Course Outline: ME6102 Mahāyāna Buddhism, 2011/2012, Semester 2

Basic Data
Program: 
Master of Arts (Buddhist Studies)
Semester: 
Second Semester (December 05, 2011–April 07, 2012) Academic Year 2011/2012
Subject: 
BT6102/ME6102 - Mahāyāna Buddhism
Credit / status: 
3 credits / Core Subject
Recommended Texts: 
  • Conze, Edward. Buddhist Thought In India: Three Phases of Buddhist Philosophy. London: George Alien & Unwin. 1983. pp.195-302.
  • Dayal, Har. The Boddhisatva Doctrine in the Buddhist Sanskrit Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
  • Dutt, Nalinaksha. Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayāna. London: Luzac, 1930.
  • Kenneth, K. Inada. “The Chinese Doctrinal Acceptance of Buddhism.” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, vol 24:1 (1991), PP. 5-17.
  • Kimura, R. A Historical Study of the terms Hinayāna and Mahāyāna and the Origin of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Calcutta: University of Calcutta, 1927.
  • Nagao, Gadjin M. Mādhyamaka and Yogācāra. Trans. L. Kawamura. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1992.
  • Nakamura, H. “Historical Studies of the coming into existence of Mahāyāna sūtras” Bulletn of the Okuvayama Oriental Institute, No. 2, 1957.
  • Warder, A. K. Indian Buddhism. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1980.
  • Williams, Paul. Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations. New York: Routledge, 1996.
  • Zürcher, Erik. The Buddhist Conquest of China: The Spread and Adaptation of Buddhism in Early Medieval China, 2 vols. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 1959.
Course Organization: 

The course will be taught according the following topics. It is a traditional lecture based course, however students are encouraged to ask questions in the class.

  • Lecture 1 Historical, philosophical and religious development of Buddhist thought in India from the Parinirvāṇa of the Buddha to the emergency of the Mahāyāna at the beginning of the Common Era.
  • Lecture 2 Development of the Bodhisattva ideal
  • Lecture 3 Buddhological developments (Buddhas and Buddha Lands)
  • Lecture 4 Mahāyāna Literature I
  • Lecture 5 Mahāyāna Literature II
  • Lecture 6 Mādhyamaka School, its origin.
  • Lecture 7 Mādhyamaka principal tenets and influence on the further development of the Mahāyāna in India .
  • Lecture 8 Yogācāra School, its origin.
  • Lecture 9 Yogācāra principal tenets.
  • Lecture 10 Later development of Mahāyāna Buddhism in India
  • Lecture 11 Introduction and development of Buddhism in China.
  • Lecture 12 Latest developments in Japanese Buddhism, “Buddhism modernism”.
  • Lecture 13 Review
  • Lecture 14 Oral Presentation.
Course Requirements: 

Students require to read the assigned textbook before joining the class (weekly reading assignment will be given in the class). One essay (around 5 pages, double space with footnotes and bibliography) and one presentation are required. The presentation will be 10 to 20 minutes. After presentation there will be question and answer session.

Allocation of Marks: 
  • 1. Class participation (ask questions, discussions) 5%
  • 2. Presentation 10%
  • 3. One Essay 25%
  • 4. Final Written Examination 60%
Course Objectives: 

Upon completion of this course the student will be expected to gain a general overview of the origins, nature, special features and importance of the Mahāyāna in Asian religious culture, and acquire a basic grasp of the Mahāyāna: its evolution, its relation to the Theravāda, its diversity and its influence on Asian civilization.

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
B+ Very Good 3.5 80-89
B Good 3.0 70-79
C+ Fairly Good 2.5 60-69
C Fair 2.0 50-59
D+ Poor 1.5 40-49
D Very Poor 1.0 30-39
F Fail 0.0 29 or less
I Incomplete
W Withdrawn
WF Withdrawn because of failure
AU Audit