Department of Philosophy

Phil 360 Buddhist Philosophy

Instructor: Ven. Chanju Mun, Ph.D.
(Ordination Name: Seongwon)
Time: August 25 – December 19, 2008, MWF, 08:30-09:20 am, SAKAM C103
Office Hours: Sakamaki B 312, MF, 10:30-11:30 and by appointment
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: (808) 956-6689 (Office) / (213) 675-0336 (Cell)  
Address: 1303 Rycroft Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

Description:

The goal of this course is to make students understand the outline of Buddhism in Indo-Tibet and East Asia, including China and Japan, and to a lesser extent Korea and Vietnam. In the beginning, the course is to discuss Indian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. In the middle, it is to outline Chinese Buddhism. In the last, it is to discuss Korean and Japanese Buddhism. Through organized class discussion, students will learn to express themselves on topical issues by incorporating new familiarity with our subject. Because of a writing intensive focus class, this class will encourage students to learn the form and practice of writing scholarly papers on Buddhist philosophy acceptable in the modern academic field of philosophy.

Assignments:

Policy on late submissions and rewrites including any penalties for late work such as  Failure to deliver any assignment on time will entail a grade deduction:. Assignments not submitted within one week from the due date are considered failed performances. Re-writes are encouraged. They need to be turned in no later than one week after the instructor returned the original paper.

Policy on style and on e-mail submissions such as All papers need to be paginated. Quotations and sources used are to be referenced. Web sources consulted have to be attached to papers. Book titles and foreign terms are to be italicized. Please, avoid sexist language. For bibliography and footnotes follow instructions in Chicago Manual of Style (see reader). While students may send their papers as an attachment in order to meet the deadline, they are expected to provide the instructor with a hard copy. The instructor will not print out any e-mailed papers.

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to submitting, in fulfillment of an academic requirement, any work that has been copied in whole or in part from another individual's work without attributing that borrowed portion to the individual; neglecting to identify as a quotation another's idea and particular phrasing that was not assimilated into the student's language and style or paraphrasing a passage so that the reader is misled as to the source; submitting the same written or oral or artistic material in more than one course without obtaining authorization from the instructors involved; or "drylabbing," which includes obtaining and using experimental data and laboratory write-ups from other sections of a course or from previous terms. (The University of Hawai’i Student Conduct Code)

Any student who plagiarizes in this course will receive a failing grade and will be referred to the Dean of Students. To keep out of harm’s way in this area cite your sources and when you quote use quotation marks.
Disability Statement
If you feel you need reasonable accommodations because of the impact of a disability, please (i) contact the KOKUA Program, room 013, QLCSS, 956-7511 or 956-7612; (ii) speak with me privately to discuss your specific needs.  I will be happy to work with you and the KOKUA Program to meet your access needs related to your documented disability.

1.Two research papers:  10 pages (1.5 space)
The papers will cover two questions. First, discuss similarities and differences between early Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Second, discuss Sinicized Buddhism from positive and negative aspects. The papers should include citations and demonstrate knowledge of critical thinking techniques. The papers must be researched as carefully as possible. To this end, I will expect you as follows: (1) you should submit the first paper dealing with the first topic by the mid-term examination and the second paper dealing with the second top by the final examination; and (2) each paper should include a bibliography of at least 10 works, primary and academic.
 
2.One book review: 4 pages (1.5 space)
Submit one book review by the mid-term exam.   

One book review should review any text that reflects the subject of this course. The book titles given in the following suggested texts are all acceptable except the recommended texts. My preference is that you read a primary work, but secondary accounts are acceptable with my permission.

A book review is a critique that weighs the good and bad points of the author’s arguments in a clear and dispassionate manner. It is not intended to defend or to attack the thesis based upon the reviewer’s own prejudices. The reviewer has the obligation to inspect and ascertain the thesis and argument(s) of the author in the light of the effectiveness of logical development and the evidence presented to support the thesis. In other words, does the author present a tightly reasoned argument? Does he present sufficient and suitable evidence? The response to these questions must be made in a dispassionate and informed manner as possible as you can. No matter what the reviewer’s own views are, judgment must be suspended, or at the very least, prejudgment no the part of the reviewer cannot be allowed to surface. What is the value of a reviewer that passes judgment on a book solely on the agreement or disagreement of the reviewer’s already established opinions? Allow the book to be judged on its own merits or demerits. In order to accomplish this, first cite the author’s thesis. Usually, it will appear in the preface or introductory section. Following this, give the details of the book. What are the contents of the book? What are the arguments and evidence marshaled to support the thesis? It is wise, to briefly describe – perhaps chapter by chapter if possible – the contents in as clear a manner as possible. Do not hesitate to quote or paraphrase the contents where required, but be sure to footnote all citations.

