Course Outline: BP207 Early Buddhist Ethics, 2016/2017
Recommended Texts:
- Bhikkhu, Bodhi. Nourishing The Roots:Essays on Buddhist Ethics. BPS (Wheel 259/260)1990.
- G, Dharmasiri. Fundamentals of Buddhist Ethics. Singapore: Buddhist Research Society, 1986.
- Hammalawa, Saddhatissa. Buddhist Ethics:The Path to Nibbana. London: Wisdom Publication, 1987.
- Harvey, Brian Peter. An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics: Foundations, values and issues. Cambridge University Press 2000.
- Kalupahana, D. Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii 1976.
- Keown, D. The Nature of Buddhist Ethics. The Macmillan Press 1992.
- K.N., Jayatilleke. Ethics in Buddhist Perspective. BPS (Wheel 175/6) 1972, 1984.
- O.H.de A., Wijesekera. Buddhist Ethics. BPS (Wheel 050) 1963, 1977.
- P.D., Premasiri. Early Buddhist Conception of Ethical Knowledge in Philosophical Analysis: A Buddhist Philosophy and Culture : (Essays in honour of N.A. Jayawickrema) Ed. D.J. Kalupahana & W.G. Weeraratne, Colombo, N.A Jayawickrema Felicitation Volume Committee) 1987.
- Tachibana, S. The Ethics of Buddhism. Cosmo Publication, New Delhi 1986.
- Thera, Narada. Every man's Ethics. BPS (Wheel 014)1959,1966,1979,1985.
- Thera, K. Sri Dhammananda. What Buddhists Believe. Buddhist Mission Society of Malaysia, 1964.
Course Organization:
This course of lectures is based on the basic doctrinal and ethical concepts presented in the Pali Canon arranged as follows:
- Introduction to Ethics or Moral philosophy
- Nature of Buddhist Ethics
- Place of Ethics in Buddhism
- Non-soul theory and Buddhist Ethics)
- Ethical significance of Paticca-samuppada
- Criteria of Buddhist Ethics
- Moral sense and motive factors of moral sense
- Motivation
- Individual ethics and its impact on the society
- Mid-term examination
- Buddhist social ethics
- Ethical significance of the theory of Kamma
- Four cardinal virtues
- Ethical values of Four Treatments (catu sangahavatthu)
- Modern ethics and Buddhist ethics
- Revision for the examination
Course Requirements:
- 1. Attendance to lectures 80%
- 2. One assignment
- 3. One presentation
- 4. Final Examination
Allocation of Marks:
- Class participation and conduct 5%
- One assignment 15%
- One presentation 20%
- Final Examination 60%
Course Objectives:
Students acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the basic doctrinal and ethical concepts of Early Buddhism.
Grading:
All tests, assignments and examinations are graded as follows with grade point and numerical marks:
Grade | Performance | Grade value | Percentage Equivalence |
A+ | Excellent | 4.0 | 90-100 |
A | Almost Excellent | 3.75 | 85-89 |
A- | Fairly Excellent | 3.5 | 80-84 |
B+ | Very Good | 3.25 | 75-79 |
B | Good | 3.0 | 70-74 |
B- | Fairly Good | 2.75 | 65-69 |
C+ | Fair | 2.5 | 60-64 |
C | Satisfactory | 2.25 | 55-59 |
C- | Minimum Satisfactory | 2.0 | 50-54 |
D+ | Fairly Poor | 1.5 | 40-49 |
D | Poor | 1.0 | 30-39 |
F | Fail | 0.0 | 29 or less |
I | Incomplete | ||
W | Withdrawn | ||
WF | Withdrawn because of failure | ||
AU | Audit |