Courses offered in the 1st Semester 2010/2011 Academic Year

List of B.A. Courses and Lecturers for 1st Semester 2010/2011 Academic Year

No. Course Lecturer Remarks
1. EN 101 English Structure Dr Krishna Ghosh Santina BA1,2
2. HU 103 Literature and Civilization Ashin Vasava BA1,2
3. SM 103 Life, Health & Nutrition Mr Lye Voon Seong BA1,2
4. BH 201 Early Buddhism: Historical Background Prof Tilak K BA1,2
5. SK 301 Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax I Ven Dr Dhammanandi BA1,2
6. SS 106 Home and Life Value Prof Tilak K BA3,4
7. BP 207 Early Buddhist Ethics Ven Dr Zhen Ping BA3,4
8. CB 301 Buddhism in China Dr Fa Qing and Ven Satyajit Barua BA3,4
9. JB 301 Buddhism in Japan Prof T Endo BA3,4
10. BP 319 Social Philosophy of Buddhism Prof Kapila A BA3,4
11. PL 301 Pali: Prescribed Readings I Ven Dr Dhammanandi BA3,4

List of M.A. Courses and Lecturers for 1st Semester 2010/2011 Academic Year (English Medium)

No. Course Lecturer Remarks
1. ME6101 Theravāda Buddhism Prof Tilak K July 12 – Oct 23, 2010
2. ME6212 Ālāya-vijñāna: The Yogācāra doctrine of the ‘Store-consciousness’ Prof Kapila A July 12 – Oct 23, 2010
3 ME6213 The Śūnyatā Doctrine in Nāgārjuna’s Mūla-madhyamaka- kārikā Dr Fa Qing July 12 – Oct 23, 2010
4. ME6210 Special Topic in Buddhist Studies: Buddhism in Japan Prof T Endo July 12 – 31, 2010

List of M.A. Courses and Lecturers for 1st Semester 2010/2011 Academic Year (Chinese Medium)

No. Course Lecturer Remarks
1. MC6103 印度佛教史 Ven Dr Guang Xing 广兴法师 July 12 – 18, 2010
2. MC6212阿赖耶识：唯识的‘藏识’教义 Dr Chan Ngan Che 陳雁姿博士 Aug 01 – Aug 15, 2010
3. MC6209大乘佛教典籍 Prof C Willemen 魏查理教授 Aug 09 – Aug 27, 2010
4. MC6215 中国佛教思想：一种历史的观点 Prof Xu Shun Ming 徐孙铭教授 Sept 27 – Oct 15, 2010

B.A. Courses Description for the 1st Semester of Academic Year 2010/2011

EN101 English Structure 3(2-2-2)
A study of basic structure of the English language, which includes sentence structure, punctuation, spelling rules, word formation and paragraph writing. The class will be in the mode of a writing lab.

HU103 Literature and Civilization 3(3-0-3)
A study of selected literary masterpieces from the classical times to the present, with the main focus on Eastern, Western and sacred literature. Themes considered will relate to the development of the human family and the meaning of being human.

SM103 Life, Health & Nutrition 3(3-0-3)
A survey course on current health issues. The relationship between health and illness is explored, social and cultural issues as they impact on health practices are investigated. A study is made of the principles of human nutrition and the diet essential for optimum health. And strategies for maintaining personal and family health are discussed along with simple remedies for day-to-day health problems.

BH201 Early Buddhism: Historical Background 3(3-0-6)
The course is designed as a critical study of the religious and intellectual background against which Buddhism emerged in the 6th century B.C. in India. Attention will be focused on the evolution of Vedic thought, the philosophy of the Upanișads, and the religio-philosophical systems that arose within the Samaṇa movement. The purpose of the course is to understand doctrines of Early Buddhism from a broad historical perspective.

SK301 Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax I 3(3-0-6)
The Devanāgarī alphabets and script; sandhi (internal and external); numerals (cardinals and ordinals); the conjugational classes I, IV, VI and X of thematic verbs in the present indicative; vowel gradation; prefixes and suffixes; declensional cases of nouns and pronouns of the three genders with vowel and consonant endings; introduction to Sanskrit samāsa (compounds) - dvanda, tadpurușa, karmadhāraya, bahuvrīhi; substantives and adjectives; adverbs; relative pronouns and indeclinablāes; the past passive participles; ātmanepada verb forms; passive construction; the future tense; the infinitive; the imperative and optative modes.

SS106 Home and Life Value 3(3-0-3)
A study of the dynamics of home and human relations. The course deals with the influence and role of family, its values as they relate to society, and factors that relate to its success.

BP207 Early Buddhist Ethics 3(3-0-6)
The aim of this course is to examine the formal features as well as the content of early Buddhist ethics. An attempt will be made to understand the different perspective from which an inquiry into ethics may be made and to clarify the standpoint from which it is most fruitful to study Buddhist ethics. The course will attempt to understand the Buddhist ethical system in terms of familiar concepts, categories, and methods of analysis in modern moral philosophy.

CB301 Buddhism in China 3(3-0-6)
A historical and comprehensive study of the three teachings based on: the religious background of China prior to the arrival of Buddhism; a study in contrast between Taoism and Confucianism - social attitude versus philosophical speculations. Characteristics of early Buddhist schools introduced to China and their philosophical depth; the trend towards propagations of schools of popular appeal like Sukhāvatīvyūha (Chin Tu / Jo Do); growth of monastic institutions - their good and bad sides (the proscription of the growth of monasteries); the diversity of cultural manifestation in Art, Architecture and Sculpture.

