Introduction
This course is intended to provide an introduction to the religions of Asia, a region endowed with a rich history and an incredible variety of languages, cultures and civilizations, many of whose roots can be traced back several thousand years. Students will learn about Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto and Pacific Island religions. The course will cover the history as well as key doctrinal, philosophical, devotional, ritual and social aspects of these religions, including an introduction to primary texts.
Students will be encouraged to compare the beliefs and practices of the religions under study and thereby come to understand both the differences and the underlying commonality amongst these religions. We will see how people in different times and places in Asia have understood the nature of the universe and the divine, how they have conceived of humanity’s relationship to these, and how the social environment has affected and been affected by religion.
This course meets the general education requirements of area C-3. It looks at how major civilizations of the world have answered the existential questions that all humans face and places these in historical and social context. It provides keys to understanding some of the world’s great bodies of literature and art, and explores their influence. The course aims to cultivate a diverse view of the world and its people thereby helping students to become more conscientious global citizens as well as more critically aware of their own beliefs.
Required Texts
There are two texts for this course available at the AS Bookstore in BMU, and one course packet available from Mr. Kopy:
J. Fieser & J. Powers, Scriptures of the East (2nd Edition). McGraw Hill.
W.G. Oxtoby, World Religions, Eastern Traditions. Oxford University Press.
Course Packet from Mr. Kopy, 119 Main St.
30% Six quizzes worth 5% each will be given throughout the semester aimed at ensuring that you do the readings and pay attention in class.
20% A final exam will cover everything that we have learned in the course This will take place on May 20 at 8:00 pm in the classroom.
20% Two 3- page (1000 word) papers on topics to be posted online. The first paper will be due on March 4 and the second on April 1. They are worth 10% each. Note: Originality, clarity of thought, lack of grammatical and spelling errors, and proper citations are important parts of the work, where relevant. Any plagiarism will result in an F and possible disciplinary action. Late papers will lose a point for every 24-hours it is overdue. That means an A paper would get an A- after 24 hours, a B+ after 48, a B after 72, etc…
13% A final paper of 4 pages in length (1200 words) on a topic that the professor has handed out or one of your own choosing that you discuss with the professor. The same criteria apply to this as to the paper noted above. Due: May 6
10% Class participation: This includes attending class regularly, paying attention, making comments in class and online (I would rather you say something that is not quite correct than say nothing at all). It is also expected that you will come to class having done the readings and thought about them. Please don’t feel shy about asking any questions that you have – that’s what the instructor is there for.
7% You will be required to attend four events related to this course during the semester. These can include a visit to a place of worship, a movie about the religions we have studied, a Yoga or meditation class, a play, music or other event that you discuss with the instructor. Please write a two-page report about your experiences explaining how they relate to this course. Was what you saw similar or different from what you expected based on your readings and the lectures? Think about the meaning behind what you witnessed and write this down. You may report equally on all four events or devote the bulk of the two pages to one of the events, but please at least include a brief summary of each of the events.
Due: May 13
The final Grade calculations are as follows:
A > 92%
A- 90 – 92 %
B+ 87 – 89 %
B 83 – 86 %
B- 80 - 82 %
C+ 77 – 79 %
C 73 – 76 %
C- 70 – 72 %
D+ 65 – 69 %
D 60 - 64 %
F < 60 %
Students with Disabilities
Any student who has a learning or other disability that affects classroom performance should make this known to the instructor in order to allow him to marshal resources to assist you. All disclosures will remain confidential but may require medical documentation. Please contact Disability Support Services (DSS) for coordination of your academic accommodations. The DSS phone number is 898-5959 V/TTY or FAX 898-4411. Visit the DSS website at <http://www.csuchico.edu/dss/>.
Administrative Issues
Cheating is the most serious academic offense a student can commit. Any plagiarism or cheating on any assignment will result in an F in the course and possible disciplinary action. See accompanying Academic Integrity Policy.
All students are responsible for adding, dropping or withdrawing from the course at the proper times and using the proper forms.
Schedule
Jan. 28 Introduction: The nature of religion. How can we study other religions? Are there any similarities amongst the religions of the world?
