REL. 325: The Buddhist Way
Aim of the Course
This course will explore the core teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, with special attention to the Buddhist understanding of reality, analysis of the human condition, and path to Nirvana. In the first half of the course, we will examine both of the great branches of the Buddhist family, Theravada (sometimes referred to as Hinayana or "lesser vehicle") and Mahayana ("greater vehicle"). Then, in the course's second half, we will undertake an in-depth study of two of the most fascinating and influential expressions of the Mahayana school, Tibetan (Tantric) Buddhism and Zen Buddhism.
Class Meeting Times
Class meetings will be held on Monday through Friday, from 1:00 to 3:00 P.M.
Course Requirements
1. Class Participation (20% of final grade). Regular attendance at class meetings and regular participation in class discussions are expected. Additionally, each student will make one oral presentation. More than one absence from class will progressively lower this portion of your grade.
2. Midterm Exam (25%), which will take place on the second Thursday of the term. The exam will contain both short answer and short essay questions.
3. A 4-5 page essay (25%), due on the third Wednesday of the term. Late essays will not be accepted without prior consent of the professor.
4. A take-home Final Exam (30%), due by 1:00 P.M. on the fourth Wednesday of the term.
Required Texts
1. Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism.
2. E. A. Burtt, ed., The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha.
3. Lama Yeshe, Introduction to Tantra.
4. D. T. Suzuki, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism.
Academic Honesty
Consult the COMPASS for the College's policy on cheating and plagiarism. More will be said about plagiarism when your essay assignment is distributed.
Students with Special Needs
Cornell College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to all students. If you have a documented learning disability and will need any accommodation in this course, you must request the accommodation(s) from the instructor no later than the third day of the term. Additional information about the policies and procedures for accommodation of learning disabilities is available at http://cornellcollege.edu/academic_affairs/disabilities/.
Course Calendar
Note: The reading assignments listed in this course calendar are to be completed PRIOR to that day's meeting of the class.
WEEK 1
Monday: Getting oriented.
Tuesday: Introducing Siddhartha Gautama and His Central Teachings.
Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism, Introduction-Chapter 3.
Wednesday: The Central Teachings of the Buddha Illustrated.
E. A. Burtt, Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha, Parts I and II.
Thursday: The Spirit of Theravada Buddhism.
(a) Harvey, Chapter 4 (through p. 89).
(b) Burtt, Part III.
Friday: Mahayana Buddhism: Religious Ideal and Holy Beings.
(a) Harvey, pp. 89-94 and Chapter 6.
(b) Burtt, Part IV.
WEEK 2
Monday: Mahayana Buddhism: Philosophical Underpinnings.
(a) Harvey, Chapter 5.
(b) Burtt, Part V.
Tuesday: Buddhist Devotional Practices.
(a) Harvey, Chapter 8.
(b) Burtt, Part VI.1-5.
Wednesday: Buddhist Practices of Meditation.
(a) Harvey, Chapter 11.
(b) Burtt, Part VI.6-10 and Epilogue.
Thursday: MIDTERM EXAM, 1:00 P.M.
Friday: Tibetan ("Tantric") Buddhism.
Lama Yeshe, Introduction to Tantra, Preface and chaps. 1-5.
WEEK 3
Monday: Yeshe, chaps. 6-9.
Tuesday: Yeshe, chaps. 10-12 and Afterword from 1st ed. (photocopy provided).
Wednesday: ESSAY DUE AT 1:00 P.M.
Guest Speaker: Zuiko Redding, Cedar Rapids Zen Center.
Thursday: Zen Buddhism.
D. T. Suzuki, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, Foreword and chaps 1-3.
Friday: Suzuki, chaps. 4-7.
WEEK 4
Monday: Suzuki, chaps. 8-9.
Tuesday: No class--work on final exam.
Wednesday: FINAL EXAM DUE BY 1:00 P.M.
A List of Reference Resources Available in the Library
World Religions (Ref 200 B679wo)
Encyclopedia of Religion, 16 vols. (Ref 200.3 En19)
Harper Collins Dictionary of Religion (Ref 200.3 H234)
A New Dictionary of Religions (Ref 200.3 N42)
Encyclopedia of Women and World Religion, 2 vols. (Ref 200.82 En19)
Founders of Great Religions (Ref 200.922 B946f)
The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 12 vols. (Ref
203 Sch1)
Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions (Ref 291 Ab58)
Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism,
Zen (Ref 291.095 En19)
Religions of the World, 4 vols. (Ref 291.291 R279)
Dictionary of Buddhism (Ref 294.303 D56)
Concise Encyclopedia of Buddhism (Ref 294.303 P871c)
Zen Dictionary (294.3927 W85d)