Advanced Topics in Asian Languages and Cultures (390-0-21)

Topic

Buddhist Literature in Translation

Instructors

Antonio Terrone
847/467-1636
1880 Campus Drive, Kresge Hall #4-439
Office Hours: times vary by quarter, please contact instructor

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 4-410: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

AY 22-23 In this course, students will read writings from Buddhist canonical and non-canonical literature on a variety of subjects to gain an introduction to the variety of literary genres used in Buddhist works, as well as to consider the central tenets of the Buddhist literary tradition these works convey. Who was the Buddha? What did he preach? Why do we suffer and how do we realize enlightenment? How should one follow the Buddhist path? What metaphors and parables have Buddhists used to convey these insights over the centuries? Students will be able to explore these and other questions through a selection of English translations of original texts in Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, and Tibetan including the life of the Buddha, his sayings, Buddhist sutras, and Buddhist autobiographies. As this course is an introduction to Buddhist literature, there are no prerequisites, and students will gain familiarity with Buddhist teachings through engaging directly with primary sources in translation.

Teaching Method

Lecture
Discussion

Evaluation Method

Paper, final
Presentations
Class participation
Paper, mid-term

Class Materials (Required)

- The Life of the Buddha (Penguin Classics 2015 - by Tenzin Chogyel and Kurtis R. Schaeffer. 978-0143107200 - The Dhammapada (Penguin Classics) Paperback - 2010 by Valerie Roebuck (Editor, Translator, Introduction) ISBN 978-0140449419 - The Platform Sutra: The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng, by Red Pine, Counterpoint 2008, ISBN 978-1593761776 - Himalayan Hermitess: The Life of a Tibetan Buddhist Nun 1st Edition, by Kurtis R. Schaeffer, ‎Oxford University Press, 2004 - ISBN 978-0195152999

Class Attributes

Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area