traditions. 2) Understand the historical development of each major theological/philosophical shift within the two major eastern traditions. 3) Observe, read, write, speak, and critically think about the at least four eastern world religions with an informed cross-cultural understanding. 4) Compare and contrast at least two sacred dimensions within four eastern religions. 5) Reflect in-depth regarding the nature of religious pluralism and your personal response to it in a critical, academic and/or personal way. 6) Discuss the role religions play in the lives of individuals, societies, and cultures, with particular emphasis on the role of eastern religions in America.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING:

IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS & QUIZZES (varies) There may be times at which I will assign certain project in-class that, if you were not in class to receive them, you would not otherwise be aware that they were assigned. You will be responsible for completing these assignments. The points will be added to the overall number of points possible that determine your final grade. Make sure you complete these.

 4 ARTICLE SUMMARIES (5 pts each/20 pts total) You will have to go to http://www.pluralism.org/news/index.php or peruse the Bakersfield Californian “Religion” section to select an article related to a western or eastern religion. You must read and print out the article. Then you will adequately summarize it in one to four paragraphs. You will be asked to do this three different times in the course of the semester. This assignment is not meant to be critical as much as it is meant to help broaden your awareness regarding the diversity of religion and religious issues in America. STAPLE THE ARTICLE TO YOUR SUMMARY when you turn it in.

 RESEARCH /VISITATION PROJECT (100 pts) Here you must construct a 5-7 page paper. Possible research/visitation research projects could be:  Research and visit a religious site and service different than your own (see below for instructions)  Interviewing local religious leaders in one or more traditions (you will have to run your questions by me first before choosing this option) You may record these, but you will still have to draft a transcript of the conversations.  Construct a piece of art reflecting religious themes studied in this course and a two page paper outlining the religious themes of the art work (you will need to discuss your idea with me first)  Create a research paper on a religious theme of your choice, e.g., Hindu mysticism, Gandhi, Tibetan Buddhism, Confucian self-cultivation, Zen Buddhism, etc,.,  Create your own song reflecting the material learned in the course along with a 2- 3 page critical analysis of every element of the lyrics, being sure to connect the lyrics to the religious tradition. May require a good amount of research.

Only these topics have my advanced approval. The visitation project is the only topic that does not require any need for consultation. Any topic related to research alone, i.e., interview or art projects, it is required that you consult me. However, if none of the topics above interest you, you may create your own research project that pertains to an eastern world religion if you get advanced approval from me. I will outline the requirements for your project on a case by case basis, so be sure to talk to me.

If you choose the visitation project, you must complete ALL of the following components. Each project must be at least 5 pages long and include the following:  A research paper outlining 1) the religious tradition and its history (which branch of Hinduism or Buddhism does the institution of your choice adhere to, for example); 2) its basic religious beliefs; 3) its basic rituals of practice. Describe the beliefs/rituals in some detail. You will want to talk to the religious leaders of that institution to gather this type of information. Call and arrange a time to meet with a local religious leader. Also, check to see if the temple has a Web site devoted to it. You may use that as well. (This will probably be about 3 to 4 pages) ◦ You must include a Works Cited page which details all material consulted in order to learn about the specific religious ideas, beliefs, and history, whether it be Web sites, interviews with religious leader, primary & secondary sources, etc. (This is not included in the number of required pages but is nevertheless required)  A written summary of your actual experience, which clarifies all the details involved: people to whom you spoke, places you visited, religion etc. (around ½ page)  Any brochures, pamphlets, or papers of places you visited, including virtual places on the internet (Does not count toward number of required pages)  A written response regarding your actual experience, which includes descriptions of how you felt, the ways in which you were treated, and anything else you would like to add. And include a paragraph answering the question of what learned from this project. (½ page) Failure to complete in total any of these three parts will result in a lower grade.  THREE CRITICAL PAPERS (100 pts each/ or 300 pts total) These will provide you with an opportunity to display your understanding of philosophical and religious issues, beliefs, and problems. You will be amply prepared for each of these as your instructor will clearly outline his expectations and purpose for each paper. Each paper will reflect a religious tradition, viz. respectively, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Letter grades & their percentage equivalents: A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = 59% or below

