Selected prose and verse passages from Sanskrit Buddhist texts containing grammatical features covered in “Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax I”, “Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax II” and “Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax III”. The focus is on understanding the grammatically simpler Buddhist Sanskrit prose selected mainly from the following texts: prajñāpāramitā-hrdaya-sūtra, vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, aśta-sāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, Śālistamba-sūtra, śiksā-samuccaya, and portions in the Mūla-sarvāstivāda-vinaya sańgha-bheda-vastu which have correspondences to the Pāli scriptures.

Selected passages from Sanskrit Buddhist texts containing grammatical features covered in “Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax I” and “Sanskrit: Grammar and Syntax II”. The focus is on the grammatically more difficult, but doctrinally less complicated texts. Examples of passages involving Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit features will also be included.

Reduplication; conjugation of the athematic verb classes III, VII and IX; the desiderative; the intensive; the perfect tense; the aorist; the injunctive; the precative; introduction to Sanskrit metre; Pālinian grammar. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit; Introduction to the important Sanskrit Buddhist technical terms and idioms, stock phrases and passages occurring in Buddhist scriptures; Sanskrit composition on Buddhist themes modeled on Buddhist texts.

This paper will focus on Sanskrit Buddhist passages which are doctrinally more difficult, selected from texts prescribed in “Sanskrit: Prescribed Texts II”. In addition, selected portions of the following texts will be used: vimśatikā-vijñaptimātratā-siddhi, lankāvatāra-sūtra, gandavyūha-sūtra.

The classical Tibetan course is designed to train non-Tibetan student to read and translate classical Tibetan. It will focus on written Tibetan with some exposure to modern spoken Tibetan.

The course will examine the socio-cultural circumstances that led to the rise and popularity of the Pure Land School (Jìngtǔzōng or Jōdokyō), both in China and Japan and its basic teachings. The course will focus specially on the religious and philosophical significance of the prayer to the Amida Buddha so essential in Pure Land pietism. The division of the school into Jodo and Jodoshin after its introduction to Japan will also be considered.

A study of the dynamics of home and human relations. The course deals with the influence and role of family, its values as they relate to society, and factors that relate to its success.

A study of the variability among world cultures with a focus on political, economic, social and religious systems.

A general study of human society, which includes the following: a) general characteristics of human society; b) the influence of technology, environment and economic changes on human society; c) analysis of different types of societies to examine the relationship between society, environment and other external factors.

The course is offered from time to time. Students are advised to consult the Faculty of Religious Studies on the content of the course on offer.