Courses Offered 1st semester, Academic Year 12/13 (July 09- November 10, 2012)
BA Majoring in Buddhist Philosophy
BA1
1st Sem:
EN101 English Structure (Dr Krishna G)
PL101 Pāli Grammar I (Ven Dr Dhammanandi)
SM103 Life, Health & Nutrition (Ven Zhen Man)
BH201 Early Buddhism: Historical Background (Prof Tilak K)
BC101 Pre-Buddhist Indian Culture (Dr Krishna G)
BA2
1st Sem:
SK301 Sanskrit Grammar and Syntax I (Ven Dr Dhammanandi)
HU106 Thai Language and Culture (Mr Peerapong S)
HU103 Literature and Civilization (Ven Zhen Man)
BP201 Early Buddhism: Basic Doctrines (Prof Kapila)
BC101 Pre-Buddhist Indian Culture (Dr Krishna G)
BA3/4
1st Sem:
BP305 Theravāda Abhidhamma (Prof Tilak K)
CB301 Buddhism in China (Dr Fa Qing)
BP207 Early Buddhist Ethics (Prof Kapila A)
TB401 Tibetan Buddhism (Dr Lozang Jamspal)
PL301 Pāli: Prescribed Readings I (Ven Dr Dhammanandi)
MA (English):
1st Sem
ME6101 Theravāda Buddhism (Prof Tilak K)
ME6205 A Survey of the Doctrines of the Abhidharma Schools (Prof C Willemen)
ME6208 Buddhism and Society (Prof Kapila A)
ME6217 Tibetan Buddhism (Dr Lozang Jamspal)
MA (Chinese):
1st Sem
MC6101 上座部佛教 (Ven Dr Zhen Jue)
MC6215 中国佛教思想：一种历史的观点 (Dr Fa Qing)
MC6205 阿毗达磨宗派理论概观 (Ven Dr Yuan Liu)
SK301 梵文: 语法和句法 (Ven Dr Zhen Jue)
Course Description for B.A.
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.
PL101 Pāli Grammar 1 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.
SM103 Life, Health and 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.
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 Śramana movements; social and religious institutions, practices and beliefs; the birth of Buddhist civilization as a response to its religious and social background.
SK301 Sanskrit Grammar and Syntax 1 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, tadpurusa, 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.
HU106 Thai Language and Culture 3(3-0-3)
A study of essential Thai Language as well as the origins and traditions of Thai culture and the values which undergird Thai cultural, socio –economic, political and religious structure. Consideration is also given to the impact of foreign cultures on Thailand in the past and the present.
HU103 Literature and Civilization 3(2-2-3)
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.
BP201 Early Buddhism: Basic Doctrines 3(3-0-6)
The purpose of the course is to identify and interpret the original doctrines of what is generally known as Early Buddhism. Therefore the course will be mainly based on the Buddhist discourses of the Pāli Canon. Topics of study will include Four Noble Truths, Three Signs of Existence, Dependent Origination, Analysis of the empiric individuality, theory and practice of moral life, and Nibbāna as the final goal of religious life.
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 Śramana movements; social and religious institutions, practices and beliefs; the birth of Buddhist civilization as a response to its religious and social background.
BP305 Theravāda Abhidhamma 3(3-0-6)
Prerequisites BT201&BH201
The prime focus of the course will be on the dhamma-theory, the cornerstone of the Abhidhamma philosophy. The course will introduce students to the teachings of the Abhidhamma on levels of reality and degrees of truth, analysis of mind and matter, theory of cognition, instantaneous being, and conditional relations. The course will be concluded with-an introduction to the expository methodology of the Abhidhamma.
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.
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.
TB401 Tibetan Buddhism 3(3-0-6)
This course is intended as an introduction to the history and culture of Tibetan Buddhism incorporating the following aspects: original nature of the people and the land and its impact on religious thinking; basics of the new religion introduced into the land; flourishing of the native genius; role of the lama (guru) in Tibetan Buddhist culture; uniqueness of Tibetan Art in the service of the religion; and the growth of the Tibetan Buddhist literature.
