Religion 368

 

Philosophies of India

 

Instructor: Edwin Bryant.

Tel: x 23289.  E-mail: <edbryant@rci.rutgers.edu>.

Office Hours: Tuesday, 3-4 PM, Loree 114.

 

 

Course Description and Objectives:  This course will attempt an overview (and no more) of some of the main schools of Indic thought up to the medieval period.  Attention will be paid to some of the prominent interconnections and points of contestation amongst some of these schools. 

 

Course Prerequisites: None.

 

Course Requirement:  Class attendance and participation (10% of the final grade); three non-cumulative monthly quizzes (15% of the final grade each); a final cumulative quiz (45% of the final grade).

 

Required Reading

Available at the Douglass Coop:

Chatterjee, S and Datta, D.  An Introduction to Indian Philosophy.        Calcutta: Calcutta

University Press, 1984

Olivelle, Patrick.  The Upanisads.  Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Prasad, R Delhi: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.  Delhi:Munshiram Manoharlal, 2000.

Adams, George.  The Structure and Meaning of Badarayana's Brahma Sutras.  Delhi:

Motilal Banarsidass, 1993.

Garfield, J.  The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way.  Oxford: Oxford      University Press, 1995.

Mayeda, S.  A Thousand Teachings: the Upadesasahasri of Sankara.  Albany, N.Y: State

            University of New York Press, 1992.

Available on electronic reserves at Alexander library:

Larson, Gerald.  Classical Samkhya.  Delhi: Motilal, 1969.

Thibaut, George.  The Vedanta Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja.  Delhi: Low

Price publications, 1996 (first published 1904).

Kapoor, O.B.L.  Philosophy and Religion of Sri Caitanya.  Delhi: Munshiram     Manoharlal, 1976

Barz, Richard.  The Bhakti Sect of Vallabhacarya.  Delhi: Mushiram Manoharlal, 1992.

 

Tue, Jan 21st

 

            Focus: General introduction to the course.  The Vedic period

           

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 1-52.

 

Thur, Jan 23rd

 

            Focus: The Upanisads

 

            Readings: Olivelle,

Brhadaranyaka 1: 1-2, 4;   2: 1, 3-5;   3: 4-9;   4: 2-5;   6: 2.

            Chandogya 3: 12-14;   4: 4;   5: 3-10;   6: 1-16;   8: 7-15.

            Taittiriya 2: 1-8;   3: 1 & 10.

            Aitareya 1: 1-3;   2 & 3.

           

 

           

Tue, Jan 28th

 

            Focus: The Upanisads

 

            Readings: Olivelle, 

            Kausitaki 3: 1-8;   4: 1-20.

            Kena (entire).

            Katha (entire).

            Isa (entire).

           

Thur Jan 30th  

 

            Focus: The Upanisads, Carvaka

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 53-70.

Olivelle,

Svetasvatara (entire).

            Mundaka (entire).

            Prasna (entire).

            Mandukya (entire).      

 

Tue, Feb 4th

 

            Focus: Samkhya

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 251-288.

           

Thur, Feb 6th

 

            Focus: Samkhya

 

            Readings: Larson, 237-277.

           

Tue, Feb 11th

 

            Focus: The Yoga Sutras

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 289-311; Prasada, introduction.

           

Thur, Feb 13th

 

            Focus: The Yoga Sutras

 

            Readings: Prasada, chapter one.

           

Tue, Feb 18th

 

            Focus: The Yoga Sutras

 

            Readings: Prasada, chapter one (cont).

           

Thur, Feb 20th

 

            Focus: The Yoga Sutras

 

            Readings: Prasada, chapter two.

           

Tue, Feb 25th

 

            Focus: The Yoga Sutra

 

            Readings: Prasada, chapter three.

           

Thur, Feb 27th

 

            Focus: The Yoga Sutra

 

            Readings: Prasada, chapter four.

           

Tue, March 4th

 

            Focus: The Vedanta Sutra

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 345-362; Adams, 1-36.

           

Thur, March 6th

 

            Focus: The Vedanta Sutra

 

            Readings: Adams, 37-84.

           

Tue , March 11th

 

            Focus: The Vedanta Sutra

 

            Readings: Adams, 85-134.

           

Tue , March 13th

 

            Focus: Nyaya

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 161-202.

           

Thur, March 18th Spring Recess

           

Tue , March 20th Spring Recess

 

Thur, March 25th

 

            Focus: Nyaya; Vaishesika

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 202-249.

           

Tue , March 27th

 

            Focus: Mimamsaka

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 313-343.

           

Thur, April 1st

 

            Focus: Buddhism

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 113-160.

           

Thur, April 3rd

 

            Focus: Madhyamika Buddhism

 

            Readings: Garfield, Chapers I-VII (pps 87-177).

           

Tue, April 8th

 

            Focus: Madhyamika Buddhism

 

Readings: Garfield, Chapters VIII-XIII (pps 178-215); Chapter XVIII (pps 245-253).

           

Thur, April 10th

 

            Focus: Jainism

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 71-111.

           

Tue, April 15th

 

            Focus: Sankara

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 369-412.

           

Thur, April 17th

 

            Focus: Sankara

 

            Readings: Mayeda, approximately half.

           

Tue, April 22nd

 

            Focus: Sankara

 

            Readings: Mayeda, approximately half.

           

Thur, April 24th

 

            Focus: Ramanuja, Madhva

 

            Readings: Chatterjee and Datta, 412-428; Thibaut, (pps to be announced).

           

Tue, April 29th

 

            Focus: the Caitanya School; the Vallabha School

 

            Readings: Kapoor (pps to be announced); Barz (pps to be announced).

           

Thur, May 1st

 

            Focus: conclusion