Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam

Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam

MWF 9:35-10:25am Tarbutton Hall, Room 106 Instructor: Daniel McNamara (dpmcnam@emory.edu)

Course Goals
This course will introduce students to the early history and foundational concepts of two major religious traditions, Buddhism and Islam. Because these traditions are being taught in tandem, the course will emphasize the historical and conceptual relationships between them while also investigating the status of both in the eyes of Western scholarship from the nineteenth century to the present. While focusing on the traditions themselves, this course will also expose students to the fundamental vocabulary and methods of religious studies, in preparation for future work in religious studies and the humanities in general.

Appointments and Office Hours

I will be available at Steady Hand coffee shop in Emory Village on Mondays, from 11:30am until 1pm. If you cannot make this time or would otherwise like to schedule a meeting, please speak to me after class or send me an email. Please dont be shy about this, I would be very happy to meet with you!

Grading
Attendance and Participation: 10% Weekly Blog Posts: 20% Mid-term exam: 30% Final exam: 40% The attendance and participation grade is based not only on your coming to class, but preparing for class and being attentive and engaged in discussion or asking questions about the material. If you are sick or otherwise cannot attend class, or think you might be late (because of, e.g., a doctors appointment), please let me know beforehand if at all possible. Beginning in the second week of the course, students will be expected to write a short (approximately 100-150 word) blog post engaging with the current material. Options for blog posts include articulating your own questions about the material, thinking through some ways in which it relates to your own life and experience, or responding to other students writing. These posts will be due each Sunday at 5pm beginning on Sunday, January 27th. The mid-term exam will be distributed in class on Friday, March 1st, and due via email by 5pm on the following Monday. The second exam will be distributed on the last day of class (April
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Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam 26th) and due on Monday May 6th at 5pm. Both exams should be submitted electronically to dpmcnam@emory.edu. The exams should be typed in double-spaced 12-point font, and should follow a standard format (e.g., MLA or Chicago). We will discuss this in more detail as the first exam approaches. If you have any questions or concerns about writing, please feel free to visit my office hours or contact me; you might also consider visiting the Emory Writing Center. The Emory University Honor Code is very clear about plagiarism and other violations, and I expect all students to abide by this.

Required Texts
The following texts are available at the University Bookstore: Schimmel, Annemarie. Islam: An Introduction. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1992. (II) Sells, Michael. Approaching the Quran. Ashland, OR: White Cloud Press, 2007. (AQ) Strong, John. The Experience of Buddhism. Stamford, CT: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2001 (Second Edition). (EB) All other readings will be scanned, and will be available on the course blackboard website at least one week prior to being discussed.

Schedule
*Schedule and readings assignments are subject to change based on the progression of the class* *Reading assignments listed under each class should be read before the class, in preparation. They are not homework for the following class.* Wednesday, January 16 Introduction to the course Discuss syllabus and course goals Friday, January 18 Buddhism and Islam as World Religions Readings: Daniel Pals, Eight Theories of Religion, pp. 3-17 Monday, January 21 No Class (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

Unit I: Introduction to Buddhism

Week 2 Wednesday, January 23 The Context and Content of the Buddhas Life Story Readings: EB, pp. 7-28 Williams, Paul. Buddhist Thought, pp. 1-21 (The Doctrinal Position of the Buddha in Context)
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Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam

Friday, January 25 The Literary Life of the Buddha Readings: vagho a, Buddhacarita pp. 88-123 (Rebuffing the Women) Monday, January 28 The Formation of the Early Sangha Readings: EB, pp. 56-70; 77-85 In-class film clip: Thai monks chanting the Discourse on Loving-Kindness (Metta sutta) Wednesday, January 30 Early Buddhist Theory and Practice: Meditation and the Path Readings: EB, pp. 97-138 F riday, February 1 Early Buddhist Theory and Practice Continued: Relics, Stpas and Devotion Readings: Harvey, Peter. The Symbolism of the Early Stpa. In-class film clips: Saci Stpa Monday, February 4 Stpas, Images and Devotionalism Continued In-class film clip: Bodh Gaya and Borobudur Stpas Wednesday, February 6 The Emperor A oka and the Spread of Buddhism Readings: EB, pp. 91-96; Neelis, Jason. Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks, pp. 78-94. (Legacy of the Mauryans: oka as Dharmarja) Friday, February 8 (no class) Monday, February 11 Buddhism in Afghanistan and Central Asia Readings: Elverskog, Johan. Buddhism and Islam on the Silk Road, pp. 25-43 (Shifting Trade Networks) Wednesday, February 13 The Formation of the Mahyna Readings: Williams, Paul. Buddhist Thought, pp. 71-82 (The Nature and Origins of Mahyna Buddhism); The Dalai Lama, A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night, pp. 8-18 (Introduction and The Benefits of Bodhicitta) Friday, February 15 Mahyna continued Monday, February 18 Buddhist Philosophy 1: Overview
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Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam Readings: John Dunne, Mahyna Philosophical Schools of Buddhism (Encyclopedia of Religion, Second Edition). Wednesday, February 20 Buddhist Philosophy 2: Madhyamaka Readings: EB: 145-162 Translation of the Heart Sutra ( raj ram -

a a-S ra)

