Religious Studies 201 Great Religions of Asia, Fall 2002-03
Introduction to selected religious traditions of Asia. This course will examine various Asian religious traditions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Rather than provide a comprehensive survey of all of the Asian religions (which is impractical in a ten-week quarter), this course emphasizes in-depth understanding of selected traditions through the study of primary religious texts supported by secondary readings in the relevant scholarly literature. The focus of our examination will be on the philosophical understanding of religious ideas supported by a critical examination of historical context. We will study key ideas within the critical context of various cultural and historical issues such as gender, class, and ritual.
Requirements
1. Attendance: Required. Students can have one unexcused absence without penalty. Each class missed thereafter without prior permission will result in 1/2 grade penalty for the course grade. Attendance at weekly discussion sections is mandatory.
2. Short exams: There will be two short, in-class exams, based on materials from the readings, lectures, and course web site.
3. Short response papers: Students will write three response papers on the readings. They offer thoughtful reflections on the readings rather than merely personal reactions. More specific instructions will be provided on the course web site.
4. Presentation: Students will make a presentation on the readings for one of the section meetings. The presenter should NOT summarize the reading but should use the presentation to discuss why the selected ideas/passages in question are important for understanding the reading and proceed to explain and well as raise questions about these ideas/passages.
The primary purpose of these presentations is to launch the discussion, not to demonstrate breadth of knowledge or to lead the discussion. Each presenter will prepare a handout with 2-3 questions and brief, corresponding quotations from the readings. More detailed instructions will be provided on the course web site.
5. Final paper: Each student will hand in a medium length final paper of 5-6 pages double-spaced. Suggested topics will be provided. Students may choose to create their own topics with the consent of their section leader. In the case of the latter, a one-paragraph description of the topic must be submitted by email to the instructor one week prior to the due date.
6. Late policy on written assignments: Three grace days total will be allotted excluding the medium-length paper for which no extensions will be given. For all other assignments, a cumulative total of three late days will be allowed without penalty. Thereafter, each late day will result in a two-point deduction from the course grade. Weekends are not counted against the grace days.
Email. Students should all have email accounts. Notices for the class will be posted by email.
Note about information technologies:
A. "The computer ate my diskette" is not a good excuse for late assignments. You are responsible for keeping a back-up of your own work. Responsible use of technology comes with enjoying its benefits. (Think of those who used to type their papers on typewriters!)
B. You can print on-line materials from any network printer. If you have difficulty doing this and wish to have a hard copy, ask the instructor or one of the GTFs, and we will obtain some help for you.
Grades
Required Texts (Information listed here is given in footnote/endnote format.)
1. Herbert Fingarette, Confucius-The Secular as Sacred (New York: HarperCollins, 1972).
2. Burton Watson, tr., Chuang Tzu (New York: Columbia University Press, 1964).
3. Taitetsu Unno, Tannisho-A Shin Buddhist Classic (Honolulu: Buddhist Study Center Press, 1996).
4. Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace (Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 1987).
5. Course Reader, Religious Studies 201 Great Religions of the World-Asia, Fall 2000-01
Available at the Copy Shop, 539 E. 13th Street, Eugene, OR 97401, TEL 485 6253, $30
Course Reader
1. Ralph T. H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1973) 206, 633-4.
2. Shree Purohit Swami and W. B. Yeats, trans., The Ten Principal Upanishads (Calcutta: Rupa, 1992) 90-92.
3. A. C. Bhakitvedanta Swami Prabhupada, trans., Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1990) 633-634.
4. Joseph Campbell, Oriental Mythology - The Masks of God (NY: Penguin, 1991) 343-364.
5. Frederick Streng, Emptiness-A Study in Religious Meaning (Nashville and New York: Abingdon Press, 1967) 199, 212-215.
6. Mark Unno, "Key Ideas: Nagarjuna" and "Key Ideas: Philosophical Schools."
7. Robert A. F. Thurman, trans., The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1987) 56-63, 73-77.
8. Taitetsu Unno, "Philosophical Schools-San-lun, T'ien-t'ai, and Hua-yen," in Buddhist Spirituality, ed. by Takeuchi Yoshinori (New York: Crossroad, 1995) 343-365.
9. Heinrich Dumoulin, Zen Buddhism: A History-India and China (New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1988) 85-94.
10. Hayao KAWAI, "Japanese Mythology: Balancing the Gods," in his Dreams, Myths and Fairy Tales in Japan (Daimon, 1995) 67-97.
11. Mark Unno, "Key Terms - Philosophical Terms in the Zen Buddhist Thought of Dogen"
12. Norman Waddell and Masao Abe, trans., "Shobogenzo Genjokoan," by Dogen Kigen, The Eastern Buddhist 5:2 (10/1972) 129-140.
