Instructor: Tadanori Yamashita
Office: 207 Skinner Hall, Department of Religion
Phone: x2292, Fax 538-2579,
E-mail tyamashi@MtHolyoke.edu
Home: 2 Amherst Road, South Hadley, MA 01075-1202
Phone # 536-4364, Fax 536-6367,
E-mail: tad4364@aol.com
Cell Phone: 413-433-4364

Office Hour: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-11:45 a.m. Sign up sheet for appointment is often posted at the door of Skinner 207 If I am in office, you can speak to me

Class Meeting: Monday and Wednesday 2:40-3:55, Clap 120

Objectives of the course: The primary goal of the course is to acquire broad understanding of basic Buddhist concepts and history and development of Buddhism. Comparison with Jewish Christian doctrines are often done to deepen our understanding of Buddhist teachings. The course is intended to be not only academic and intellectual pursuit bu experiment of Buddhist life style. Every one is expected to do meditation either by yourself or attending group meditation at Eliot House on Wednesday 4:00 –5:15 and Sunday night 9:00-10:15 The central teaching of Buddhism is that of compassion. It is a reorientation of your life based on this teaching at least while you are taking this course.

Textbook: Edward Conze, Buddhism: Its Essence and Development. The table of the contents of that book serves as syllabus of the first half of the course In the second half of the course we will read some important Mahayana Buddhist text such as Diamond Sutra, Avamtamsaka Sutra, Lotus Sutra, and some portion of Three Fold Pure Land Sutra.

Attendance: Because the course intends to be not only academic but practical, attendance to class is very important. Attendance in class with intelligent discussion based on good reading is very important. You must sign in attendance sheet every time you attend the class. Please sign yourself. Do not have your friend sign for you. If you have brief comments please write the on the right side of your signature.

Examinations and Papers: There will be two examinations, one in the midterm on October 24, and another in the self scheduled exam period. One research paper of 6 or 7 pages long should be presented by noon on December 21, Friday

Topics of Lecture, Discussion and Reading

Topic 1 Explanation of the course
Attendance and Registration
Definition of Religion, Philosophy and Culture
Definition of Buddhism
Conze, Buddhism, 1-26
Thomas, Life, 173-236

Topic 2 Common Ground, The essential of Buddhism
Buddha, Dharma, Samgha, Sutra and Yoga
Conze, Buddhism, 27-52

Topic 3 Buddhism as Myth, Legend, Literature and Sutra
Meaning of Myth, Legends, Literatures and Sutras
Warren, 5-56
Coomaraswami, Buddha 290-303

Topic 4 The Life of Buddha
Warren, 56-110
Thomas, The Life of Buddha
Foucher, The Life of Buddha

Topic 5 The Four Nobele Truths
Conze, 43-52
Rahula, What Buddha Taught

Topic 6 Monastic Buddhism
Conze, 53-68
Takeuchi, The Heart of Buddhism

Topic 7 Popular Buddhism
Conze, 70-88
Thomas, Life, 1-164

Topic 8 The Old Wisdom School
Conze, 89-118
Williams, 1-33

Topic 9 The Mahayana, and the New Wisdom School
Mahayana Doctrine
Conze, 119-143
Williams, 55-76
Suzuki, Outline
Suzuki, On Indian Mahayana Buddhism
Streng, Emptiness

Topic 10 The Yogacarins
Conze, 161-173
Williams, 115

Topic 11 The Buddhism of Faith and Devotion
Conze, 144-160
Williams,215-276

Topic 12 Tantric Buddhism
Conze, 174-199
Williams, 185-214
Supplemented by Instructor’s lectures on Tendai Buddhism

Topic 13 Pure Land Buddhism
Bloom
Unno

Topic 14 Hua-en (Kegon) Buddhism
Cook

Topic 15 The Lotus Sutra
Watson, The Lotus Sutra