Topics in Buddhism (319-0-23)
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 2-420: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
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
Discussion
Presentations
This course will consist of lectures and class discussion
Evaluation Method
Students will be evaluated through a mid-term and a final-term paper, as well as class participation and an in-class presentation."
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
Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Ethics & Values Distro Area