Download V. Syllabus

Cross Listing Course Form (4/9/14)
I: Criteria
To qualify for consideration for cross listing, all courses must:
- be requested by both departments or programs;
- count as credit toward an existing major, minor, or certificate program;
- not be experimental or have a reserved variable content course number (x90-X99)
- carry the same title (both parent and sibling courses) and, if possible, carry the same course
number;
- be implemented within comparable course levels, e.g., (U), (UG), or (G);
- be offered under an existing rubric.
Under no circumstances will a course have more than three crosslistings.
II: Summary of courses requested for crosslisting
Requesting Dept / Program (must be department Liberal Studies
of parent course)
Parent Course Prefix and Number
RLST 368
Sibling Course(s) Prefix (Pre CCN) and
SSEA 368
Number
Course Title
Contemporary Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Requestor:
Phone/ email :
Parent Program
Chair/Director:
Sibling Program
Chair(s)
/ Director(s)
Dean(s):
Bradley Clough
Ext
2837/[email protected]
Stewart Justman
Ruth Vanita
Date
Approve
*
9/26/14
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
Chris Comer
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
*Signatory Comments (required for disapproval):
IV. Rationale
Do these courses need to be cross listed to fill an external requirement?
If YES, define external requirement and attach documentation.
If NO, complete narrative: In 500 words or less explain why only cross-listing this course serves the
need for delivering academic content. You must identify how both the parent and sibling units
contribute to the cross-listed course’s content and how cross listing contributes to the respective
units’ missions of serving students. The narrative must also identify additional reasons for cross
listing such as a specialized need for advertising to prospective students, sharing resources across
departments (equipment, space, instructors, etc.), or mutual contribution to course content.
The course is listed as a Liberal Studies course because this Program houses most courses required for a
Religious Studies (RLST) option, and this is a course on religion (Buddhism). It has been and should
continue to be cross-listed with the minor in South and Southeastern Asian Studies (SSEA) because, as the
course title indicates, the class covers contemporary Buddhist developments in the SSEA region. Students are
thus exposed to a major world religious tradition from SSEA as it attempts to adapt to and come to terms with
the many changes that modernity has bought to this large region’s countries. Students also come to
understand some of the other historical factors, such political and social situations,that are intertwined with
Buddhism in the SSEA region.
V. Syllabus

Contemporary Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia
RLST 269
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:40-5:00
Gallagher Business Building L 04
Dr. Brad Clough
Office Hours: TR 5-7 PM
[email protected]
Liberal Arts 158
Office Phone: ext. 2837
Home Phone-493-1894
Course Description:
The oldest living tradition of Buddhism, the Theravāda (“Teaching of the Elders”), has flourished in
South and Southeast Asia from the last centuries of the 1st millennium BCE up to today. In postcolonial modern times, Buddhism in this large region has undergone a number of very significant
and quite fascinating changes on many fronts, and has produced major new movements and reforms.
This course will closely examine how the religious developments of the past century have altered
the way Theravādin Buddhists have seen themselves, this world, and the ultimate reality of nirvana.
After investigating the major basic tenets of Theravada Buddhist thought and practice, and
surveying the history of this region through the 19th century, the main focus of the course will be on
religious issues that have come to the fore in recent decades. Topics such as socially-engaged
Buddhist movements (which have strongly raised opposition to environmental degredation and
economic and political oppression), meditation revivalism among lay Buddhists (a development that
has profoundly influenced how Americans practice Buddhism), increasing roles for women in the
religious life, monks participation in ethnic conflicts, and popular syncretism, will be the major
subjects covered. This course has no prerequisite, and so is open to all interested students.
Readings:
Bartholomeusz, Tessa. Women Under the Bo Tree.
Gombrich, Richard. Theravāda Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern
Colombo.
Sivaraksa, Sulak. Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society.
Suu Kyi, Aung San (with Alan Clements). The Voice of Hope.
Tambiah, Stanley. Buddhism Betrayed?: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka.
Requirements:
1. Class participation, consistent attendance, and preparation for discussion. No more than two
unexcused absences will be allowed without it affecting your class participation grade. In
addition to taking part in regular discussions, students will often be asked to prepare
questions and topics for discussion on the day’s assigned reading (20% of the final grade).
2. A Mid-Term Exam (25% of the final grade)
3. A Take-Home Essay Final Exam (25% of the final grade).
4. A term research paper, 12-15 pages in length. You may chose from a list of suggested topics,
or you may develop a topic of your own, in consultation with the instructor. Please note that
a proposal and bibliography are due on March 27, and the final version is due by May 11.