Once the description is complete, criticize the thesis and arguments. If the subject is unfamiliar to you, the critique must be based primarily on logical consistency. If you are knowledgeable in the area, you should supplement this with a comparative analysis with previously published monographs. The end result, however, is to give your analysis and conclusions of the book, conducted in a fair and reasoned manner and based upon the contents of the book.

The contents of the book review must have the following elements: (1) Present full bibliographical information, including the author’s full name, title and sub-title, place and date of publication, publisher, number of pages, and where applicable, full information on the series to which the book belongs. (2) Be sure to cite all quotes and paraphrases. (3) Include a good introductory sentence and a good concluding sentence.

3.One paper on ten major Buddhist philosophers (10 paragraphs)
Submit the paper by the final exam.

The paper is to summarize and introduce each major and famous Buddhist philosopher in each paragraph. It does not require full bibliographical information and full citations.  

4.Short writing assignments  
     
Recommended Texts:

1.Ch’en, Kenneth. Buddhism in China – A Historical Survey. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1964.
2.De Bary, Wm. Theodore. The Buddhist Tradition in India, China, and Japan. New York: Vintage Books, 1972.
3.Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004.
4.Williams, Paul & Anthony J. Tribe. Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition. London: Routledge, 2000.

Supplementary Texts:

1.Buswell, Robert E., Jr. ed. Chinese Buddhist Apocrypha. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 1990.
2.________. The Formation of Ch’an Ideology in China and Korea: The Vajrasamadhi-Sutra, A Buddhist Apocryphon. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1989.
3.________. Currents and Countercurrents: Korean Influences on the East Asian Buddhist Traditions. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 2005.
4.Chang, Garma C. C. The Buddhist Teaching of Totality: The Philosophy of Hwa Yen Buddhism. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1971.
5.Ch’en, Kenneth K. S. The Chinese Transformation of Buddhism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1973.
6.Chun, Shin-yong, ed. Buddhist Culture in Korea. Seoul, S. Korea: International Cultural Foundation, 1974.
7.Conze, Edward, I. B. Horner, et al, eds. Buddhist Texts through the Ages. New York: Harper and Row, 1964.   
8.Cook, Francis H. Hua-yen Buddhism: The Jewel Net of Indra. University Park & London: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1977.
9.Galtung, Johan. Buddhism: A Quest for Unity and Peace. Honolulu: Dae Won Sa Buddhist Temple of Hawaii, 1988.
10.Gregory, Peter N. Tsung-mi and the Sinification of Buddhism. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991.
11.Hanayama, Shinsho. A History of Japanese Buddhism. Tokyo, Japan: The CIIB, 1960.
12.Harvey, Peter. An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
13.Hubbard, Jamie & Paul L. Swanson, eds. Pruning the Bodhi Tree: The Storm over Critical Buddhism. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 1997.
14.Kalupahana, David. A History of Buddhist Philosophy: Continuities and Discontinuities. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1992.
15._________. The Way of Siddhartha: A Life of the Buddha. Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala, 1982.  
16._________. Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1976.
17._________. Causality: The Central Philosophy of Buddhism. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1975.
18._________, trans. Nāgārjuna: The Philosophy of the Middle Way. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1986.  
19.Kiyota, Minoru, ed. Japanese Buddhism: Its Tradition, New Religions and Interaction with Christianity. Tokyo, Japan: Buddhist Books International, 1987.
20.The Korean Buddhist Research Institute, ed. The History and Culture of Buddhism in Korea. Seoul, South Korea: Dongguk University Press, 1993.
21.Ling, Trevor. Buddha, Marx and God: Some Aspects of Religion in the Modern World. 2nd edition. NY: St. Martin Press, 1979.
22.Mun, Chanju. The History of Doctrinal Classification in Chinese Buddhism: A Study of the Panjiao Systems. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2006.
23._________, ed. Buddhism and Peace: Theory and Practice. Honolulu: Blue Pine, 2006.
24._________ and Ronald S Green, eds. Buddhist Exploration of Peace and Justice. Honolulu: Blue Pine, 2006.
25._________, ed. The Flower is One World: Buddhist Leadership for Peace. Honolulu: Blue Pine, 2006.
26.________, ed. Mediators and Meditators: Buddhism and Peacemaking. Honolulu: Blue Pine, 2007.
27.Powers, John. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 1995.
28.Sharf, Robert H. Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism: A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2002.
29.Schlagintweit, Emil. Buddhism in Tibet. Delhi: Book Faith India, 1999.
30.Shim, Jae-ryong. Korean Buddhism: Tradition and Transformation. Seoul, S. Korea: Jimmoondang International, 1999.
31.Tamura, Yoshiro. Japanese Buddhism: A Cultural History. Tokyo, Japan: Kosei Publishing Co, 2000.
32.Victoria, Brian. Zen at War. NY & Tokyo: Weatherhill, 1997.
33._________. Zen War Stories. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003.
34.Waddell, L. Austine. Tibetan Buddhism: With its Mystic Cults, Symbolism and Mythology. 1895. NY: Dover Publications, 1972.
35.Watanabe, Shoko. Japanese Buddhism: A Critical Appraisal. Tokyo, Japan: Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai, 1964.
36.Williams, Paul. Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations. London and New York: Routledge, 1989.
37.Wright, Arthur F. Buddhism in Chinese History. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 1959.
38. Zurcher, E. The Buddhist Conquest of China: The Spread and Adaptation of Buddhism in Early Medieval China. Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1959.

