Grading:
1/3 class attendance (physical and mental) and completion of homework.
1/3 each, two 7-8 page papers, due on October 24, and December 10.
Attendance:
Our readings will support class lectures and discussions. Our experience in the classroom is central and essential to our learning. At the beginning of each class, you will turn in short and simple answers to questions on the reading for that day. Your answers will not be graded and need only show that you read the material, not that you perfectly understand it.
Books:
IH: Introducing Hinduism by Hillary Rodriguez, Routledge
IP: Indian Philosophy, A Very Short Introduction by Sue Hamilton, Oxford
BD: Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction by Damien Keown, Oxford
BG: Bhagavad Gétä by Graham M Schweig, Harper Collins
SK: Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction by Eleanor Nesbitt, Oxford
Schedule of Class Topics and Readings:
The first number for each class is the date of the month. The second number is the number of the class. For example under August, 27.2 = August 27, the second class of the semester.
August
25.1 Introduction to the course: books, themes, requirements, methods, relevance.
27.2 Karma, cosmology, and theodicy. Read: IH Ch 2
Questions: IH p54, Discussion questions 3-6
29.3 Dharma, social order, purity and pollution etc. Read: IH Ch 3
Questions: IH p73, Discussion questions 1-6
September
1 Labor Day
3.4 The Indo-European issue. Read: IH pp1-22
Questions: IH p22, Discussion questions 1-4 Special attention to question 3, for Wednesday’s lecture.
5.5 Vedic religion. Read: IH Ch 1, IP Ch 2
Questions: IH pp42-43 Discussion questions 3-5
Explain the ‘ontological term’ monism (IP p 29).
8.6 Jaina dharma. Read: Course reserve: article on Jaina dharma; IH pp121-123
Questions: Please identify: the dominant religious ideal in Jainism; ahimsa, and its role in Jainism; Mahävéra; the Jinas; the Çvetämbaras and Dig-ambaras; the Jaina ‘ascetic ideal’; Jaina lay practices;
Cärväk.
10.7 Buddha: life and teachings. Read: BD Chs 2 and 4; IH 121-122; IP Ch 3
Questions: Briefly recount Buddha’s life (one paragraph); What are Buddha’s ‘four noble truths.’
12.8 Buddhism: Karma, cosmos, sangha and Mahäyäna. Read: BD Chs 3 and 5
Questions: What are Buddhist notions of karma, including types of rebirths? What is Mahäyäna?
15.9 Buddhist Philosophy. Read: IP Chs 3 and 6
Questions: What were some Buddhist questions about the ‘self’? What is dependent origination? What are some Buddhist schools of thought? Who is Nägärjuna?
17.10 Hindu response to Buddhism: Pürva Mémäàsa. Read: IH Ch 5 and 131-132; IP 57-66 and 121-125
Questions: What is (Pürva) Mémäàsa? How does this school regard language? What is the ‘sphoöa’ theory of language? What is the role of ‘mantra’ in Hinduism?
19.11 Vedänta: Upaniñads. Read: IH p249; IP 66-69,
Questions: What are the Brahma Sutras? What schools do Jaimini and Bädaräyaëa represent? What was the attitude of these schools toward testimony?
22.12 Vedänta: Brahma-sütras, Advaita. Read: IH pp 250-251; IP 125-131
Questions: IH p 254, Questions 1 and 5
24.13 Vedänta: Brahma-sutras: Rämänuja, Madhva
Read: IH p 252-253; IP 131-135; http://www.iep.utm.edu/b/bhed-ved.html
26.14 Rämäyana: personalism, avatära. Read: IH 136-143, 177-180 and 199 – 205
Questions: What is ‘itihäsa’, the Rämäyana, Räma?
29.15 Rämäyana: political theory. Read: Reread - IH 136-143
October
1.16 Mahäbhärata: cosmic struggle. Text-critical issues. Read: IH 144-150
Questions: IH p151, Discussion questions 3-5
3.17 Mahäbhärata: earthly struggle. Reread: IH pp144-150
6.18 Bhagavad-gétä within Mahäbhärata. Read: IH Ch 8; Intro and Chs 1-2 of BG
Questions: What is the Bhagavad-gétä? What might account for its great influence? What three yogas does it teach? What is the Gétä’s ‘Outer and Inner Conflict’?
8.19 Bhagavad-gétä. Read: BG Chs 3-6
Questions: What are the general topics in each chapter?
13.20 Bhagavad-gétä. Read: BG Chs 7-10
Questions: What are the general topics in each chapter?
15.21 Bhagavad-gétä Read: BG Chs 11-14
Questions: What are the general topics in each chapter?
17.22 Bhagavad-gétä. Read: BG Chs 15-18
Questions: What are the general topics in each chapter?
20.23 Midterm review
22.24 1st Paper due. Dharma and the individual.
Read: IH Ch 4
24.25 Homecoming
27.26 Vaiçeñika, Nyäya and Säìkhya. Read: IH 128-130; IP Ch 5, and 112-117
Questions: Briefly, what is Vaiçeñika? Nyäya? Säìkhya?
29.27 Yoga. Read: IH 126-128; IP 107-112; BD Ch 7; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras
Questions: Give a brief description of the topics and goals of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras.
31.28 Hindu Deities and the Puräëas Read: IH Ch 10
Questions: What are the Puräëas? In what sense did the Vedic deities ‘decline’? Who is Çiva? Viñëu’s ‘avatäras’? Sarasvaté and Lakñmé?
November
3.29 The Bhägavata Puräëa. Trans-historicity.
5.30 Çaivism, Vaiñëavism and Çäktism. Read: IH Ch 9
Questions: IH pp184-185 Discussion questions 1-6
7.31 Hindu worship. Read: IH Ch 11
Questions: IH pp243-244 Discussion questions 1-6
10.32 Tantra. Read: IH Ch 13
Questions: IH p269 Discussion questions 1-7
12.33 Islam in India: a history.
14.34 Islam in India. Read: IH 273-280;
Questions: IH p 296, Discussion questions 1, 4.
17.35 Early Sikh-history. Read: SK Chs 1-4
Questions: Who is Guru Nanak? The ten Sikh gurus?
What is the Guru Granth Sahib? What are the ‘Five Ks’?
19.36 Later Sikh history. Read: SK Chs 5-8, IH 279-280 ‘Guru Nanak’.
Questions: How and why did the Sikhs ‘militarize’? (pp 59-62) What is the Sikh attitude toward women?
How is caste seen, in theory and practice?
21.37 Medieval Bhakti: Mirabai and Caitanya
Read: IH p162-167; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mira_Bai
Questions: Who was Mirabai? How and what did she teach? Who was Caitanya? What was his mission?
24.38 Bheda-abheda and Rasa. Read: http://www.iep.utm.edu/b/bhed-ved.html , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupa_Goswami
Questions: What is bhedäbheda? Who is Rüpa Gosvämé? His contribution?
26.39 First European contacts
28.40 19th century Indian reaction to Europe. Read: IH p280-296
December
1.41 20th c Indian reaction to Europe
3.42 Hinduism and the West. Read: IH Ch 16
5.43 Hare Krishna
Read: IH 319-321, Swami Bhaktivedanta
8.44 Review for 2nd paper.
10.45 2nd paper due. Hinduism and ecology. Read: IH Ch 17; http://www.fov.org.uk/hinduism/07.html
