Buddhist Philosophy

Course: PHIL 225, Winter 2003

Time & Location: MW 10:00 — 11:45, F 10:00 — 10:40, Dewing 200.

Professor: Jim Behuniak

E-mail: behuniak@kzoo.edu

Office & Phone: Forum House, Rm 204. Tel. 337-7349.

Office Hours: Mon. & Weds. 1:00 to 3:00, or by appointment.

Required Texts:

What the Buddha Taught, Rahula (Grove Press)

The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika, tr. Garfield (Oxford Univ. Press)

Hua-Yen Buddhism, Cook (Penn State Univ. Press)

The Diamond Sutra & The Sutra of Hui-Neng, tr, Price/Wong (Shambhala Press)

The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, tr. Pine (North Point Press)

PHIL 225 Reader (Available in Bookstore)

Course Description:

"Buddhist Philosophy" is an enormous subject matter that thwarts any attempt at general survey. Hence, in this course we will have very clear objectives and do sustained work on select primary texts rather than attempt to embrace the whole.

Our goal, ultimately, is to understand the contributions of two Buddhist schools that flourished in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907): the Hua-yen (Japanese: Kegon) and the Chan (Japanese: Zen) schools.

The novel contributions of these schools can only be appreciated, however, by tracing Buddhist thought from the historical Buddha through the "Mahayanist" lineage.

Thus, we will be reading works of the Indian thinker, Nagarjuna (c. 100-200) and works of an important Chinese figure of Indian origin, Bodhidharma (c. 440-528), who is credited with first bringing "Zen" to China.

With this background complete, we move to Tang Buddhism in China, beginning with the "Flower Garland" (Hua-yen) doctrine as propounded by Fa-Tsang (c. 643-712). Hua-yen is recognized as a high watermark in Buddhist metaphysics, and we will consider how this unique contribution to Buddhist philosophy is distinctly "Chinese" in style.

While Fa-Tsang was formulating the novel Hua-yen doctrine, his contemporary Hui-Neng (c. 638-713) was once more reinventing Buddhism on Chinese soil, in the form of the "Sudden Enlightenment" or "Southern" school of Zen. Once we have finished with Hua-yen, we will read Hui-Neng’s Platform Sutra, and consider the philosophical debates with the "Northern" school of Zen that occasioned its composition.

Course Goals:

· to gain a sophisticated, philosophical understanding of Buddhist thought.

· to increase sensitivity to the difference between certain religious and philosophical assumptions in the Western world and those found in East Asian Buddhism.

· to improve skills of critical reading, writing, and discussion.

· to foster an appreciation of the interconnectedness between self, other, and world, insofar that Buddhist wisdom can generate such an appreciation.

Expectations, Requirements, and Policies:

Students will be expected to come to class having read the daily assignment and prepared to participate in discussions of that assignment.

To this end, a number of reading questions (sometimes one, sometimes several) will be distributed in class to correspond with the readings. These questions are designed to help you think through the material as you read and to facilitate your participation in class.

Attendance and participation will both be noticed. Both may factor into your final grade. I reserve the right to increase or decrease grades by one-half letter grade on the basis of participation. As for attendance, failure to attend three classes will result in an automatic reduction of one-half letter grade. The fourth absence will result in an automatic reduction of a full letter grade.

Lateness to class will be frowned upon. So I reserve the right to adjust final grades by one-half letter grade (down) for repeated lateness and to adjust final grades one-half letter grade (up) for perfect, punctual attendance.

Absence will be considered "excused" only in rare cases (this normally involves the student demonstrating the need for such through proper documentation).

Students will also be required to write four papers: three papers 3-5 pages in length and one paper 6-7 pages in length. Topics for the first three papers will be either specified or suggested, whereas the fourth, final paper will be developed in consultation with the professor.

All papers are due on the date specified in the course calendar and late papers will not be accepted (or, accepted under very rare circumstances, like those of excused absences — see above).

ALSO, I am committed to a classroom environment in which every student can perform at his or her best. If you have a physical or learning disability that might interfere with your performance, please see me as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made. All such disabilities should be registered with the Dean of Student’s Office.

NOTE: The goal of this course, and of education in general, is to further your ability to engage the new, to connect ideas, and to communicate what you feel and think in ways that make a genuine contribution. For this reason, plagiarism and improper collaboration on class assignments will be taken very seriously. On these matters, please consult Kalamazoo College’s Honor System to which each of us is asked to abide. Do consult with me if there is any confusion in this area. In every case, instances of academic irresponsibility will be forwarded to the Student Development Office and will result in severe grade reduction.

Course Calendar:

W 1/8 Read What the Buddha Taught, pp. 1-50, 92-94.

F 1/10 Read What the Buddha Taught, pp. 50-66, 95-105.

M 1/13 Read What the Buddha Taught, pp. 67-89.

W 1/15 Read What the Buddha Taught, pp. 109-138.

F 1/17 Open Session

M 1/20 Martin Luther King Day

W 1/22 Read Mulamadhyamakakarika, Ch. 1-4 (pp. 87-148). Paper #1 Due

F 1/24 Open Session

M 1/27 Read Mulamadhyamakakarika, Ch. 5-14 (pp. 149-219).

W 1/29 Read Mulamadhyamakakarika, Ch. 15-21 (pp. 220-247).

F 1/31 Open Session

M 2/3 Read Mulamadhyamakakarika, Ch. 22-27 (pp. 275-359).

W 2/5 "Dalai Lama: The Key to the Middle Way," (Reader).

F 2/7 Open Session

M 2/10 Read Hua-Yen Buddhism, pp. 1-55. Paper #2 Due

W 2/12 Read Hua-Yen Buddhism, pp. 56-89.

F 2/14 Open Session

M 2/17 Read Hua-Yen Buddhism, pp. 90-122.

W 2/19 "Hua-Yen Readings" (Reader)

F 2/21 Open Session

M 2/24 Read Bodhidharma, pp. ix-xvii, 3-75. Paper #3 Due

W 2/26 Read Bodhidharma, pp. 77-113.

F 2/28 Open Session

M 3/3 Read Diamond Sutra, pp. 3-53.

W 3/5 Read Sutra of Hui-Neng, Ch. 1-3 (pp. 57-93).

F 3/7 Open Session

M 3/10 Read Sutra of Hui-Neng, Ch. 4-6 (pp. 94-108).

W 3/12 Read Sutra of Hui-Neng, Ch. 7-10 (109-156).

F 3/14 Open Session Final Paper: Due 3/19