Grading Criteria:

1.Class Attendance: 15 %
2.Class Participation: 15 %
3.Oral Presentation: 15 %
4.Two Research Papers: 20 %
5.One Book Review: 10 %
6.One Paper: 10 %
7.Other Writing Assignments: 15 %

Grading Policy:

A  Outstanding       4.0 (90-100 %)
B  Good                 3.0 (80-89 %)
C  Acceptable        2.0 (70-79%)
D  Poor                  1.0 (60-69 %)
F   Failing              0.0 (Below 60 %)

Class Schedule

1.August 25 (Mon). Pre-test
2.August 27 (Wed). Introduction
3.August 29 (Fri). General Background (History)
4.September 1 (Mon). Holiday: Labor Day.
5.September 3 (Wed). General Background (Geography)
6.September 5 (Fri). General Background (Language)
7.September 8 (Mon). General Background (Philosophy)
8.September 10 (Wed). General Background (Religion)
9.September 12 (Fri). Basic Thought 1
10.September 15 (Mon). Basic Thought 2
11.September 17 (Wed). Basic Thought 3
12.September 19 (Fri). Basic Thought 4
13.September 22 (Mon). Origins of Mahayana Buddhism
14.September 24 (Wed). Abhidharma Buddhism 1
15.September 26 (Fri). Abhidharma Buddhism 2
16.September 29 (Mon). Abhidharma Buddhism 3
17.October 1 (Wed). The Concept of Buddha 1
18.October 3 (Fri). The Concept of Buddha 2
19.October 6 (Mon). The Concept of Buddha 3
20.October 8 (Wed). Tantric Buddhism 1
21.October 10 (Fri). Tantric Buddhism 2
22.October 13 (Mon). Tantric Buddhism 3
23.October 15 (Wed).Tantric Buddhism 4
24.October 17 (Fri). Intro to East Asian Buddhism
25.October 20 (Mon). Early Chinese Buddhism 1
26.October 22 (Wed). Early Chinese Buddhism 2
27.October 24 (Fri). Buddhism in Sui Dynasty
28.October 27 (Mon). Buddhism in Tang 1
29.October 29 (Wed). Buddhism in Tang 2
30.October 31 (Fri). Buddhism in Tang 3
31.November 3 (Mon). Buddhism in Tang 4
32.November 5 (Wed). Post-Tang Buddhism
33.November 7 (Fri). Korean Buddhism 1
34.November 10 (Mon). Korean Buddhism 2
35.November 12 (Wed). Korean Buddhism 3
36.November 14 (Fri). Korean Buddhism 4
37.November 17 (Mon). Korean Buddhism 5
38.November 19 (Wed). Korean Buddhism 6
39.November 21 (Fri). Korean Buddhism 7
40.November 24 (Mon). Korean Buddhism 8
41.November 26 (Wed). Korean Buddhism 9
42.November 28 (Fri). Instructional Holiday.
43.December 1 (Mon). Japanese Buddhism 1
44.December 3 (Wed). Japanese Buddhism 2
45.December 5 (Fri). Japanese Buddhism 3
46.December 8 (Mon). Japanese Buddhism 4
47.December 10 (Wed). Japanese Buddhism 5
48.December 12 (Fri). Conclusions and Post-Test
49.December 15 - 19. Final Exams

Students are invited to speak with me privately and to contact the KOKUA Program at 956-7511 (voice/text), QLC 013.  KOKUA is responsible for facilitating accommodations for students with documented disabilities.