JB301 Buddhism in Japan 3(3-0-6)
An introductory course on the schools of Buddhist thought in Japan. It examines the official introduction of Buddhism to Japan, Prince Shotoku's contribution to its spread, the six Buddhist schools of Nara, the aristocrats versus commoners during the Heian period, the rise of the Kamakura Buddhism. The Buddhist schools that came under this survey will include the six Buddhist schools of Nara, Tendai, Shingon, Jodo, Jodoshin, Rinzai and Soto Zen, Nichiren, and some new sects that began to appear from about the end of the Edo period (1603-1868).

BP319 Social Philosophy of Buddhism 3(3-0-6)
The purpose of this course is to highlight the social dimension of Buddhist teaching. The main areas of study will include the Buddhist critique of the Brahmanical social hierarchy, Buddhist teaching on the origin and evolution of society, arises of human species, interpersonal relation, and Buddhist perspective of law, justice and punishment. The course will conclude an examination from Buddhist perspective of the contemporary social issues and problems.

PL301 Pali: Prescribed Readings I 3(3-0-6)
The course will focus on enabling the student to understand simple Pāli passages and verses selected from the Dhammapada, the Udānapāli and the Jātaka. Extracts from these texts will be set as exercises in comprehension and for translation into English.

M.A. (English Medium) Courses Description for the 1st Semester of Academic Year 2010/2011

ME6101 Theravāda Buddhism 3(3-0-6)
The Buddha’s teachings recorded in the Pāli literature will be the main focus on this study. Attention is drawn to the definition of Theravāda Buddhism and the differences existing between Theravāda Buddhism and Early Buddhism, Early Buddhism and Pāli Buddhism. Candidates are expected to study the basic concepts of Theravāda Buddhism in comparison with the concepts of early Indian culture. The following concepts should be studied in detail: Buddha, Bodhisatta, Arahanta, Gods, Four Noble Truths, Dependent origination, Kamma and rebirth, Five Aggregates and twelve bases, cosmology, cultivation (bhāvanā) of mind and spiritual faculties.

ME6212 Ālāya-vijñāna: The Yogācāra doctrine of the ‘Store-consciousness’ 3(3-0-6)
The doctrine of the ālaya-vijñāna is one of the most important and distinguishing doctrines of the Yogācāra. This course focuses on the early Indian development of the doctrine. Its main content includes:
The historical evolution of the doctrine from Abhidharma Buddhism, particularly the contribution from the Sautrāntika.
The nature and functions of the ālaya-vijñāna as expounded in the fundamental texts of the school, and the importance of the doctrine for the school’s central thesis of vijñapti-mātratā.
The doctrine of the transformation of the ālaya-vijñāna and its active cognitive evolutes (the parav4tti-vijñāna) expounded as āśraya-parāv4tti.

ME6213 The Śūnyatā Doctrine in Nāgārjuna’s Mūla-madhyamaka-kārikā 3(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:
The doctrinal background of Madhyamaka philosophy its history in brief;
Study of Kārikās: a study of selected chapters; and
Philosophical religious issues arising from the doctrine of emptiness (the idea of two truths, the alleged identity of saṃsāra and nirvana, etc.)

ME6210 Special topics in Buddhist studies (2) 3(3-0-6)
This course is offered from time to time. Students should consult the Graduate School of Buddhist Studies on the content of the course on offer.

M.A. (Chinese Medium) Courses Description for the 1st Semester of Academic Year 2010/2011

5.MC6103. 印度佛教史 3(3-0-6)
6.这门课程将全面覆盖印度佛教：从佛教在印度的起源到衰落和灭亡，同时将集中介绍部派佛教，大乘的兴起以及它对中国佛教发展的意义。
7.
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9.MC6212. 阿赖耶识：唯识的‘藏识’教义 3(3-0-6)
阿赖耶识的理论是唯识最重要最有特色的理论之一。这门课程主要集中在这个理论在早期印度的发展情况。主要内容包括；

1.这门理论从阿毗达磨佛教的历史演变，特别是经量部对该理论的贡。
2.本宗派根本经典所解释的阿赖耶识的的性质和功能，以及它对于本宗中心论题唯识的重要性。
3.阿赖耶识转依的理论以及它的主动认识过程(pravṛtti-vijñāna)，这个过程被解释为依身转(āśraya-parāv4tti)。

MC6209. 大乘佛教典籍 3(3-0-6)
这门课程将学习以下几个主题：（1）著名论师如马明、提婆、无著、世亲等的文学哲学性的论著。（2）般若波罗密多典籍：它的起源与发展；记载于下列一些典籍中佛的生活和教义：《佛所行赞经》、《大事》、《方等本起经》或《普曜经》、《妙法莲华经》和《譬喻经》；菩萨的概念以及见于下列典籍中相关的相关的概念：《菩萨本生鬘论》，《入菩萨行》或《菩萨行经》、《菩萨地经》、《三摩地王经》，《护国尊者所问经》；一个对陀罗尼咒和密续的简介。（3）分析下列其中的一部经籍典，特别着重于经典的结构和内容，这些典籍包括：《方等本起经》、《妙法莲华经》、《大事》、《入楞伽经》.（4）下列经典的选读：《大事》、《方等本起经》、《妙法莲华经》，《入菩萨行》或《菩萨行经》.