Course Outline: ME6210 Special Topic in Buddhist Studies: Buddhism in Japan , 2010/2011, Semester 1
Recommended Texts:
- Barnhill, David Landis, tr. Basho’s Haiku: Selected Poems by Matsuo Basho. New York: State University of New York Press, 2004.
- Dumoulin, Heinrich. Zen Buddhism: A History (Japan). tr. James W. Heisig and Paul Knitter,Vol. II. Macmillan Publishing Company, 1988.
- Groner, Paul. Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School. Seoul: Po Chin Chai, 1984.
- Junjiro, Takakusu. The Essentials of Buddhist Philosophy. Honolulu, Hawaii: Univ, 1949.
- Kashiwahara, Yusen & Sonoda, Koyu . Shapers of Japanese Buddhism. Tokyo: Kosei Publishing Company,, 1994.
- Matsunaga, Daigan & Matsunaga, Alicia. Foundation of Japanese Buddhism. Vol. 1. LA, USA: Buddhist Books International, 1978.
- Matsunaga, Daigan & Matsunaga, Alicia. Foundation of Japanese Buddhism. Vol. 2. LA, USA: Buddhist Books International, 1984.
- Mitchell, Bonald W. Buddhism, introducing the Buddhist Experience. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
- Nakamura, Hajime. Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples (Japan). Honolulu, Hawaii: University Press of Hawii,1968.
- Nakamura, Hajime. History of Japanese Thought, 592-1868: Japanese Philosophy before western culture entered Japan. London: Kegan Paul, 2002.
- Plustschow, Herbert. Rediscovering Rikyu and the Beginning of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Global Oriental, 2003.
- Porcu, Elisabetta. Pure Land Buddhism in Modern Japanese Culture. Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2008.
- Suzuki, D.T. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism. Eastern Buddhist Society, 1934.
- __________. Zen Buddhism and Japanese Culture. Turtle Co. Ltd., Japan.
- Tanabe, George, ed. Religions of Japan in Practice. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999.
- Tamura, Yoshiro. Japanese Buddhism: A Cultural History. Tokyo:Kosei Publishing Company, 2001.
- Williams, Duncan Ryuken. The Other Side of Zen: A Social History of Soto Zen: Buddhism in Tokugawa Japan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005.
Course Organization:
The course is lecture-based with active participation expected from the students. Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of scheduled classes to be eligible to sit for the final written examination. In addition to active class participation, students are required to write and submit one essay, and a final written examination.
Course plan for 13 lectures of three hours each including a free discussion on the topic for half an hour each day:
- Lecture 1: Introduction of Buddhism to Japan.
- Lecture 2: Prince Shotoku and His Contribution to Buddhism.
- Lecture 3: Taika Reforms.
- Lecture 4: Six Schools of Nara Buddhism and their basic teachings.
- Lecture 5: Heian Buddhism: Tendai and Shingon Schools.
- Lecture 6: Mappo Theory.Pure Land Buddhism: Honen, Shinran and Mappo Theory.
- Lecture7: Pure Land Buddhism: Jodo and Jodo Shin Schools
- Lecture 8: Nichiren Buddhism.
- Lecture 9: Zen Buddhism: Eisai (Rinzai Zen) and Dogen (Soto Zen).
- Lecture 10: Buddhism in Edo Period.
- Lecture 11: Buddhism after Meiji Period.
- Lecture 12: Buddhism and ways of thinking of the Japanese people.
- Lecture 13: Buddhist Impact on Japanese Culture.
Course Requirements:
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Allocation of Marks:
- Class participation: 10%
- Essay assignment: 40%
- Final examination: 50%
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, students would acquire a thorough understanding of the nature, types, and practices of Buddhism in Japan.
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 |