RT1227: Buddhism: the First Thousand Years

School	Religion
Department Code	SHARE
Module Code	RT1227
External Subject Code	100798
Number of Credits	20
Level	L5
Language of Delivery	English
Module Leader	Professor Max Deeg
Semester	Double Semester
Academic Year	2014/5

Outline Description of Module

This module will introduce students to the early history of Buddhism and will cover (approximately) the first millennium of the religion’s development from the assumed lifetime of the Buddha to full-fledged Mah?y?na Buddhism and the emerging esoteric tradition (Vajray?na or Mantray?na) in the 5th / 6th century AD. It will give an overview of the historical contexts in which certain strands of Buddhism evolved over the centuries and will also focus on the wider spread (mission) of the religion beyond the borders of South Asia (India) into Central Asia and China. The module is intended to give the students a solid foundation and understanding of the Buddhist traditions in their historical development in all strands of cultural life: literature, art, architecture, the life and practices of the monastic community and the laypeople, the most important doctrinal developments. Through the introduction and discussion of primary sources (texts, archaeological and art historical sources) the importance of the different strands of these sources, of their careful interpretation but also of their limitedness and restriction as a means of understanding Buddhist history will become evident. At the same time students will develop a clear understanding of the diversity of Buddhist traditions in their concrete historical settings.

On completion of the module a student should be able to

Have a clear understanding of the elementary doctrines, historical realities and different traditions of Buddhism.
Critically assess problematic “textbook” assumptions about Buddhism and its history.
Understand the development of Buddhism as a religion in a broader historical context.
Develop a critical awareness of the historical foundations of Buddhism in its diversity.
Demonstrate an awareness of the sources and the possibilities and limits of their interpretation.
Develop an ability to critically read, analyze and interpret key sources of Buddhist history (textual, archaeological and art historical).
Independently work on topics of the history of religion.

How the module will be delivered

The module will be delivered in form of lectures supported by visual material (powerpoint), text reading, interpretation and discussion. The main sources, primary and secondary, will be available on Learning Central. Students will be required to liaise with the tutor to choose and develop an essay topic. They will be able to submit formative drafts of their essays to the tutor and will receive feedback

Skills that will be practised and developed

Academic skill:

· Develop a critical awareness of historical development of religions.

· Understand the value of primary sources for the study of religions.

· Engage with primary sources of different kinds.

· Extract sound and solid knowledge from sources (interpretational / hermeneutical skills).

· Critically assess secondary sources.

Subject-specific skills:

· Develop an understanding of the formation of Buddhism as a religion.

· Identify key issues in the study of Buddhist history.

· Understand the different types of Buddhist traditions in their historical origin and development.

· Develop an awareness of the difference between religious doctrinal and prescriptive texts and historical “reality”.

Generic skills:

· Organisation of time and short-term and middle-term tasks (preparation for lectures, writing of an essay).

· Independent research on a topic.

· Critical academic awareness.

· Oral and written skills of discussion and writing.

How the module will be assessed

The module will be assessed by means of:

(a) An essay of 2,000 words on a topic negotiated with the module tutor (worth 50% of the final module mark).

(b) An examination of 1.5 hours (worth 50% of the final module mark).

Assessment Breakdown

Type	%	Title	Duration(hrs)
Exam - Spring Semester	50	Buddhism: The First Thousand Years	2
Written Assessment	50	Buddhism: The First Thousand Years	N/A

Syllabus content

· Early India – the cultural, social, economic and religious context; ?rama?a movements.

· The Buddha – his life, his teaching and the early history of the religion.

· Sources for the study of early Buddhist history: early texts, architecture and art.

· The development of the monastic community (sa?gha), practices of the monastics and the laypeople.

· The first glimpse into history: A?oka, the Mauryans and the spread of Buddhism.

· The followers of the Mauryas: the ?u?gas, the ?akas, the Indo-Greeks and the Indian North-West.

· The consolidation of religion and monastic economy: Buddhism under the Ku??nas.

· The spread of Buddhism: the cases of ?r? La?k? and Central Asia.

· The development of Early Mah?y?na Buddhism: theories and realities.

· Mah?y?na Buddhism and its further development and spread.

· Buddhism in China: the beginnings.

· The development of the Buddhist scriptural “canon”.

· Text genres: what can they teach us?

· Buddhism in East Asia: the first centuries.

· A new development (?): the first traces of Esoteric Buddhism.

· Epilogue: further development, spread and decline in South Asia.

Essential Reading and Resource List

Harvey, Peter. 2013. An Introduction to Buddhism. Teachings, History and Practices (second edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hirakawa, Akira (translated by Paul Groner). 1990. A History of Indian Buddhism. From ??kyamuni to Early Mah?y?na. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.

Skilton, Andrew. 1998. A Concise History of Buddhism (second edition). Birmingham: Windhorse Publications.

Williams, Paul. 2008. Mah?y?na Buddhism. The Doctrinal Founations (second edition). London, New York: Routledge.

Background Reading and Resource List

Ch’en, Kenneth. 1964. Buddhism in China. A Historical Survey. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Gethin, Rupert. 1998. The Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.

Gombrich, Richard. 1988. Therav?da Buddhism. A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo. London, New York: Routledge.

Gombrich, Richard. 1996. How Buddhism Began. The Conditioned Genesis of the Early Teaching. London, New York: Routledge.

Lamotte, Étienne. 1988. History of Indian Buddhism. From the Origins to the ?aka Era. Louvain: Institute Orientaliste.

Lopez, Donald S., Jr. (ed.).1995. Buddhism in Practice. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Lopez, Donald S., Jr. (ed.).1996. Buddhism of China in Practice. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Nakamura, Hajime. 1989. Indian Buddhism. A Survey with Bibliographical Notes. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

Puri, B.N. 1987. Buddhism in Central Asia. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

Williams, Paul; Tribe, Anthony; Wynne, Alexander. 2012. Buddhist Thought. A Complete Guide to the Indian Tradition (second edition). London, New York: Routledge.

Zürcher, Erich. 2006. The Buddhist Conquest of China. The Spread and Adaptation of Buddhism in Early Medieval China. Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers.

More specialised reading assignments will be given on a per class basis and made available on Learning Central.

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