840:211
Spring 2003
Time and Place
q Common Lecture: Thursday 2rd period, Scott 135
q Sec. 1 Monday 2rd Period . Class located at FH- A5
q Sec. 2 Monday 3rd Period . Class located at CA - A4
q Sec. 3 Tuesday 4th Period . Class located at Scott 119
q Sec. 4 Monday 3rd Period. Class located at FH - B2
q Sec. 5 Thursday 4tth Period. Class located at HA - B2
Instructors: Professors Thomas Myladil ( Section 1), Kenneth Holloway (Section 2) Chün-fang Yü ( Section 3), Chia-ju Chang ( Section 4 and 5).
Course Description
This course introduces students to the major living religious traditions of Asia, originating in India, China, Korea and Japan. We will study the beliefs and practices of Hindus, Buddhists, Confucians, Taoists, as well as the followers of Shinto and other folk religions. We are interested in discovering how the sacred is depicted in their scriptures, and in comparing the diverse ways and methods through which humankind can achieve self-transformation. Our discussion of these religious traditions proceed chronologically, for it is only through a historical analysis of these religions can we realize how and why they evolved over time. No religion ever exists in a vacuum or stays the same. Different historical, social, and cultural forces played a role in the rise and development of different religions, which then influenced these forces in return. In tracing this dialectical relationship, we want to pay equal attention to the philosophical foundations of the religious traditions as well as their social functions and manifestations.
Required Texts
q World Religions: Eastern Traditions. Edited by Willard G. Oxtoby (Oxford, 1996), abbreviated as WR, available at Rutgers University Bookstore.
q Eastern Ways of Being Religious, By Gary Kessler, (Mayfield, 1992), abbreviated as EWBR, available at Rutgers University Bookstore.
q An anthology of readings, abbreviated as R, under the name of Dr. Yü, is on electronic reserve.
Recommended Texts On Reserve at Alexander Library
Author Title
1. Lau, D.C. The Analects
2. Fuller, C.J. The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India
3. Sax, W.S.,ed The Gods at Play, Lila in Southeast Asia
4 Yao, X. An Introduction to Confucianism
5. Lopez, D.. Asian Religions in Practice
6. Ramanujan, A.K. Speaking of Siva
7. Miller, B.S. Yoga: Discipline of Freedom
8. Miller, B.S.. The Bhagavad-Gita
9. Mair, V. Wandering on the Way: Early Taoist Tales and Parables of Chuang Tzu
10. Mair, V. The Tao Te Ching
11. Rahula, W.. What The Buddha Taught
12. Blacker, C. The Catalpa Bow
13. Fingarette, H. Confucius: The Secular as Sacred
14. Eck, D. Darsan
15. Waley, A. . Three Ways of Thoughts in Ancient China
16. Suzuki, S. Zen Mind, Beginners Mind
17. Welch, H.. The Parting of The Way
18. Hanh, T. N. The heart of Buddha Teaching
19. Sekida, K. Two Zen Classics Mumonkan and Hekigamroku
20. Kitagawa, J. Religious Traditions of Asia
Course Requirements
1. Three In-class Quizzes (30% of the final grade): a 20-25 minutes quiz consisting of short-answer definitions of key terms and figures will be given during individual section meetings. They test your mastery of basic knowledge from the readings and lectures.
2. A short paper (20% of the final grade): You are expected to select a topic of your choosing connected with an Eastern tradition, but one not derived directly from the material covered in the course. For example, you may write a descriptive paper about a visit to a temple or ashram; a reaction to the on-campus Zen meditation sessions conducted weekly by Kurt Spellmeyer or the Yoga meditation class conducted by Suzin Green; a response to a film (some videos and viewing equipment are available in the Religion Dept.), or to a book about Eastern thought that you have read that is not covered in the syllabus. There may be scholars from other universities visiting Rutgers throughout the semester (or faculty members from other departments in Rutgers) delivering lectures on related topics, which we will announce in class, and these may provide suitable subject matter for the paper. You should consult with your section instructor about this paper, since other creative ideas will be entertained. The paper should be prepared in accordance with academic conventions. It should be typed, double space, 5-7 pages).
3. Final Exam (40% of the final grade): It is cumulative and consists of a combination of short-answer questions (like the quizzes) but also essay questions which require you to compare and contrast different traditions within the same religion or different religions.
4. Class Attendance and Participation (10% of the final grade). You are expected to attend every class meeting. You will be held responsible for material covered in lectures, much of which go beyond required readings. The lectures and discussions will also provide the necessary background and transitions between the various religious traditions. Your participation in class discussion will show how well you have understood the readings and where clarification is necessary. It is therefore essential to keep up with the reading assignments.
Policies
Unless you have valid proof, in case of illness, provided by a physician or a letter from your dean in case of family or other emergencies, NO make-up for missed quizzes or final exam will be given. The same goes for term paper: a late paper will be penalized half a grade per week and no paper will be accepted after ten days of its due date unless this lateness is caused by documented medical crisis or other emergencies. Any permissible make-up must be arranged with the individual instructor of your section.
Grading System: A=100-90, B+ =89-87, B=86-80,C+ =79-77, C =76-70, D =69-65, F=64 and below. Incompletes, i.e. “T” grades, ordinarily will not be given.
Topics of the Weekly Lectures and Reading Assignments from "Required Reading"
(Additional assignments may be given during lectures).
1. 1/23 Origins of the Hindu Tradition
WR 13-27; EWBR 39-54.
2. 1/30 Upanishad and the Way of Knowledge
WR 29-34; EWBR 3-35, 55-58, 79-82
3 2/06 The Gita and Classical Hinduism
WR 32-39; EWBR 58-63, 67-76; R "Bhagavad-Gita" 2-8
4 &5 2/13 Devotional Hinduism: Vishnu and Kristin; Siva and Devi
2/20 WR 39-67,
71-117; EWBR 76-80, 82-98;
R "Songs of the Saints of India" 10-12
Quiz 1 given in sectional meetings
6. 2/27 Jainism and Early Buddhism.
WR 161-195;199-243; EWBR 99-123.
7. 3/06 Mahayana Buddhism
WR 243-251; EWBR 123-136.
8. 3/13 Tibetan Buddhism and the 14th Dalai Lama
WR 252-258, 294-310; EWBR 145-154.
9. 3/27 Ancient Chinese Religion and Classical Confucianism
WR 317-338, 352-370; EWBR 163-200, 212-217.
Quiz 2 given in sectional meetings.
10. 4/06 Taoism
WR 382-409; EWBR 227-275; R "Sources of Chinese Traditions" 14 -25.
11. 4/13 Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism in East Asia
WR 258-268, 275-278, 284-293; EWBR 197-212; R 26-30, 52-62
12. 4/20 Zen Buddhism by guest lecturer Professor Kurt Spellmeyer
WR 268-273, 283-284; R "Sources of Chinese Traditions" 36-47
Paper due
13. 4/27 Pure Land Buddhism
WR 273-278, 284-285; R "Sources of Chinese Traditions" 31-36, 48-52
14. 5/1
Shinto and Japanese Religions
by guest lecturer Professor Hiroshi Obayashi
WR 280-283, 285-288, 341-352, 375-387, 412-422, 450-461
Quiz 3 given in sectional meetings