Breakdown of Grading Policy: 1. Participation and in-class assignments (varies) 2. 4 Article Summaries (5 pts each/20 pts total) 3. Research/Visitation Project (100 pts) 4. Critical Paper on Confucianism (100) 5. Critical Paper on Hinduism (100 pts) 6. Critical Paper on Buddhism (100 pts)

EXTRA CREDIT (Max 10 pts) Maximum number of X-Credit points earned will not exceed 10 pts. You may use one or combine any of the three different projects to earn your maximum number of extra credit points. . Write a SHORT RESEARCH PAPER on religious idea. After reading at least 3 academic sources related to your topic, write two scholarly pages on any of the major religious ideas in the course: dharma, karma, rebirth, paths to salvation, Tao, guru, etc.: (10 pts possible) . You need only submit the two pages along with a Works Cited page. . For resources, check our fabulous library, CSUB’s library, and BC’s online resources like Epscohost for current articles related to your idea. . You may watch a film regarding an eastern religious tradition & write a two-page critical response paper. Only one paper may be submitted for credit. If you write a thoughtful and accurate response then I might consider your paper to be posted on my web site as a reference to the film. (10 pts possible) . You may also opt to do a book report. This would entail reading a text related to a western or eastern religion and writing a critical response paper to that text. You would want to include first a summary of the text followed by, for example, a response to some of the following questions: what did you think of the tone, the supporting evidence used, the conclusions, or the overall argument of the text? A couple of examples could be a) Mircea Eliade, Myth and Reality, or Wapola’s What the Buddha Taught, etc. Just peruse the Easter Religion section at B&N and look for a good book to read. You will want to ask me about the text first. (10 pts possible) . 1 point toward overall grade will be given for each hour that you study with at least one other person to study/discuss course material (maximum of 5 points per 5 hours for each student). Each student must submit names, times, locations, and signatures of all involved in study in order to get credit. You must put total number of hours on top of the page before you hand your hours to me. CLASSROOM POLICIES

Attend and participate in class: This includes attending class, showing up at least once during my office hours, showing up on time, displaying interest in the subject, and completing in-class assignments, all of which will not be able to be made-up if missed. You may be dropped after missing 4 class meetings. It is your responsibility to verify that you have been dropped if you decide not to come back to class after the 4th missed class. If I don’t drop you, you will be responsible for dropping yourself or receiving an “F” grade.

Actively engage the class discussions: The more you actively participate in the class discussions, the more you learn. I genuinely believe this.

Please, visit me in my office hours: Because I believe student success and material retention is in part tied to quality of communication you have with your professor.

Don’t be late policy (tardiness): No on-going lateness will be tolerated. Everyone will be given 3 free late passes. Beyond that if you continue to come in late, your overall grade may be reduced 5 pts off your overall grade for each of those recurring times. Please be respectful to your fellow students and me when you come in late.

Don’t miss exams or quizzes: Any make-up exam will be subject to a 21% reduction from original score and thus a maximum score of 79% can be achieved. No excuse is needed. Any medical or emergency condition preventing you from taking the exam, however, will require a doctor's note or appropriate validation to avoid the reduction of grade.

Turn off cell phones, headphones, or any other classroom disruptor. If you need your cell phone, please put it on vibrator mode. Thank you!

Don’t Plagiarize & uphold academic honesty standards: It is implied that when a student hands in any written work that work was written from you. If a student is discovered to have violated any of the standards of academic dishonesty and integrity by misrepresenting the words and ideas of another as his/her own, then he/she will be assigned an F grade & the appropriate Dean will be notified. See catalogue for more info.

Important Not e: Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disabled Student Programs & Services (661-395- 4334), FACE 16, as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Studying keeps the mind healthy!