Introduction to
Buddhism
RLST 2140
―Traditions B‖ and Peace Studies minor course
Spring 2010
CC 4
T TH 10:00-11:15
Instructor: Dr. Lola Williamson
Office: CC 10
Office Hours: MW 10-11:00 or by
appointment.
Email: willill@millsaps.edu
Phone: 601-974-1333
Web: http://home.millsaps.edu/willill
Course Description
Siddhartha Gautama, or the Buddha as he is
commonly known, noticed that life involves
quite a bit of suffering. He made it his life’s
mission to address this universal problem. After trial and error, he eventually attained release
from suffering and attained nirvana. He then spent the rest of his life sharing his discoveries
with others. After he died, his followers continued to teach the Buddha’s discoveries to all who
would listen. In this course, we will join the listeners of the last two-and-a-half millennia, as
well as the 350 million followers today, to learn what the Buddha discovered. We’ll also explore
how his teaching was embellished over time as layers of religious practice and belief were added
to the simple message and monastic discipline he had established. We’ll examine how Buddhist
views and practices intersected with established cultures and religions as it traveled from country
to country. We will also learn about Buddhism through contemplative practices, which form an
essential part of the Buddhist path. Meditation and mindfulness practices are meant to engage the
entire person, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and aesthetically. As part of this
exploration, we’ll discuss differences between intellectual and other kinds of knowing.
Texts
Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Introduction by Charles F. Chicarelli
Buddhist Peacework: Creating Cultures of Peace by David Chappell
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh
A Path with Heart: A Guide through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life by Jack Kornfield
Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo by Richard
Gombrich
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Websites
Buddhanet http://www.buddhanet.net/
Evaluating Internet Resources by Robert Harris, 1997. http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
Course Objectives
By the end of the semester you should be able to:
 Describe the central ideas and practices of Buddhism
 Explain the interaction of Buddhism with different cultural traditions
 Clarify the differences between Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions
 Discuss Buddhist iconography and artistic styles
 Be familiar with several types of Buddhist contemplative practices
 Draw on different approaches to the study of religion
 Understand ―engaged Buddhist‖ efforts in peacebuilding
Grading Scale
A (93-100) A- (90-92) B+ (87-89) B (83-86) B- (80-82) C+ (77-79) C (73-76) C- (7072) D+ (67-69) D (63-66) F (0-59)
Attendance
You are allowed two absences during the semester without consequence. Each absence after
this will result in two points being deducted from your final grade. Absences are intended to
cover cases of illness, family crisis, religious holiday, or school-sponsored trips. Please inform
me of the reasons for your absences. If you need to miss more than two classes for any of the
above reasons, you may hand in a two-page paper on the reading material for the class missed
due within one week of the absence. The essay must be evaluated at a minimum of B for it to
count. If you miss ten or more classes (about a third of the semester) for any reason, you
should withdraw from the course to avoid receiving an F. If the absences occur after the final
day to withdraw without a grade, you should make arrangements for a medical withdrawal in
order to avoid receiving an F.
Course Evaluation
45%
10%
10%
10%
25%



Three exams (15% each)
Ethnography paper (3 pages)
Class participation (feedback and grades to be given at midterm and at end of term)
Contemplative exercises, including reflection paper (3 pages)
Research paper
Preliminary prospectus (1 page) (This will not be graded, but your final paper will be
reduced by 5 points if it is not turned in on time.)
Final prospectus with annotated bibliography (3 pages) (5%)
10-12 page research paper (20%) Note: If you’re taking this class to satisfy requirements
for the Peace Studies minor, your research must relate to Buddhist peacebuilding.
Paper Policies
1. Three points will be taken off for each day late.
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2. Turn papers in during class or deliver to my door. Do not email papers. Unless otherwise
stated in schedule, papers are due at the beginning of class.
3. Use Times New Roman 12-point font; staple in the upper left corner; no cover sheet;
paginate; use "Works Cited" page when relevant; center title using 12-pt. font without
bolding, underlining, or placing in quotation marks; put name, course, professor’s name,
and date in the top left of the first page.
Exams
Each exam will test your understanding of the section just completed. They will consist of
vocabulary terms, short answers, and short essays.
