Undergraduate Course: Buddhist Monasticism Across Time and Place (DIVI10116)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course covers the journey of Buddhist monasticism from ancient India to modern Europe and America through a range of texts, including canonical literature and poems and autobiographies of monks and nuns. |
| Course description |
Academic Description
Monasticism is considered crucial for the survival of Buddhism. This course aims to explore the origin, evolution, and function of Buddhist monasticism. Throughout the course, we will collectively reflect over some significant questions such as: - How monasticism is defined in different Buddhist traditions. Why people willingly choose monastic life that involves significant changes in clothing, eating habits, daily routine, etc. while strictly following vows, rules and precepts. How Buddhist monasticism has transformed over the long span of Buddhist history, and what circumstances led to these changes. How the Buddhist monastic institution interacts or negotiates its relationship with political powers and other historical and social processes. How the institution of Buddhist nuns or female monastics continue in China while disappearing in other parts of Asia. What we can learn from the regiment of monastic life and the literary and artistic creations of Buddhist monks and nuns about how to live our life.
We will be discussing how a disciplined life and living in a community can enable ethical transformations. Although some of the earliest Buddhist texts advocated strict celibacy, most of the Buddhist communities in subsequent centuries adopted a form of monasticism and priesthood that allowed for families. We will explore the social changes, ethical and philosophical ideas that led to the acceptance of families in Buddhist monasticism. Additionally, we will examine how monasticism, with or without celibacy, influences the ethical development of individuals who choose one or the other form of life
Outline Content
The course will begin with an exploration of the concept of 'monasticism' within the sphere of religion and religious studies. During the initial week, we will also delve into the theoretical and methodological approaches that are employed in studying, interpreting, and explaining monasticism more broadly. Subsequently, from the second week onwards, our attention will be directed towards the evolution of the Buddhist monastic establishment, commencing with its nascent formation and dissemination across various Asian countries. Each week will be devoted to investigating specific themes or geographic locations in further detail.
Student Learning Experience
Each class will consist of a lecture followed by discussion. During lecture the instructor will provide an overview of the historical context and technical concepts highlighted in the readings. The rest of the class will be devoted to in-depth discussions among students, where they can share their personal insights and perspectives on the readings. Active participation in classroom discussions is essential for maximizing the learning experience.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
173 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Classroom presentation: 10%
- Each student is required to give a presentation lasting approximately 10 minutes, to initiate discussions within the seminar. Should there be an excessive number of students, they will be organized into smaller groups for their presentations. [LO 3, 4]
Mid-term essay: 30%
- Every student must turn in a review essay comprising 1000 words summarizing the key arguments of one or two selected texts. [LO 3, 1]
Final essay: 60%
- Each student will submit a reflective essay of 2000 words, with a deeper reflection on a theme, text, historical period, or community of Buddhist monasticism. [LO 2, 5] |
| Feedback |
Students will receive feedback on the presentations. Formative feedback will be given on their mid-term essays and while they prepare their final essays. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify the norms, precepts, and rules that differentiate Buddhist monastic life from other lifestyles.
- Analyse how Buddhist monasticism interacts with various social, historical, and political forces.
- Develop skills and abilities to comprehend and critically evaluate the literary works produced by Buddhist monks and nuns
- Speak about aspects of Buddhist monasticism in front of an audience
- Present a well-structured, properly presented, and well-supported argument in the form of an essay.
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Reading List
Clarke, Shayne. 2013. Family Matters in Indian Buddhist Monasticisms. University of Hawaii Press.
Davis, Stephen J. 2018. Monasticism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions). 1st ed. Very Short Introductions. Oxford University Press.
Hallisey, Charles, (tr.). 2021. Poems of the First Buddhist Women: A Translation of the Therigatha. Murty Classical Library of India. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
Jansen, Berthe. 2018. The Monastery Rules: Buddhist Monastic Organization in Pre-Modern Tibet. Univ of California Press.
Kieschnick, John. 1997. The Eminent Monk: Buddhist Ideals in Medieval Chinese Hagiography. University of Hawaii Press.
LeVine, Sarah, and David N. Gellner. 2005. Rebuilding Buddhism: The Theravada Movement in Twentieth-Century Nepal. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Norman, K. R. (tr.) 1969. The Elders¿ Verses: Therag¿th¿. Translation Series (London, England). London: Published for the Pali Text Society by Luzac & Co.
Pao-ch¿ang, Shih. 1994. Lives of the Nuns: Biographies of Chinese Buddhist Nuns from the Fourth to Sixth Centuries. Translated by Kathryn Tsai. University of Hawaii Press.
Wijayaratna, Mohan. 1990. Buddhist Monastic Life: According to the Texts of the Theravada Tradition. Cambridge University Press.
Buswell, Robert E. 2020. The Zen Monastic Experience: Buddhist Practice in Contemporary Korea. Princeton University Press.
Heruka, Tsangnyön. 2017. The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa: A New Translation. Translated by Christopher Stagg. Translation edition. Shambhala.
Sojun, Ikkyu, Sarah Messer, and Kidder Smith. 2015. Having Once Paused: Poems of Zen Master Ikkyu. Reprint edition. University of Michigan Press.
VanDeWetering, Janwillem. 2014. The Empty Mirror: Experiences in a Japanese Zen Monastery. First edition. St. Martin¿s Griffin.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Curiosity for learning and openness to different perspectives
- Willingness to engage across disciplinary boundaries and to approach sources in new ways
- Finely-tuned skills of critical analysis
- Ability to construct an argument concisely
- Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing |
| Keywords | Buddhism,monasticism,ethical formation,vinaya |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Upali Sraman
Tel:
Email: usraman@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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