Remark
Students à la carte can only attend the lectures and are not allowed to attend the seminars.
Admission reguirements
None
Description
This course provides a general introduction to Buddhism as a religious system, set of philosophies and doctrines, and cultural force. The study of Buddhism also provides an excellent oppor¬tunity to approach basic human questions of an entirely general type. The course surveys the historical background of Buddhism from its Indian origins through its development and spread through Asia, through lectures, reading in primary sources in translation and secondary studies, and guided discussions. Attendance at the weekly one hour discussion is required.
Topics which may be included:
General Introduction: Issues and Problems
The Buddha’s life
The Shape of the Universe and Our Place in It
Basic doctrine: Non-self; dependent origination; emptiness
The Nature of Death and What to Do About It
Buddhist monasticism
Other Ways of Being Buddhist
Chan/Zen
The Spread of Buddhism
Buddhism in Society (aka the “real” world)
Summing Up and Coming to Terms with Buddhism
Course objectives
Through this course you will gain a familiarity with basic chronological / historical information about Buddhism, Buddhist cosmology, the major movements of ideas and practices in Buddhism over time, the major forces acting on Buddhism over time, the major sources for the study of Buddhism, and think about questions such as the nature of authority, and its sources, regionalism, and its effects, and the place of religion in life, and the tensions brought out by religious thinking. The approach of the course is entirely non-confessional, meaning that we aim to look as objectively as possible at Buddhism as an object of study.
Timetable
Mode of instruction
- Lecture/seminar
Attendance and participation in the seminars are obligatory. Classes missed for a good reason (to the discretion of the conveners and to be discussed BEFORE the class takes place) will have to be made up with an extra assignment. Being absent without notification can result in a lower grade or exclusion from the term end exams and a failing grade for the course.
Course Load
3 Contact hours/week (2hs class & 1h seminar): 12×3hs: 36 hours
Readings (540pp., of which 70pp. cursory): 72 hours
Preparing 8 weekly summaries of readings (1A4): 12 hours
Preparing for midterm & final exam: 1×8 & 1×12hs: 20 hours
Total: 140 hours
Assessment method
Participation (mandatory) and summaries (at least 8/10): 20%.
Written examination with essay questions (we) for both midterm (1Q; 30%) and final exam (2Qs; 50%): 80%
Re-sit: 3Q on entire course: 80%
In order to pass the course, students must obtain an overall mark of 5.50 (=6) or higher. Students getting an overall mark of 5.49 (=5) or lower will be able to do the re-sit as described above.
The course is an integrated whole. The final examination and the assignments must be completed in the same academic year. No partial marks can be carried over into following years.
Blackboard
Reading list
TBA
The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh (ISBN 0938077112, paper, Parallax Press, 1988).
Registration
Students are required to register through uSis. To avoid mistakes and problems, students are strongly advised to register in uSis through the activity number which can be found in the timetable in the column under the heading “Act.nbr.”.
Not being registered, means no permission to attend this course. See also the ‘Registration procedures for classes and examinations’ for registration deadlines and more information on how to register.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Studeren à la carte. See remark.
Contractonderwijs.
Contact
Remarks
Other Buddhism related courses
At BA-level
Fall Semester
Anthropology and Buddhism in Asia
Buddhism through Stories
Buddhist Art
Culture of Tibet
Japanse religies en boeddhisme
Virtue, Vice and Depravity: Buddhist and Contemporary Accounts
Iconography of South and Southeast Asia
Elementary Pali
Tibetan 1
Spring Semester
Architecture: The Temple and the Stupa
Chinese Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibet: State and Society
Sacred Biography in Buddhism and Jainism
Indian Philosophy
Tibetan 2
At MA-level
Buddhism and Social Justice
Reading Buddhist Scriptures
Virtue, Vice and Depravity: Buddhist and Contemporary Accounts
Students with disabilities
The university is committed to supporting and accommodating students with disabilities as stated in the university protocol (especially pages 3-5). Students should contact Fenestra Disability Centre at least four weeks before the start of their courses to ensure that all necessary academic accomodations can be made in time conform the abovementioned protocol.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be familiar with Leiden University policies on plagiarism and academic integrity. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you submit any work with your name affixed to it, it is assumed to be your own work with all sources used properly indicated and documented in the text (with quotations and/or citations).