The Meaning of the Sacred: What does it mean for a place, thing or idea to be sacred? What role do symbols, myths and rituals play across religions?
Readings: Oxtoby, 5-8
Course Packet 1-12 (Eliade)
Readings: Oxtoby, 431-445
INDIAN RELIGIONS
Feb . 11 QUIZ ONE
Vedic Religion: We will look at the early sacrificial religion of the Aryan people of North India that developed over the centuries into what we now call Hinduism. Their sacred texts, called the Vedas, speak of numerous powerful gods of such things as fire, fertility and the sky, and say that the universe was created through a great sacrifice.
Readings: Oxtoby, 20-27
Fieser , 9-14
Course Packet 13-20 (Staal, Pannikar)
The Social Order and the Caste System: Vedic society consisted of a strictly ordered hierarchy of hereditary groups called castes. The brahmins (priests), were at the top, followed by the kshatriyas (warriors) the vaishyas (merchants and agriculturalists) and the shudras (servants). The outcastes or untouchables did not develop until later. Each group had its place in society, which was viewed as a mirror of the cosmos.
Readings: Oxtoby, 46-50
Fieser, 48-53
Course Packet 29-38 (Basham)
Yoga: Various techniques for uniting with the divine were developed that included both physical and mental practices.
Readings: Oxtoby, 54-56
Fieser, 26-30
Course Packet 53-61 (Flood)
Feb. 25 QUIZ TWO
The Epics: Epic tales that narrate the acts of gods and men in the distant past became very popular. They contain myths and legends, as well as philosophy and models of how to lead a good and proper life.
Readings: Oxtoby, 32-46
Fieser, 34-41
Course Packet, 62-68 (Gandhi)
Bhakti: The path of devotion developed into a very popular way of worshipping and even uniting with one’s chosen god, usually Vishnu or Shiva, without requiring a deep understanding of complex philosophy. Gods are often worshipped in various temple-based rituals.
Readings: Oxtoby, 57-67, 71-89
Fieser, 41-43
Course Packet, 69-84 (Ramanujan)
Mar. 4 FIRST PAPER DUE
Hinduism in the Modern World: The very term “Hinduism” is not native to India but was coined by westerners. The encounter with British colonial power and Christianity forced Hindus to look at their beliefs and practices in a new light, and many reformers emerged. On the other hand, Hindu ideas have also become very influential in the west through the efforts of various gurus.
Readings: Oxtoby, 67-71, 97-113
Course Packet, 85-88 (Rammohan Roy)
Sikhism: This religion arose in the fifteenth century as an attempt to combine the best features of Hinduism and Islam. It has a strong relation to the Bhakti ethos, but only recognizes the existence of one God who is in all places at all times, but is never incarnated in the physical world.
Readings: Oxtoby, 127-149
Fieser, 132-141
Mar. 11 QUIZ THREE
Life of the Buddha: The encounter of a pampered prince with the harsh realities of disease and death that caused him to abandon worldly attainments and to seek enlightenment will be explored.
Readings: Oxtoby, 199-213
Fieser, 80-82
The Four Noble Truths: The Buddha taught 1) that life is full of suffering, 2) that this suffering arises due to desire 3) that getting rid of desire will get rid of the suffering 4) that there is an eight-step path to freedom from desires and suffering.
Readings: Oxtoby, 213-217
Fieser, 82-83 (The First Sermon)
Course Packet, 101-113 (Rahula)
MARCH 18 NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK
Mar. 25 Karma and Nirvana: The Buddha taught that there is a continuous cycle of rebirth that is connected to our good and bad actions. The consequences of these actions are called Karma. The cessation of our production of Karma and the quenching of our desires leads to the bliss of Nirvana.
Readings: Fieser, 85-87 (Nirvana, Dependent Arising)
89-90 ( Selflessness)
Course Packet 114-129 (Thomas)
Monks, Nuns and Meditation: The Buddhist ideal was to live a simple, disciplined life as a monk or nun. The cessation of desires and nirvana could best be reached by these people through meditation on impermanence.
