An Introduction to
World Religions
2012-11-27
2012-11-27 Agenda
Attendance
Religion Today
Harlan Steele
Administrativa
Refworks assignment
Annotated Bibliography
Buddhism in Japan
Slide 3.
Presentation
Harlan Steele
Don’t just say what it’s about;
say what it says.
Don’t
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Do
"Outsiders: Muslim Women and
Olympic Games-Barriers and
Opportunities"
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/
10.1080/09523367.2010.508291
This article talks about the barriers
Muslim women face when they try
to participate in the Olympics. It will
be useful for my paper because it
will describe these problems in
depth.
Reliable source from our library
website
Pfister, G. "Outsiders: Muslim Women and Olympic Games-Barriers
and Opportunities." International Journal of The History of
Sport 27 (2010):2925-2957.
Pfister analyzes female participation rates from Islamic
countries in the Beijing Olympics. She makes three points that are
relevant for my essay topic. First, she points out that women in
general have been excluded from the Olympic games historically but
are rapidly expanding in modern society. Second, she reveals the
important point that Islamic countries in general have not put great
emphasis on modern sport, thus historically the number of male and
female athletes participating in the Olympics has been comparatively
low. Third, Pfister demonstrates the type of sports that female Muslim
athletes were historically permitted to compete in focused on
accentuating feminine characteristics but have gradually migrated to
allowing female athletes to participate in other, non-feminine sporting
events. Pfister’s article is highly valuable in the construction of a
persuasive paper regarding Muslim women and sport and physical
activity because it reveals how female Muslim athletes have fought
and struggled to increase their participation numbers in the Olympic
Games.
Slide 5.
Tibetan and Japanese
Buddhism 116-123
• Describe the main similarities and the
important distinctions of the Theravada,
Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions.
• Describe their geographical development
and name a main text in each tradition
Slide 9.
Term Exam: Eastern
Religions
• December 11, 9:00 a.m. in computer lab NH 352
• The tests and exams will cover material from the
readings and class.
• The questions may include matching, multiple
choice, paragraph questions, and a longer essay
question covering the entire course to date.
• Refer to the Academic Calendar, Section 3.8 with
respect to cheating, plagiarism, and academic
dishonesty.
• Examinations must be written during the period listed
on the examination schedule. In case of an
emergency contact the dean’s office.
Slide 10.
Exam Format
• Objective questions (70 marks)
• 65 Multiple choice or true/false (65 marks) on Buddhism,
Confucianism, Daoism.
• 5 passage identifications (5 marks) on all 5 religions since
the midterm (including Jainism and Shinto)
• Written questions (50 marks; there will be some
choice)
• 10 definitions (20 marks) on Buddhism, Confucianism,
Daoism.
• Four paragraph questions on Buddhism, Confucianism,
Daoism (5 marks each).
• Essay question comparing all religions covered this term
(including small societies and Hinduism) (10 marks)
Slide 11.
Possible Questions
• Compare the teachings about x in the following
traditions: y
• Where x could be:
• the way humans interact with the divine
• the self, soul, and human nature
• What happens to a person after death
• Meditation
• Ethics (right and wrong actions)
• And y could be:
• A typical religion of a small society, Vedic Hinduism,
Upanishadic Hinduism, Bhakti Hinduism, Early Buddhism,
Theravadin Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Ancient
Chinese Religion, Confucianism, Daoism, and a Chinese
Buddhist tradition.
Slide 12.
Preparation Advice
• Get 3 sheets. Make a table on each.
Term
Tradition
Upaya
Text
How you
can identify
it
Daodejing
Tradition
Mentions the Daoism
Way; in Concepts of
poetic lines
Divine/Sacred
Philosophical
Confucianism
Tradition
Mahayana
Buddhism
Teachings
go with the
flow
Human
interaction with
Divine
Don’t worry about
gods until you have
your own self in
order. Adopts
ancestor
Slide 13.
An impersonal
“Heaven”
mandates right and
wrong.
Significance
Teachings can be
adapted to suit
the audience
Concept of Self,
Soul, and Human
Nature
Ancestors are to be
mourned.
Mengzi says
human nature is
good; Xunzi says
Preparation Advice
• Read your notes, with the following in mind:
• Were any special terms discussed? If so, recopy your
notes about this word onto sheet A.
• Note on the appropriate sheet what your notes say about
the tradition’s concepts of
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the divine or sacred,
how humans should interact or respond to the divine,
the self, the soul, and human nature.
• Note on your study sheet the name of the assigned
reading, its tradition, and its main concerns (plus
anything else emphasized about this text).
• How will you identify this text? Form, characters,
message, special vocabulary, etc.
Slide 14.
Possible Exam
Questions: Jainism
• When did Jainism emerge? What are the
Tirtharankas? What are the divisions of
Jainism?
• What are the three ethical principles of
Jainism?
• What are the five vows commonly taken
by non-monks?
Slide 17.
Possible Exam Questions:
Indian Buddhism
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Which concepts did Buddhism retain from Hinduism? Which did it reject?
According to the hagiography about the Buddha, why was he protected from
the troubles of the world? How did he encounter them and respond?
Briefly outline the key events in Siddhartha’s life before he became known as
the Buddha. What experiences in his early life helped him to formulate the
idea of a “Middle Way?”
Describe the contents of the Buddha’s Deer Park Sermon.
Explain the concept of dukkha and its role in Buddhist teaching.
List the steps on the Noble Eightfold Path and note briefly what each step
involves.
Describe the three jewels and the five precepts.
Describe the three marks of existence, non-self; dependent origination,
impermanence, the five aggregates.
Who was Ashoka and why is he significant?
What are the two main schools of Buddhism?
Describe the three baskets.
What is the Theravadin ideal?
What is worshipped and celebrated in Buddhism, and how?
Slide 18.
Possible Exam Questions:
Confucianism and Daoism
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Which concepts from Ancient Chinese Religion were taken up by
Confucianism, Daoism, and Chinese Buddhism?
Compare what we know of the life of Master Kong (Confucius) with
what we know of the life of Siddharta Gautama (the Buddha)
What are the “five relationships” of Confucius, and what do they
illustrate about what Confucius thought was important?
Compare the view of human nature in Mengzi to that in Xunzi? How
does these relate to their views of politics?
Compare and contrast philosophical Daoism and religious Daoism.
Describe and compare Confucianism and Daoism. Explain why
Confucianism is sometimes described as a father-son relationship,
whereas Daoism is sometimes represented as a mother-child
relationship.
Slide 19.
Possible Exam Questions:
Buddhism Beyond India
• Explain the technique of Upaya, with examples of
how it was used.
• Describe some of the tools Vajrayana Buddhists
use to focus their meditation and prayer.
• What are some notable characteristics of Chan
Buddhism and Pure Land Buddhism?
• Describe the main similarities and the important
distinctions of the Theravada, Mahayana, and
Vajrayana traditions. Describe their geographical
development and name a main text in each tradition.
Slide 20.
Homework
• For Thursday
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Upload your Annotated
Bibliography (Word .doc file)
to Moodle
• Term Exam Dec. 11
9:00
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In the computer lab, NH352
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Read section on
“Zoroastrianism” in Living
Religions
Write online quiz on
Zoroastrianism
• For January’s first
class
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Slide 21.