Ethnography Paper
You are to attend the Jackson Zen Dojo on a Sunday morning (10:30 – 12:00) OR the
Introduction to Zen Workshop (8:30 – 5:00, date to be announced) OR a Tuesday or Thursday
Zazen (sitting meditation) session (5:30 – 6:00) combined with a half-hour interview of a Zen
practitioner. Begin by giving specific field information: name and address of site, occasion, and
time of visit. Then describe the building (inside and out) and the people (average ages, genders,
etc.) Describe what happens from beginning to end, including a discussion of the ―tone.‖ Was it
casual or formal, emotional or reserved, spontaneous or ritualized? The largest part of the paper
will be devoted to analysis. You might consider, for example, a particular message or teaching
that was conveyed, the nature of the worship or practice, or the leader/group dynamic. If you are
doing an interview, include your interview questions with the paper. Discuss relevant responses
and what they might mean to the study of Western Zen practice. The paper should be submitted
within one week of your visit.
Directions to Dojo, which is about 5 minutes from Millsaps: Take I-55 north and exit at
Meadowbrook toward Northside Dr. (exit 99). Take a slight right onto Frontage Rd., and
another slight right onto Old Canton. Immediately begin to look for the ―Wolfe Studio‖ sign,
and turn right there. Park in front of the studio, and walk a little further up the road till you see
the Buddha statue. Bebe Wolfe will meet you on the porch and give you directions on how to
enter the dojo. Call her a week in advance. (601-982-0402) You will need to arrive one-half
hour early in order to receive instructions. I will let you know ideal dates to attend. The first is
January 24. When several of us go together, I will call and make arrangements.
Class Participation
This will be a discussion-based class with only occasional lectures. Pedagogical research
indicates that learning occurs best through active participation. Come to class prepared to discuss
the reading. I will often send you words, ideas, and questions to consider ahead of time. The
assignment will come by email with a ―high importance‖ alert and the subject line will say
―Buddhism.‖ DON’T DELETE IT. Print the questions and jot down notes and ideas to bring to
class.
Contemplative Exercises
The class schedule contains an asterisk when the author has discussed contemplation exercises.
You are responsible for understanding what these practices entail. Furthermore, you are to pick
two exercises that you will practice more than once – ideally daily for a week. For example, you
might choose a mindfulness technique from Chapter 11 of The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings
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and a healing technique from A Path with a Heart. Each of these will be practiced several times
in succession. You may want to practice a technique twice a day for several days. Some
techniques can be practiced throughout the day. I suggest you keep a journal to help you reflect
on the exercises. You can then use your journal as an aid in writing your three-page reflection
paper. Discuss your experiences as well as insights the practices gave you into particular
Buddhist doctrines, such as ―impermanence‖ or ―suffering‖ or the ideal of ―peacefulness.‖ Be
honest. If you were bored or frustrated, write about it, and then investigate why you may have
had these feelings.
Research Paper
This counts as a major portion of your grade, which means that I expect you to put ample time
and effort into it. The purpose of writing this paper is to delve deeply into a topic that we have
not had time to explore together. You are to explain some aspect of Buddhism and provide
ample evidence for your explanation. You must clearly analyze the phenomenon you’ve chosen,
―problematizing‖ it and supporting a particular viewpoint about it. This means that you’ll need
to find the best evidence you can to develop your argument.
If you choose to write about Buddhist art, please include an appendix with pictures that
are labeled with whatever information is known about the title, artist, date, and location. Label
each picture as Figure 1, 2, etc. When you refer to the artwork in the text of your paper, write
―see fig. X‖ in parentheses. I would also encourage you to read Dr. Elise Smith’s directions for
writing about art found at http://millsaps.edu/art/tips_for_writing.shtml .
Note that if you are counting this course toward a Peace Studies minor, your research
paper must address a question about Buddhism and peacebuilding. Also note that if you are
taking Comprehensive Exams, you will want to plan your time accordingly.
Preliminary Prospectus: In this one-page paper, you will discuss your research question
and pose several possible answers. You should also present some general background on
the topic, and discuss why it interests you. You don’t have to do in-depth research for the
preliminary prospectus, but you should have checked available sources to make sure you
can answer your question. As soon as your topic is approved, begin to collect your
materials. This will give you time to order material through interlibrary loan, which may
take several weeks to receive.