13. Mark Unno, "Key Terms - Pure Land Buddhism and the Philosophy of Honen and Shinran."
14. Mark Unno, "The Nembutsu of No-Meaning and the Problem of Genres in the Writings and Statements of Gutoku Shinran." The Pure Land 10-11 (12/1994). 1-9 (originally pages 105-121).
15. Nishitani Keiji, "Ikebana," Kyoto Journal 4 (Fall 1987) 33-35.
16. Paula Arai, "Soto Zen Nuns in Modern Japan: Keeping and Creating Tradition," Bulletin of the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture 14 (Summer 1990) 38-51.
17. Mu Soeng Sunim. Thousand Peaks: Korean Zen-Tradition & Teachers. Berkeley: Parallax Press, 1987. 28-48, 191-314.
RS201 Great Religions of Asia - Class schedule
(CR: Course Reader; CR1 = Course Reader Selection No. 1)
Week 1 - Introduction
9/30 Mon. Introduction to the Course-Asian Religions: Whose Religions where?
10/2 Wed. The Geography of Asian Religions: South, Southeast, East, Inner
10/4 Fri. Vedic Religion and Brahmanism. Read: Hymns of the Rgveda, Upanishads, CR1, 2.
Week 2 - Indian Religion: Gita, Nikaya, Mahayana
10/7 Mon. Bhagavad Gita, Dance of Krishna and Gopis. Read: Bhagavad Gita, Oriental Mythology, CR 3, 4.
10/9 Wed. Early Indian Buddhism I - Shakyamuni Buddha - From Palace to Sujata
10/11 Fri. Early Indian Buddhism II - Nikaya Buddhism - Key concepts and historical background
Week 3 - Mahayana Buddhism Response paper I due in class 10/18
10/14 Mon. Nagarjuna and the Wisdom Sutras.
Read: Emptiness, "Key Ideas: Nagarjuna and the Thought of Emptiness," CR5, 6.
10/16 Wed. Bodhisattva ideal and the Vimalakirti Sutra. Read: The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti, CR 7.
10/18 Fri. Chinese Buddhism, "The Philosophical Schools."
Read: "Key Ideas: Taitetsu Unno, 'Philosophical Schools," "Philosophical Schools," CR6, 8.
Week 4 - Ancient China I: Confucianism Short exam I in class, Friday 10/25
10/21 Mon.Special Event: TBA
10/23 Wed.The World of the Sage Kings. Read: Fingarette, Confucius: The Secular as Sacred, vii-xi, 1-17.
10/25 Fri. Confucius and the world of ritual action. Read: Fingarette, Confucius, 18-56.
Week 5 - Ancient China II: Taoism Response paper II due in class 11/1
10/30 Wed. Lao Tzu: The Power of the Way. Read: Watson, tr., Chuang Tzu, 1-20, 23-30.
11/1 Fri. Chuang Tzu I: Read: Chuang Tzu, 31-45, 46-88.
Week 6 - Ancient China III: Taoism and Early Chan/Zen
11/4 Mon. Chuang Tzu II: Read: Chuang Tzu, 89-110
11/6 Wed. Chuang Tzu III: Read: Chuang Tzu, 111-140.
11/8 Fri. Bodhidharma and Zen Buddhism. Read: Dumoulin, Zen Buddhism, CR 9.
Week 7 - Ancient and MedievalJapan, Ancient Korea Response paper III due in class 11/15
11/11 Mon. The way of the kami - gods and goddesses. Read: Kawai, "Japanese Mythology," CR 10.
11/13 Wed. Korean Buddhists: Chajang, Uisang, and Wonhyo. Read: Thousand Peaks, pp. 28-38, CR 17.
11/15 Fri. Dogen and Zen Buddhism. Read: "Shobogenzo Genjokoan," CR12.
Week 8 - Medieval Japan
11/18 Mon. Dogen and Zen Buddhism. Read: "Shobogenzo Genjokoan," CR12.
11/20 Wed. Shinran and Pure Land Buddhism.
Read: Unno, "Key Terms - Pure Land Buddhism," CR 13, Unno, Tannisho, 37-56, 1-14.
11/22 Fri. Shinran and Pure Land Buddhism
Read: Unno, Tannisho, 57-66, 21-23, 32-34, Unno, "The Nembutsu of No-Meaning," CR 14. Short exam II in class, Wed., 11/22
Week 9 - Modern Vietnamese Buddhism
11/25 Mon. Thich Nhat Hanh. Read: Being Peace, 1-44.
11/27 Wed. Thich Nhat Hanh. Read: Being Peace, 45-90.
11/29 Fri Thanksgiving Break
Week 10 - Modern Manifestations Korean and Japanese Final paper due in class, Fri. 12/6
12/2 Mon. Soto Zen Nuns. Read: Nishitani, "Ikebana," Paula Arai, "Soto Zen Nuns," CR15, 16.
12/4 Wed. Seung Sahn. Read: Thousand Peaks, 191-314, CR 17.
12/6 Fri. Final Lecture. Final papers due in class.