Academic Schedules: Courses and Schedules for Second Semester, 2007/2008 Academic Year
MA Program
BH6103/ME6103 History of Indian Buddhism (core course) - 03 Dec 07 to 08 Mar 08 (Prof Kapila A)
BL6209/ME6209 Mahayana Buddhist Literature (elective) – late Jan to march 08 (Prof Willemen C)
PL6207/ME6207 Readings in Pali Text (elective) - 03 Dec 07 to 16 Feb 08 (Ven Dr Dhammanandi S K Lee)
BT6213/ME6213. The Śūnyatā Doctrine in Nāgārjuna’s Mūla-madhyamaka-kārikā - 04 Dec 07 to 17 Mar 08 (Dr Fa Qing)
BA Program
EN106 Fundamentals of Speech and Communication (Ven Miaosan)
BP401 Controversial Doctrine of the Abhidharma (Prof C Willemen)
BP309 Theravada Exegetical Tradition (Prof Kapila A) - classes begin on 04 December, 2007
PL304 Pali Prescribed Texts I (Prof Kapila A)- classes begin on 04 December, 2007
BP319 Social Philosophy of Buddhism (Prof Kapila A)
BP315 Yogacara – the Buddhist Doctrine of the Mind-only (Dr Fa Qing)
SM106 Computer literacy and skills (Dr Fa Qing)
PL101 Pali Grammar I (Ven Dr Dhammanandi S K Lee)
PL202 Pali Grammar III (Ven Dr Dhammanandi S K Lee)
RB307 Buddhism in Thailand (Ven W Piyaratana)
BC101 Pre-Buddhist Indian Culture (Ven W Piyaratana)
BC205 Buddhism and Society (Ven Zhangern)
BC207 Buddhist Social Institution (Ven Zhangern)
Course Descriptions
MA Program
BH6103/ME6103. History of Indian Buddhism (3 credits) (3-0-6)
The course gives a comprehensive coverage of Indian Buddhism from its origin to the decline and disappearance of Buddhism in India, with focus on the Nikāya Buddhism, the rising of Mahayana and its significance in the development of Chinese Buddhism.
PL6207/ME6207. Readings in Pāli Texts (3 credits) (3-0-6)
The purpose of this course is to increase students’ familiarity with Pāli idiom. It enables them to understand the Buddhist Sūtras compiled in Pāli. The course is devoted to the understanding and translating of selected Pāli Sūtras and to build up sufficient vocabularies for the students along with improved understanding of the grammar.
BL6209/ME6209. Mahāyāna Buddhist Literature (3 credits) (3-0-6)
The course will consist of a study of the following themes : (1) the literary and philosophical treatises of such authors as Asvaghosa, Aryadeva, Asańga, Nāgārjuna, Vasubandhu, etc. (2) Prajñāpāramitā literature : its origin and development ; life and teachings of the Buddha as represented in works such as Buddhacarita, Mahāvastu, Lalitavistara, Saddharmapundarīka and the Avadāna Literature; Bodhisattva concept and the related notions as found in Jātakamala, Bodhicaryāvatāra, Bodhisattvabhūmi, Samādhirāja Sūtra and Rastrapalapariprccha; a brief introduction to the Dhāranīs and Tantras. (3) An analysis of one of the following works: Lalitavistara, Saddharmapundarīka, Mahāvastu, Lańkāvatāra - with special emphasis on the discourse structure and contents. (4) Selected readings from the following texts: Mahāvastu Lalitavistara, Saddharmapundarīka, Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra.
BT6213/ME6213. The Śūnyatā Doctrine in Nāgārjuna’s Mūla-madhyamaka-kārikā (3 credits) (3-0-6)
The course is designed to give an understanding of historical and philosophical significance of the Madhyamaka system of Nāgārjuna. The emphasis will be on understanding the philosophy of emptiness by reading the Mūlamadhyamaka-kārikā of Nāgārjuna.
The course will be roughly be divided into three sections:
a. The doctrinal background of Madhyamaka philosophy its history in brief;
b. Study of Kārikās: a study of selected chapters; and
c. Philosophical religious issues arising from the doctrine of emptiness (the idea of two truths, the alleged identity of sa9sāra and nirvana, etc.).
BA Program
BC101- PRE-BUDDHIST INDIAN CULTURE 3(3-0-6)
The course examines the social and religious culture in India before the Buddha focusing its especial attention on the following aspects: the Indus civilization and Aryans; Vedic culture; Brahmana and Śramaṇa movements; social and religious institutions, practices and beliefs; the birth of Buddhist civilization as a response to its religious and social background.