Final Prospectus with Annotated Bibliography: The final prospectus will be in the
form of a three-page essay in which you state the issue you have chosen, your
justification for selecting the topic, an annotated bibliography of at least eight scholarly
sources, and a preliminary outline indicating the organization of the paper. Your
annotated bibliography will include a paragraph on each source you have chosen,
explaining what the source will provide, what position it takes, and how you intend to use
it to support your argument. At least one source should be ―primary.‖ This may be a
scripture or philosophical treatise, a first-hand account by a Buddhist, or Buddhist
artwork or literary work. At least one source must be a peer-reviewed journal article that
examines questions closely related to your own. The bibliography should be formatted
correctly. Websites must be of an academic nature and the author must be stated on the
site and included in your bibliography. To help you understand the definition of
academic-style website, see Evaluating Internet Resources by Robert Harris, 1997.
http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
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Class Schedule
Unit One: The Buddha and His Message
Jan. 12
Jan. 14
Overview
Early Buddhism in its Indian Context (Gombrich: Ch. 2)
Jan. 19
Jan. 21
Myths and Iconography (Chicarelli: 1-35)
*Three Jewels (Hanh: 161-168); Four Noble Truths (Hanh: 3-46)
Jan. 26
Jan. 28
*Noble Eightfold Path (Hanh: 49 through 75; 84 through106; 113-118)
*Impermanence, Nonself, and Nirvana (Hanh: 131- top of 142); Interdependent
Co-Arising (Hanh: 221-49); Five Aggregates (Hanh: 176-183)
Feb. 2
Feb. 4
Buddhist Art in India (Chicarelli: 57-86)
Introduction to Buddhist Peacework (Chappell: Forward, Intro, and Ch. 1)
Feb. 9
Exam 1
Unit Two: Theravada Buddhism
Feb. 11
Introduction to Sri Lanka (Gombrich: 18-31)
View in class: Footsteps of the Buddha
Feb. 16
Feb. 18
Dhamma/Dharma (Gombrich: Ch. 3)
Theravada and Society (Gombrich: 106-31; from ―The Formal Organization‖
through ―Ashoka in Buddhist Tradition)
Feb. 23
Feb. 25
Protestant Buddhism (Gombrich: Ch. 7)
* Thailand (Buddhanet—E-library-Theravada Teachings-Forest Path, Chapter 1,
pp. 1-21; Kornfield, Ch. 1 and 2)
Note: We will view two videos the first week in March to give you ideas for your
research paper. Remember, your first prospectus is due after spring break.
Mar. 2
Mar. 4
*Kornfield: Ch. 4 and 5
Land of the Disappearing Buddha – preview of Mahayana Buddhism
*Kornfield: Ch. 6 and 7
Yogis of Tibet – preview of Tibetan Buddhism
Mar. 9
Theravada Peacebuilding (Chappell, Ch. 2, 6, 13, 15; discuss Mar. 4 reading too)
Mar. 11
Exam 2
(Mar. 16 and 18: Spring Break)
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Unit Three: Mahayana Buddhism
Mar. 23
Mar. 25
Preliminary Prospectus due Madhyamika and Yogacara Philosophies (Hanh:
Ch. 17; other readings emailed)
Buddhas and Boddhisattvas (Hanh: Ch. 20; Chicarelli: 87-110; 262-3)
(Mar. 30
Apr. 1
Buddhist Art in Japan (Chicarelli: 121-146)
Contemplative Paper due View in class: Zen Mind (60 min.)
Apr. 6
Apr. 8
Pure Land (reading emailed) (class evaluations)
Mahayana Peacebuilding (Chappell: Ch. 3, 7, 14, 16)
Apr. 13
Apr. 15
Vajrayana Art (Chicarelli: 147-184; Buddhanet—Buddhist Studies-Art and
Architecture-―Symbolism of Mandalas‖)
Final Prospectus with Bibliography due
View in class The Great Liberation
(Short reading on Tibetan Book of the Dead emailed)
Apr. 20
Apr. 22
Vajrayana Peacebuilding (Chappell: Ch. 4, 5, 17, 18)
Exam 3
Apr. 27
Research paper due by midnight. (Remember to deliver to door; do not
email.)
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