Subject matter of the course

After a survey of relevant themes in Indian Mahayana Buddhism, we shall read key texts by two classical Chinese Ch'an masters (Huineng and Huangbo), a medieval Japanese Zen master (Dogen), a medieval Korean Son teacher (Chinul), and one modern American Zen master (Robert Aitken).

Readings

Texts: John McRae's translation of The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (Bdk English Tripitaka Translation Series); John Blofeld's The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind; Robert Buswell's Tracing Back the Radiance: Chinul's Korean Way of Zen (Classics in East Asian Buddhism); The Heart of Dogen's Shobogenzo; and Robert Aitken's Original Dwelling Place: Zen Buddhist Essays.

Several other books of interest to this course are available in the Zimmerman library. Students wishing to review the basic teachings of Buddhism are advised to read Harvey [1990] or Gethin [1998]. Williams [1989] provides a good review of the doctrinal development of Mah¯ay¯ana Buddhism. A history of Chinese thought in general is available in Feng [1948]. Dumoulin [1963] provides a concise history of Zen Buddhism in Asia. Hori et al. [2002] has a collection of articles on the teaching of Buddhism in academic settings in the West.

Particular aspects of Ch'an and Zen thought are to be found in works listed in the references section at the end of this syllabus. The books in the that section can also serve as a point of departure in your own investigation of Buddhism in general and Zen Buddhism in particular. The Zimmerman library has a useful collection of works on Chinese, Korean and Japanese Buddhism; please explore the library freely and discover some of the treasures on Buddhism and Asian culture to be found there.

Assignments and evaluation

Undergraduate students (PHIL/RELIG 331)

1. Write a short (1250-1500 words) essay on one of a choice of topics to be announced during the term.
2. Write a critical book review essay that covers at least two books related to the topic of this course (you may include one or more of the required texts). (1500 words)
3. Take the final examination

The weight and due dates of assignments are as follows:

Graduate students (PHIL/RELIG 531)

Each graduate student in this course will be required to do the following:

1. Give a 20 to 25 minute presentation on one of the readings assigned for class discussion, then lead the class discussion of it. The notes for your presentation should be handed in the week it is given. The following week please submit a brief (maximum 1 page) critique of your own performance.
2. Write a book review essay of one of the books listed in the references at the end of this syllabus (or of some other book of your choice on the topic of Zen Buddhism). (1500 words)
3. Write either a research essay or a philosophical paper on a topic of your choice that is related to Zen Buddhism. (20 pages)

Policy about extensions for written assignments

If you find that it is unrealistic to meet the deadline for a particular assignment, please let me know in writing or by e-mail at least two days in advance. In your notification to me, please indicate the date by which you will turn in the assignment. Be realistic in determining this new deadline. This new deadline you give yourself is final; if you do not meet it, I cannot guarantee that I will accept your assignment for evaluation. This policy applies to both undergraduates and graduate students. The one exception is the graduate student's in-class presentation, which must be given on the day the topic is scheduled.

References

[Daoyuan 1971]

Daoyuan, Shi. 1971. Original Teachings of Ch'an Buddhism: Selected from The Transmission of the Lamp. New York: Vintage Books. Translated, with introductions, by Chang Chung-yuan.

[Dumoulin 1963]

Dumoulin, Heinrich. 1963. A History of Zen Buddhism. Boston: Beacon Press. Translated from the German by Paul Peachey.

[Feng 1948]

Feng, Yu-lan. 1948. A Short History of Chinese Philosophy. New York: The Free Press. Edited by Derk Bodde.

[Gethin 1998]

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

[Gimello & Gregory 1983]

Gimello, Robert M., & Gregory, Peter N. (eds). 1983. Studies in Ch'an and Hua-yen. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Based on papers delivered in 1980 at a Conference on East Asian Buddhism held in Los Angeles under sponsorship of Kuroda Institute for the Study of Buddhism and Human Values.

[Gregory 1986]

Gregory, Peter N. (ed). 1986. Traditions of Meditation in Chinese Buddhism. Studies in East Asian Buddhism, vol. 4. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Based on papers presented at a conference sponsored by the Kuroda Institute for the Study of Buddhism and Human Values in 1983.

[Gregory 1987]

Gregory, Peter N. (ed). 1987. Sudden and Gradual: Approaches to Enlightenment in Chinese Thought. Studies in East Asian Buddhism, no.  5. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. An outgrowth of a conference held in Los Angeles, May 1981 and sponsored by Kuroda Institute for the Study of Buddhism and Human Values.

[Harvey 1990]

Harvey, Peter. 1990. An Introduction to Buddhism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[Heine & Wright 2000]

Heine, Steven, & Wright, Dale S. (eds). 2000. The Koan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

[Hori 2000]

Hori, G. Victor Sogen. 2000. Koan and Kensho in the Rinzai Zen Curriculum. Chap. 11, pages 280-315 of: Heine, Steven, & Wright, Dale S. (eds), The K¯oan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

[Hori 2003]

Hori, Victor  Sogen. 2003. Zen Sand : The Book of Capping Phrases for Koan Practice. Nanzan library of Asian religion and culture. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i.

[Hori et al. 2002]

Hori, Victor S¯ogen, Hayes, Richard P., & Shields, James Mark (eds). 2002. Teaching Buddhism in the West: From the Wheel to the Web. London: RoutledgeCurzon.

[Loy 2003]

Loy, David R. 2003. The Great Awakening : A Buddhist Social Theory. Boston: Wisdom.

[McRae 2000]

McRae, John R. 2000. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. BDK English Tripitaka, vol. 73-II. Berkeley, CA: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research.

[Suzuki 1970]

Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro. 1970. Essays in Zen Buddhism, first series. The Complete works of D.T. Suzuki. London: Rider. Previous ed., 1949.

[Suzuki 1971a]

Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro. 1971a. Essays in Zen Buddhism, second series. Complete works of D.T. Suzuki. New York: S. Weiser. Previous ed., 1953.

[Suzuki 1971b]

Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro. 1971b. Essays in Zen Buddhism, third series. Complete works of D.T. Suzuki. New York: Samuel Weiser. Previous ed., 1953.

[Williams 1989]

Williams, Paul. 1989. Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations. The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices. London and New York: Routledge.