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HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
1.
COURSE TITLE
Buddhism
2.
COURSE CODE
REL 1240
3.
NO. OF UNITS
3
4.
OFFERING DEPARTMENT
Department of Religion and Philosophy
5.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
(1) To help develop students’ ability to study Buddhism in a critical, independent and
systematic way.
(2) To acquire basic knowledge of the development of Buddhism and examine critically
the teachings of Buddhism.
(3) To relate the relevance of Buddhist ideas and values for moral, ethical and socio-cultural
problems in contemporary world.
6.
COURSE DESCRIPTION/ CONTENT
This is an introductory study of Buddhism, giving a comprehensive view of the historical
development and fundamental ideas of Buddhism. While the course puts emphasis on the
philosophy of the major schools of Buddhism, it also will give attention to their religious
practices.
Outline Content:
I. Introduction
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
A historical sketch
The nature of Buddhism
The founder of Buddhism: The Life and Teachings of the Historical Buddha
The Four Noble Truths and the Three Dharma Imprints
The Five Percepts and the Buddhist Ethical Principles
II. Theravada Buddhism
a.
Karma, Rebirth and Eightfold Path
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b.
The Understanding of the World and Mind - The Concept of Causation
c.
Liberation – Nirvana
III. Mahayana Buddhism
a.
Dual Empolyment of Compassion and Wisdom
b.
Emptiness (Sunyata)
c.
The Changing concepts of Buddha and Bodhisattva.
d.
The differences and similarities between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.
IV. Two Major Chinese Buddhist Schools
a.
The Chan School
b.
The Pure Land School
V. Tibetan Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism
a.
b.
c.
d.
The differences between “exoteric Buddhism”(kengyo) and “esoteric
Buddhism”(mikkyo)
The Triple Employment of Three Mysteries (sanmitsu) and the Importance of Guru.
The Diamond Realm (konggokai) and the Matrix Realm (taizokai)
The Four Tibetan Schools.
VI. Buddhist Engagements in the Modern World: The Humanistic Buddhism
a.
b.
c.
Two Paradigms: This-Worldly and the Other-Worldly
What are the contributions of Christianity in the revitalization of Modern Buddhism?
What are the roles and importance of social engagement?
VII. Modern Conflicts and Disputes over Ethical and Socio-political Issues:
a.
Buddhist Stands on Ecology
b.
Buddhist Stands in Capital Punishment
c.
Buddhist Ideas on Animal Rights
d.
Buddhist Ideas of Environmental Ethics
e.
f.
7.
Buddhist Stands on Sex and Gambling.
Buddhist Stands on Political Engagement
COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (CILOS)
CILO
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
CILO 1
Explain the main ideas, development and practices of Buddhism and provide
arguments for or against the Buddhist worldviews and the basic teachings.
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CILO 2
Demonstrate critical, analytical and interpretative abilities in understanding and
evaluating key teachings and major ethical principles of Buddhism.
8.
CILO 3
Identify the key features of Theravada Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, and Tibetan
Buddhism.
CILO 4
Explain the differences between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, and between
“exoteric Buddhism” and “esoteric Buddhism.”
CILO 5
Apply basic Buddhist teachings in interpreting and solving contemporary ethical
and socio-cultural issues and real life cases.
TEACHING & LEARNING ACTIVITIES (TLAS)
CILO No.
TLAs
CILO 1


CILO 2
Lectures will be conducted with relevant audio and video aids and guest talks
to introduce the students to key teachings and practises of Buddhism.
The students will:
a. Be given lecture notes and readings to assist them in acquiring knowledge
and understanding of the main ideas of Buddhist teachings.
b. Be given hands-on experience of Buddhist practice through study tours to
nearby Meditation Centre and/or Buddhist temples.
Rituals of
repentance and Zazen will be focused on.
c. Be given short questions to help them to interpret and analyze the
arguments for or against religious and philosophical issues in Chan and
Pure Land Sects.
d. Be working in teams to perform a drama to demonstrate their
understandings of Buddhist Five Precepts and make their own judgments.
CILO 3
e. Be given quizzes to help them to grasp the differences between Mahayana
Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism and identify differences between
“exoteric Buddhism” and “esoteric Buddhism.”