Friday, February 22 Buddhist Philosophy 3: Yogcra Readings: EB: 163-171 Translations of Discriminating the Middle from the Extremes (Ma h ntavibhga), Chp. 1 Monday, February 25 Mahyna Philosophy in Practice: Vajrayna (aka Tantra) Readings: Williams, Paul. Buddhist Thought, pp. 143-151; 180-182 (from Mantranaya/Vajrayna: Tantric Buddhism in India). Palmo, Tenzin. Reflections on a Mountain Lake, pp. 224-236 (Vajrayana) Wednesday, February 27 Vajrayna Buddhism continued; review day Friday, March 1 Considering Buddhist Ethics Readings: The Hungry Tigress Jtaka *March 1: First Take-home Exam distributed* *Due via email to dpmcnam@emory.edu by 5pm on Monday March 4th* *No Blog Posts Due this Week* Monday, March 4th Issues in Womens Ordination: Thai and Tibetan Buddhism No reading; in-class film clips on Ven. Dhammananda and Geshe Kelsang Wangmo Wednesday, March 6th The European Discovery (Creation?) of Buddhism Readings: McMahan, David. The Making of Buddhist Modernism, pp. 89-116 (Modernity and the Discourse of Scientific Buddhism). Friday, March 8th Global Buddhism, continued: Buddhism Secularized Readings: Selections from the writings of S.N. Goenka In-class film on the cognitive-scientific study of meditation *March 11-15: Spring Break; No Blog Post Due This Week*

Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam

Part II: Introduction to Islam

Monday, March 18 Pre-Muslim Arabia and the Historical Life of the Prophet Readings: Walid Saleh, The rabian Context of Mu ammads life. Wednesday, March 20 The Prophet as Spiritual Exemplar Readings: II, 51-57; Omid Safi, Memories of Muhammad Chp. 2 (The Muhammadi Revolution) Friday, March 22 The Prophet as Exemplar, continued Readings: Memories of Muhammad (continued) March 25-30 Tibet Week *Extra Credit: Attend an event at Tibet week and write a short response (200-500 words)* Monday, March 25 Introduction to the Quran Readings: AQ 1-40 (Introduction and Glossary of key terms) Wednesday, March 27 The Quran: Selected Suras Readings: Suras from AQ: The Opening, The Star, The Overturning, and The Tearing (pp. 42-55); The Night (86-89); The Embryo, Destiny, l-Qadr and The Testament (pp. 96-107); Sincerity/Unity (pp. 136-7); The Compassionate (145-157). Friday, March 29th Orality and Gender in the Quran Readings: AQ 161-179; 199-220. Monday, April 1 Fundamental Teachings of Islam Readings: Watt, William Montgomery. A Short History of Islam, pp. 48-86 Wednesday, April 3 Early Successors of the Prophet Readings: II, 19-28; Hodgson, Marshall. The Venture of Islam, pp 197-217. Momen, Moojan. An In ro uc on o Sh Islam, pp. 11-22. Friday, April 5 The Rise of the Umayyads and Early Shiism Readings: Hodgson, Marshall. The Venture of Islam, 217-230. Momen, Moojan. An In ro uc on o Sh Islam, pp. 23-39.

Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam April 6th Tibetan Opera performance *Extra Credit* attend performance, write short response (200-500 words) Monday, April 8 The Abbsid, the Barmakids and the Rise of Islamic Intellectual Culture Readings: Beckwith, Christopher. Warriors of the Cloisters, pp. 76-93 (Islamization in Classical rabic Central sia). Wednesday, April 10 The Islamicization of Afghanistan and Central Asia Readings: Elverskog, Johan. Buddhism and Islam on the Silk Road, pp. 43-61 (The Arrival of Islam; sections of Understanding) Friday, April 12 Islamic Legal Traditions Guest Speaker: Stephanie Yep Readings: An-Naim, bdullahi hmed. Why and How to Study Islamic Law. Monday, April 15 Islamic Philosophy: Transcendence and Immanence Readings: II, pp. 73-89; Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Islamic Philosophy from its Origins to the Present, pp. 107-118 ( Framework for the Study of the History of Islamic Philosophy); revisit AQ 136-7 (Sincerity/Unity). Wednesday, April 17 Al-Ghazls Critique of Philosophy Readings: Al-Ghazl, Deliverance from Error (al-Munqidh min al-Dalal), pp. 31-42 and 51-80. Friday, April 19 Mystical Traditions: Shii, Sufi and Illuminationist (Ishrq ) Readings: Ernst, Carl. Following Muhammad, pp. 164-182; selections of Sufi poetry Monday, April 22 Islam as a World Religion Readings: Ernst, Carl. Following Muhammad, pp. 38-69 ( pproaching Islam in Terms of Religion). Wednesday, April 24 Islam as a World Religion II: A brief history of the Taliban Readings: II 127-144; Ahmed Rashid, Taliban, pp. 82-94 (Challenging Islam: The New-Style Fundamentalism of the Taliban) Friday, April 26 Islam as a World Religion III: Muslim Comedians in America Readings: Michael, Jaclyn. merican Muslims Stand Up and Speak Out

Religion 100: Buddhism and Islam *No Blog Post Due for Sunday, April 28* Monday April 29: Last day of class Concluding Discussion: Religion and Culture; Buddhism and Islam *Course Evaluations* **Final Exams Distributed; these are due electronically to dpmcnam@emory.edu by 5pm on Monday, May 6th. Have a Great Summer!**