Class Meetings and Assignments:
Tues. 1/24
Introduction to the Course
I. The History of Theravāda Buddhism and its Teachings (Dhamma)
Thurs. 1/26
The Life and Times of Siddhattha Gotama, the Buddha
-Gombrich: Chapter 2
-selections from the Nidāna-kathā (“Story of the Beginning”)
Tues. 1/31
The Buddha’s Major Teachings
-Gombrich: Chapter 3
Thurs 2/2
The Buddha’s Major Teachings (continued)
-Chapters II-IV from Walpola Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught
The Buddha’s First Sermon: “The Turning of the Wheel of the
Dhamma”
Tues. 2/7
The Buddha’s Major Teachings (continued)
-Chapter VI from What the Buddha Taught
-“Dependent Origination” from Joseph Goldstein’s The Experience of
Buddhism
Thurs 2/9
The Buddha’s Major Teachings (continued)
-“The Noble Eightfold Path” from Rewata Dhamma’s The First
Discourse of the Buddha
-selected early discourses on non-violence
Tues. 2/14
The Theravāda Buddhist Community (Sangha)
-Gombrich: Chapter 4
Thurs. 2/16
The History of Theravāda Buddhism in India and Sri Lanka
-Gombrich: Chapters 5-6
-“Mahāsanghikas and the Lokottaravāda” from Paul Williams’s
Mahāyāna Buddhism
-Evening Video Showing: “Footprint of the Buddha”
Tues. 2/21
The Early Modern History of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
-Gombrich: Chapter 7.
Thurs. 2/23
Major Buddhist Historical Developments in Southeast Asia
-no reading assignment
II. Major Contemporary Buddhist Movements in South and Southeast Asia
Tues. 2/28
The Vipassana/Satipatthana (Insight/Mindfulness) Meditation Revival
-Bradley Clough: “Vocational Diversity in the Theravāda Sangha: The
Modern Period”
-Chapters 1, 3, and 5 from Nynaponika Thera’s The Heart of Buddhist
Meditation
Thurs 3/1
The Influence of the Mediation Revival within the Monastic
Community
-Chapters 6, 9, and 10 from Stanley Tambiah, The Buddhist Saints of
the Forest and the Cult of Amulets
Tues. 3/6
-**Mid-Term Exam**
Thurs. 3/8
The Influence of the Meditation Revival within the Lay Community
-Chapters 4 & 5 from George Bond’s The Buddhist Revival in Sri
Lanka
-Evening Video Showing: “Doing Time, Doing Vipassana”
Tues. 3/13
The Restoration of Nunhood in Theravāda Buddhism
-Bartholomeusz: Introduction and Chapters 1-3
Thurs 3/15
The Restoration of Nunhood (continued)
-Bartholomeusz: Chapters 4 & 5
Tues. 3/20
The Restoration of Nunhood (continued)
-Bartholomeusz: Chapter 6-8
Thurs. 3/22
The Restoration of Nunhood (continued)
-Bartholomeusz: Chapter 9 and Epilogue
-Bartholomeusz: “Women as Fundamental and Fundamentalist
Women: The Case of Buddhist Sri Lanka”
Tues. 3/27
Socially-Engaged Buddhism I: A Buddhist Vision of Renewing
Society
Sivaraksa: vii-xvi and Chapters 1-7
**Term Paper Proposal and Bibliography Due**
Thurs. 3/29
A Buddhist Vision of Renewing Society (continued)
-Sivaraksa: Chapters 8-11
Tues. 4/10
Socially-Engaged Buddhism II: Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese
Democratic Revolution
-Philip Kreuger: “Aung San Suu Kyi and the Peaceful Struggle for
Human Rights in Burma”
-Aung San Suu Kyi: “Freedom from Fear” and “The True Meaning of
Boh”
Thurs. 4/12
Suu Kyi and the Burmese Revolution (continued)
-Aung San Suu Kyi with Alan Clements: Chapters 1-3 & 5
Tues. 4/17
Suu Kyi and the Burmese Revolution (continued)
-Suu Kyi and Clements: Chapters 9-13
Thurs. 4/19
Sri Lankan Fundamentalism, Nationalist Politics, and the Propagation
of Violence
-Bradley Clough: “A Policy of Intolerance: The Case of Sinhala
Buddhist Nationalism”
Tuesday 4/24
Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka (continued)
-Tambiah: Chapters 1-6
Thursday 4/26
Religion, Politics and Violence in Sri Lanka (continued)
-Tambiah: Chapters 7-12.
Tues. 5/1
Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka (continued)
-Tambiah: Chapter 13.
Thurs. 5/3
Socially-Engaged Buddhism III: Dr. Ambedkar, the “Untouchable”
Buddhists, and Liberation from Class Oppression in India
-Gail Omvedt, “Navayana Buddhism and the Modern Age”
-Christopher Queen: “Dr. Ambedkar and the Hermeneutics of
Buddhist Liberation
**Friday 5/4: Term Papers Due**
**Friday 5/11: Take-Home Final Essays Due**
VI. Justification for third crosslisting:
In 500 words or less describe the extenuating circumstances making a third course necessary.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit signed original, and electronic file to
the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, [email protected].