CILO 4
f. Be given tutorial exercises to help students to relate some key Buddhist
notions to contemporary moral, ethical or socio-cultural problems.
g. Be working in teams to provide term papers on issues concerning conflict
and disputes over modern ethical and socio-cultural issues. In the term
paper, students are required to demonstrate their understanding of relevant
ideas and concepts in Buddhism and relate the relevance of these religious
ideas and values for contemporary ethical and socio-cultural issues such
as environmental ethics, political engagement etc. Arguments for and
against these Buddhist stands should be explained and evaluated.
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9.
ASSESSMENT METHODS (AMS)
Type of
Assessment
Weighting CILOs to be Description of Assessment Tasks
addressed
Quizzes
25%
1-3
Quizzes will assess and reward students’ facility
with concepts and cases from lectures and
readings.
Assignments
25%
2, 4
Assignments and tutorial exercises will assess the
students’ ability to interpret and analyze the
arguments for or against religious and
philosophical issues in Chan and Pure Land Sects
and to relate some key Buddhist notions to
contemporary moral, ethical or socio-cultural
problems.
Final Exam
20%
1-4
The examination will test the students’ ability to
understand the main ideas and development of
Buddhism, apply Buddhist ideas and values in
their interpretations of modern socio-cultural
issue(s), and provide critical assessments.
Oral
15%
2, 4
Class discussions will encourage, reward, and
assess students’ active contributions to analysis
and their active engagement with other students
presentation
and in-class
participation
Drama
10.
15%
2
To demonstrate students’ understandings of
Buddhist Five Precepts and their abilities to make
reasonable judgments
TEXTBOOKS / RECOMMENDED READINGS
Berkwitz, Stephen C. South Asian Buddhism: A Survey. London; New York: Routledge, 2010.
Cantwell, Cathy. Buddhism: the Basics. London; New York: Routledge, 2010.
Conze, E. Buddhism: Its Essence and Development. New York: Harper & Row, 1975.
Edkins, J. Chinese Buddhism. San Francisco: Chinese Materials Centre, 1976.
Kalupahana, D. J. Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis. Honolulu: University of Hawaii
Press, 1976.
Kapstein, Matthew T. ed. Buddhism between Tibet and China. Boston: Wisdom Publications,
2009.
King, Sallie B. Socially Engaged Buddhism. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2009.
Mitchell, Donald W. Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience. New York: Oxford
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University Press, 2008.
Park, Jin Y. Buddhism and Postmodernity: Zen, Huayan, and the Possibility of Buddhist
Postmodern Ethics. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2008.
Robinson, R. H. and Johnson, W. L. The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction. 3rd ed.,
California: Wadsworth, Inc., 1982.
Williams, Paul. Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition. London;
New York: Routledge, 2000.
_______. Mahayana Buddhism: the Doctrinal Foundation. London; New York : Routledge,
2009.
方立天：《中國佛教哲學要義》北京：中國人民大學出版社，2002。
木村泰賢撰，演培法師譯：《大乘佛敎思想論》臺北：慧日講堂，1978。
平川彰：《印度佛教史》臺北：商周出版社，2002。
印順：《空之探究》臺北：正聞出版社，1985。
牟宗三：《佛性與般若》臺北：臺灣學生書局，1988。
吳汝鈞：《中國佛學的現代詮釋》臺北：文津出版社，1995。
宋立道：《從印度佛敎到泰國佛敎》臺北：東大圖書公司，2002。
金山正好：《東亞佛敎史》臺北：文津出版社有限公司，2001。
高觀如：《大乘佛敎槪述》臺北：長春樹書坊，1984。
黃維忠：《佛光西漸──藏傳佛敎大趨勢》西寧：靑海人民出版社，1997。
楊延康：《藏傳佛教》北京：中華書局，2008。
增谷文雄：《根本佛敎與大乘佛敎》臺北：大展出版社，1996。
韓廷傑：《南傳上座部佛敎槪論》臺北：文津出版社，2001。
[Revised by Ng YN]
REL1240 Buddhism.doc
29 June 2017