| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15046:IR18‐AE108 Introduction to Humanities (RB) § 15047:IR-AS111 Introduction to Geography (RB) § 15048:Introduction to Humanities (RB) § 15049:RUIR-1803 Introduction to Humanities(RB) | 2022 | Fall | Tue2 | College Of Law,College Of Economics,College Of Business Administration,College Of Social Sciences,College Of International Relations,College Of Policy Science,College Of Letters,College of Image Arts and Sciences,College of Comprehensive Psychology,College of Science and Engineering,College of Information Science and Engineering,College of Sport and Health Science (tentative name) | KAWAMOTO KANAE | 2 |
Campus
Class Venue
Language
Course Outline and Method
Yet religion has always been a facet of human cultures and moralities. It is deeply embedded in and intertwined with people's perception of life as well as the world. Studying Buddhism and its responses to cultural and ethical issues will be a great help to better understand Buddhists' worldviews.
This course offers an introduction to Buddhism, focusing on selected topics related to cultural or ethical practices in the contemporary world. It begins with the study the Buddha's life and early Buddhist teachings in its foundational years. The diverse perspectives offered in the readings will provide a framework for thinking about Buddhist ethics of contemporary issues, both practical and theoretical. Some weeks provide students with practices for role-play lay Buddhists or Buddhist professionals at different occasions when they give counsel to others from a Buddhist viewpoint. The course also analyzes how the foundational ideas of Buddhism referred to worldly issues in the old texts and are interpreted in the more contemporary ones over time and place: mental healthcare, suicide/euthanasia, abortion, gender/LGBTQ, animals, mindfulness-based meditation, cult groups and so on.
Students are required to work on their respective research topic for an individual presentation during the course, and then to submit a final essay based on the presentation by the end of the course. Presentations are generally per person about 10 minutes in length though these may change to be in groups or shorten ones according to the number of students registering.
Student Attainment Objectives
1. A basic-level knowledge of the key themes, ideas and practices of Buddhism
2. A basic competence in reading primary texts of both Buddhist cultures and ethics as well as interpreting them for themselves.
3. A basic appreciation of the interactions between traditional teachings and personal faith.
Recommended Preparatory Course
In order to register for this course, students are required to have a minimum TOEFL-ITP score of 530, TOEFL-iBT score of 70 or equivalent.
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| 1 | Introduction to the class (No preparation required) |
Syllabi distributed and course overview, self-introduction and ice-breaking.
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| 2 | Approaches to the Study of Buddhism; The Life of the Buddha |
Reading: The Buddhist Religions, 7-17. An Introduction to Buddhism, 14-27.
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| 3 | Buddhist Morality |
Reading: Buddhist Ethics, 4-20. |
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| 4 | Animals and the Natural World |
Reading: Buddhist Ethics, 39-52; An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics, 150-170; Bob Isaacson, "Friends, Not Food," Lion's Roar. 2019. https://www.lionsroar.com/friends-not-food/ |
|
| 5 | Suicide and Euthanasia |
Reading: Buddhist Ethics, 100-115; An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics, 286-292.
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| 6 | Abortion and Contraception |
Reading: "Abortion in Japan," Buddhism and Abortion. 67-93.
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| 7 | Sexuality and Gender |
Reading: Ajahn Brahm. "Theravada Buddhism and MDG 3: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in Theravada Buddhism," Buddhist Society of Western Australia; Buddhist Ethics, 53-68.
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| 8 | Buddhist Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy |
Reading: John Harvey Negru. Buddhist Spiritual Care. Buddhistdoor Global.
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| 9 | Meditation |
Guest speaker:
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| 10 | War and Peace |
Reading: Buddhist Ethics, 69-83; Min Zin. "Engaging Buddhism for Social Change," The Irrawaddy. https://www2.irrawaddy.com/article.php?art_id=2854&page=1 |
|
| 11-15 | Research presentation, Q&A, discussion |
|
Class Format
- More than half the total number of classes are to be conducted face-to-face. The remaining classes are to be conducted web-based.
- The format of the web-based classes [live-streaming or on-demand] will be announced on the manaba+R course page.
- Contact information of the course instructor will be provided on the manaba+R course page before the first class.
- Face-to-face classes may be continued even if the BCP Level is changed to 3 or higher during the semester.
- When a student is unable to attend face-to-face classes due to any of the following conditions, web-based classes will be provided. Students who fall under this category should notify their instructor by the first class.
[Criteria for web-based classes]
<1> Students who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill if infected, such as those with underlying conditions or chronic illness (*).
<2> Students living with a family member who is at high risk of becoming seriously ill if infected, such as those with underlying conditions or chronic illness (*).
<3> Students who are unable to enter Japan due to international travel restrictions.
(*) If the student has an underlying condition defined by the government, such as respiratory
disease, diabetes, heart failure, etc.
[BCP Level 3 or 4]
- In principle, all classes are to be conducted web-based; however, face-to-face classes may be offered, please carefully check your manaba+R course page.
※For more information on Ritsumeikan University's BCP Level, please refer to the following URL, Point No.1 “Measures to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).”
http://en.ritsumei.ac.jp/news/detail/?id=475
Recommendations for Private Study
Assigned and suggested readings will be posted in manaba during the course.
Grade Evaluation Method
| Kind | Percentage | Grading Criteria etc. |
|---|---|---|
| Final Examination (Written) | ||
| Report Examination (A report to be submitted by the unified deadline) |
||
| Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment (Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class) |
100 | •Participation (active discussions, Q&A, and role-play) 15%
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
Because informed participation is essential to the success of a discussion-oriented course such as this one, students will be required to participate regularly in in-class discussions.
•Reading Responses= 15%
Each week students are expected to have read assigned the readings prior to the class meeting in which they are to be discussed. In each class three students who are assigned part of the readings must give a sample speech and raise two discussion questions for class.
•Presentation 30%
•Final Paper (about 2000 words) 40%
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
Textbooks
Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）
Reference Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN Code | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Robinson and Willard Johnson. The Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction (4th ed) | Richard Robinson and Willard Johnson | Wadsworth | Wadsworth | |
| Consequences of Compassion An Interpretation and Defense of Buddhist Ethics | Charles Goodman | Oxford University Press | 9780195375190 | |
| Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction | Damien Keown | Oxford University Press | 0–19–280457–X | |
| An Introduction to Buddhism (2nd ed.) | Peter Harvey | Cambridge University Press | 978-0-521-67674-8 | |
| An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics | Peter Harvey | Cambridge University Press | 9780511800801 |
Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）
Web Pages for Reference
How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)
Other Comments
URL:http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html