PL301 Pāli Prescribed Readings I 3(3-0-6)
Prerequisite PL201
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.
Course Description for M.A. (English)
ME6101 Theravāda Buddhism (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.
ME6205 A survey of the Doctrines of Abhidharma Schools (3-0-6)
The period of Abhidharma Buddhism is of great importance for a proper perspective of the development of Indian Buddhism in general. It was essentially in this period that Buddhist philosophy first evolved. Traditionally, there were said to be eighteen Abhidharma schools, sometimes also referred to as the Hīnayāna schools. This course will begin with an outline of the historical evolution of these schools, highlighting the doctrinal controversies that led to the schism at different schools. This will be followed by a survey of the fundamental doctrines of the more important schools in the northern tradition, particularly the Sarvāstivāda, the Sautrāntika, the Mahāsāṃghika and the Sāṃmitīya.
ME6208 Buddhism and Society (3-0-6)
This course concentrates on the various aspects of Buddhist social philosophy and its historical development. It consists of various topics, such as the twofold process of society (origin and dissolution), the Buddha and society, the Buddhist stratification of society, social implication of the five precepts, Buddhist perspectives on morality, ethics and economics, Buddhism and peace, the environment, and human rights.
ME6217 Special Topic in Buddhist Studies (2): Tibetan Buddhism (3-0-6)
This course will trace the development of Tibetan Buddhism through the works of major figures in the Tibetan tradition. Our particular subjects will be, first, the great lotsawas (translators) and their role in the introduction of the Dharma from India into Tibet; and second, native Tibetan scholars from all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism who helped clarify the tradition, including, among others, Rongdzom, Longchen Rabjampa, the Sakya lamas, Gampopa, Padma Karpa and Je Tsongkhapa.
Course Description for M.A. (Chinese)
MC6101上座部佛教 (3-0-6)
这门课程主要集中研究记录于巴利文献中佛陀的教义。上座部佛教的定义， 以及存在于上座部佛教和早期佛教、早期佛教和巴利文佛教之间的差异是本课程关注的重点。学生将能通过与早期印度文化的对比中，学习到上座部佛教的一些基本 定义和概念，如：佛、菩萨、阿罗汉、神、四圣谛、缘起、业和转世、五蕴和十二处、世界、意根的修行。
MC6215中国佛教思想：一种历史的观点 (3-0-6)
这门课程以历史的观点来分析佛教思想在中国的发展与解释，特别着重其理论和修行。此外，它还将分析一些重要人物和他们对宗派的形成及发展的贡献、重要性和有影响力的经典，以及一些重要神祗的礼拜。
MC6205阿毗达磨宗派理沦概观 (3-0-6)
阿毗达磨佛教时期对于从整体上正确认识印度佛教的发展具有重要意义。从根本上讲，这正是佛教首次涉及“哲学化”的时期。传统上公认的阿毗达磨学派/部派一 共有十八个，它们有时也被视为小乘部派。这门课程首先略述这些学派的历史演变，强调那些导致不同部派分裂的教义上的争论。接着将概论北传中一些更为重要的 部派的根本教义，特别是说一切有部、经量部、大众部和正量部。
SK301 梵语: 语法和句式 (3-0-6)
天城体字母和书写体、连声法（内部和外部）、数字（序数和基数）、现在陈述句中词干动词变格I至X、 元音变换、前缀和后缀、元音、辅音词尾的三性的名词和代词的变格形式、梵语合释介绍（相违释、依主释、持业释、有财释、邻近释等）、名词、形容词、副词、 关系代词及无语尾变化词、过去被动分词、反身语态动词形式、被动语态结构、未来时、不定式、祈使句、祁使语态和祈愿语态。派生动词、未完成过去式、条件时 态、未来时、位格和属格独立结构、未来被动分词（动形词）、现在分词、所有格和名词后缀、过去主动分词。