Readings: Oxtoby, 217-227
Fieser, 90-95
Course Packet 130--152 (Nairn, Friedman)
Apr. 1 SECOND PAPER DUE
Jainism: The founder of this religion was a contemporary of the Buddha who believed that all things, including plants and animals, have a soul. He thus taught that one should always be vigilant about injuring anything, that one should be a strict vegetarian and respect all things. There are still some Jain communities in India and abroad today.
Readings: Oxtoby, 161-171, 174-188
Fieser, 60-67
Mahayana Buddhism: Developments in Buddhism made it more accessible by introducing a holy being called a Bodhisattva who could help people in the difficult task of reaching Nirvana. This led to a split from the orthodox schools that believed each person was solely responsible for their own spiritual welfare. The new school emphasized the wisdom garnered from realizing that everything is in fact empty.
Readings: Oxtoby, 243-247
Fieser, 98-101
Course Packet 153-162(Sangharakshita, Rabten (Note: Rabten is not numbered in the reader))
Apr. 8 QUIZ FOUR
Madhyamaka, Yogacara and Pure Land: These are the most important schools of Mahayana Buddhism. The first accepts that nothingness pervades all things, the second that everything is a manifestation of consciousness, and the third that the grace of enlightened beings alone can bring salvation.
Readings: Oxtoby, 247-252
Fieser, 105-107
East Asian Buddhism: We will explore the schools and scriptures of Buddhism that have been popular in China and Japan, including Zen.
Readings: Oxtoby, 266- 286
Fieser, 116-123
Course Packet, 171-189 (Cook, Watts)
Apr. 15 Tibet and Tantric Buddhism: Buddhism mixed with some Hindu ideas and focused on powerful incantations(called mantras) visualizations and rituals, and the union of male and female powers in the universe.
Readings: Oxtoby, 252-258
Fieser, 108-116
Course Packet, 162-170 (Trungpa)
Buddhism and Modernity: We will look at the ways the religion is practiced today in some Southeast Asian countries and the ways it has adapted to western and modern influences. We will also examine the influence that it has had on the west.
Readings: Oxtoby, 227-237, 291-308
Course Packet, 190-197 (Spiro)
EAST ASIAN RELIGIONS
Apr. 22 QUIZ FIVE
Shinto: This is a native Japanese religion that involves the worship and propitiation of spirits called kamis , originally associated with natural forces. It has mixed with other religions such as Buddhism and Confucianism to produce a distinctively Japanese religious formation.
Readings: Oxtoby, 341-352
Fieser, 210-217
Confucianism: Confucius was a Chinese thinker of the sixth century BCE who wrote influential books focusing on humanity’s place in the universe and the need for social order and harmony. His teachings have been greatly influential throughout all of East Asia.
Readings: Oxtoby, 352-368
Fieser, 150-166
Apr. 29 Confucian Ethics: We will look in more detail at the teachings of Confucius.
Readings: Course Packet, 198-215 (Taylor, Moore)
Neo-confucianism: In the medieval period, thinkers reassessed the ideas of Confucius in order to make them more pertinent to their time, in particular in response to the influence of Buddhism and Taoism, religions that had very different ideas about how humans ought to live.
Readings: Oxtoby, 370-382
Fieser, 168-171
May 6 QUIZ SIX, FINAL PAPER DUE
Taoism: This religion that arose around the time of Confucius had a very different message. It states that the creative energy inherent in all things should be allowed to bloom, and not be strictly controlled. The Taoists believed in following the course of nature.
Readings: Oxtoby, 382-391
Fieser, 181-187
Course Packet, 216-230 (Watts)
Mystical Taoism: The Tao, or the Way, is felt to be the source of all things, and to unite with it becomes the goal of mystical Taoism. Such a state of union with the Tao rids one of all conflict.
Readings: Fieser, 190-198
May 13 TWO-PAGE EVENTS REPORT DUE
Devotional Taoism: Taoist masters who become immortal through alchemical and other secret practices are worshipped.
Readings: Oxtoby, 391-403
Fieser, 199- 202
Course Packet, 231-233
Marxism: The modern period and the communist revolution of 1949 in China ushered in great changes in Chinese religious life. However, many of the supposedly non-religious formations taken by the communist regime mimicked religious ones.
Readings: Oxtoby, 403-409
Course Packet, 234-240
May 20 FINAL EXAM 8:00 pm (Study Guide online)