BC205 - BUDDHISM AND SOCIETY 3(3-0-6)
The purpose of this course is to highlight teachings relating to lay society and to examine their continuing relevance and applicability to modern life. The course will also examine some contemporary social issues and problems from a Buddhist perspective in order to clarify the Buddhist position in relation to them. The main thrust of the course is to show how to inculcate Buddhist values and attitudes in today's life.
BC207 - BUDDHIST SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS 3(3-0-6)
An analytical and evaluative study of Buddhist teachings relating to social institutions incorporating the following aspects: early care of children; marriage; the role of teachers of Buddhism - monks and laymen; health care and medical facilities; after death care (ñātidhammo).
BP309 - THERAVĀDA EXEGETICAL TRADITION 3(3-0-6)
A historical survey and a critical evaluation of the Buddhist exegetical traditions developed within the Theravāda tradition. Attention will be focused on the canonical antecedents of Buddhist exegesis, Buddhist hermeneutics of the Netti and Peṭakopadesa, methods of doctrinal exposition in the Pāli Aṭṭhakathās and Ṭīkās, and doctrinal developments through commentarial interpretations.
BP315 - YOGĀCĀRA: THE BUDDHIST DOCTRINE OF MIND-ONLY 3(3-0-6)
PREREQUISITE BT201&BH201
The course is designed as an introductory study of the basic teachings of the Idealistic School of Buddhism, known as Yogācāra Vijñānavāda. It will commence with a review of the antecedent idealistic trends in the pre-Mahāyāna schools and will be followed up with an introduction to the very essence of the Vijñānavāda metaphysics and the spiritual discipline based on it.
BP401 - CONTROVERSIAL DOCTRINES OF THE ABHIDHARMA TRADITION 3(3-0-6)
PREREQUISITES BT311&BT305 OR BT307
An inquiry into the specific Mahāyāna doctrines which were developed within the Abhidharma tradition but remained controversial among early schools of Buddhism. The course will focus on the karma-theories of avijñapti, avipranāśa and bīja, prajñapti-paramātha dichotomy, theories of antarābhava, spiritual status of the Arahant, the lokottaravāda tradition of Buddhology, and the Sautrāntika critique of the Abhidharma categories.
PL101 - PĀLI GRAMMAR I 3(3-0-6)
The course will introduce the student to the elementary rules of descriptive grammar: declension, conjugation, sandhi, samāsa (nominal compounds) and rules relating to the basic grammatical structure of a sentence.
PL202 PĀLI GRAMMAR III 3(3-0-6)
PREREQUISITE PL201
The purpose of the course is to enable the student to utilize the grammatical rules and the vocabulary in composing sentences under a given topic. The course will also introduce the student to further structural patterns of sentences based on active and passive voices, participles (past, present and future).
PL304 - PĀLI PRESCRIBED TEXTS I 3(3-0-6)
The aim of this course is to introduce the student to the syntax and language style of the Pāli discourses and verses. Extracts from the prescribed texts will be set as exercises in comprehension and for translation into English.
Selections: Majjhima Nikāya I, Sutta numbers: 2, 3, 4, 9 and 12.
Samyutta Nikāya I, Devatā Samyutta.
SM106 - COMPUTER LITERACY AND SKILLS 3(3-2-3)
A study of the development of computer technology and its role in the future of society. An introduction to personal computing including topics such as hardware and software basics, word processing, Database systems, electronic spreadsheets and Internet skills.
RB307: Buddhism in Thailand 3 (3-0-6)
This course covers the rise and development of Buddhism in Thailand; the interrelationship between Buddhism and the Thai society. It includes various sub-topics such as Buddhist influence in Thai politics, Thai education, Thai arts and architecture and various other aspects of Thai culture. Contemporary issues of Buddhism in Thailand will also be discussed.
EN106 - FUNDAMENTALS OF SPEECH AND COMMUNICATION 3(3-2-2)
PREREQUISITE EN101
A practical course designed to acquaint students with the process of public speaking and the basic principles involved in speech preparation and presentation.
Please note that all courses begin on 03 Dec except:
- PL304, BP309 and ME6213 to begin on 04 December, 2007;
- BC101 and RB307 to begin on 26 December 2007
- BC205 to commence on 02 January 2008 and BC207 to commence on 11 February 2008
- BP401 and ME6209 to commence after mid-January, 2008