PHIL 213 Exam Topics B for March 4, 2009.

I will not be overly picky about dates and names. However, you should know major figures and thinkers covered in the course so far and the major ideas associated with them:

Early Chinese Philosophical Schools

• San-lun School: What is the "middle" according to Chi-tsang? What are the four middles according to him?
• T'ien-t'ai School: Chih-i's conception of the human nature versus the nature of ultimate reality: karmically evil versus emptiness.
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Ancient Chinese Mythology and Confucius

• Sage Kings - Who were they?
• What role did Confucius envision for himself?
• Key Terms: li (rites and rituals), yi (righteousness), jen (benevolence and humanity), hsiao (filial piety)

Confucius' orchestral vision of society

• In what sense is Confucius vision of society "orchestral"? (There are at least five characteristics.)
• Fingarette - What do these mean: "Secular as Sacred," "Human Community as Holy Rite," "Way without a Crossroad," "A Confucian Metaphor - The Holy Vessel"

Zhuangzi

• The Story of how the Zhuangzi was compiled
• The relation between perspectivalism, illusion, and oneness in Zhuangzi's view of language, truth, and reality
• The social and philosophical significance of figures like Cook Ding and Woodworker Qing, Crippled Shu and the Madman of Chu.
• How does Zhuangzi relate his view of life and death to nature?

Bodhidharma and the founding of Chan/Zen Buddhism

• The encounter with Emperor Wu
• Dialogue with four disciples and transmitting the Seal of the Dharma to Hui-k'o
• Possible Taoist and Confucian influences

Zen Master Dogen

• Why did Dogen go to China?
• What are his practices of Sitting-only and Practice-as-Awakening?
• What does Dogen mean by "insufficiency"?

The Pure Land figure Shinran

• The central practice in the Shin school of Pure Land Buddhism is saying the Name, Namu Amida Butsu. What does Namu refer to, and what does Amida Butsu signify?
• What is the relationship between "foolish being" and "Amida Buddha."?