RLA10 Buddhism I

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s) (plus 1 credit for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Luboš Bělka, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Pavel Šindelář, Ph.D. (seminar tutor), Mgr. Kryštof Trávníček (deputy)
Mgr. Silvie Kotherová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Tue 13:20–14:55 C33
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course is thematically divided to the three issues - corresponding to the three Buddhist "refuges" (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). First part of the courese (Buddhism I) povides students with basic informations about historical figure of Buddha Sakyamuni as well as basic Buddhist teachings and philosophy. The course aims not only at the history of Buddhist thought, but also at the development of institutions and cultic life.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- describe the most important phenomena and trends of development of Buddhism from its beginnings up to 20th century
- interpret some Buddhist texts (e.g. Dharmachakrapravartanasutra and Mahaparinibbanasutta, etc.)
- understand even other common Buddhist texts dating from the period up to 20th century
- use special terminology of the Study of Religion's study of Buddhism
- distinguish the scientific approach to events and phenomena in the history of Buddhism from the unscientific (confessional, polemical...) approach
Syllabus
  • (0) Introduction.
  • (1) Academic study of Buddhism. Subject, methods and history of Buddhology; Orientalism in Buddhologi; Buddhology in the world; Czech and Slovak Buddhology (institutions).
  • (2) Buddhist and Buddhologist literary sources: An overview of the Czech, Slovak and world literature.
  • (3) Buddha and his time, historical background of the origin of Buddhism. Early Buddhist India, theories about the origin; Historicity of the Buddha Sákyamuni. The Buddha and a buddha (Buddha - notion, Buddhahood).
  • (4) Buddha, his life I (Searching - Prince Siddhártha).
  • (5) Buddha, his life II (Awakening - Sage Gautama).
  • (6) Test I.
  • (7) Early teaching: anatta, dharma, karma, sansára.
  • (8) Buddhist concept of personality, reincarnation (to be reborn), cosmology, gati, skandha, pratítyasamutpáda.
  • (9) Awakening (bódhi), nirvána, meditation.
  • (10) Four noble truths and Eightfold noble path.
  • (11) Early Buddhism, Théraváda and arhat; later Buddhism, bódhisattva.
  • (12) Test II.
Literature
  • LESTER, Robert C. Buddhismus :cesta k osvícení. Vyd. 1. Praha: Prostor, 1997, 202 s. ISBN 80-85190-53-2. info
  • CONZE, Edward. Stručné dějiny buddhismu. Vyd. 1. Brno: Jota, 1997, 239 s. ISBN 8072170023. info
  • LOPEZ, Donald Jr. Příběh buddhismu. Průvodce dějinami buddhismu a jeho učením. Brno: Barrister and Principal, 2003. ISBN 80-86598-54-3. info
  • WERNER, Karel. Náboženství jižní a východní Asie. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 1995, 215 s. ISBN 80-210-1122-X. info
  • MILTNER, Vladimír. Vznik a vývoj buddhismu. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2001, 373 s. ISBN 8070214104. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, home reading, multimedia
Assessment methods
Examination
Two written tests (100 points each, less than 60 points = failed; the minimum of 60 points is a prerequisite for the oral examination).
Oral examination (75 % of the final evaluation).
Colloquium
Two written tests (100 points each, less than 60 points = failed).
Type of completion “Examination” compulsory for the students of the “Study of Religions” study programmes.
See Study materials for detailed information.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Information on completion of the course: Posluchači religionistiky povinně ukončují zkouškou.
The course is taught annually.
General note: Posluchači religionistiky povinně zapisují v 1. semestru studia.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
Teacher's information
http://www.phil.muni.cz/relig/buddhismus.htm
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2010, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2010/RLA10