Religious Studies Department Naropa University

REL611 FIRST TURNING OF THE WHEEL: THE FOUNDATIONAL TEXTS OF BUDDHISM

3 credit hours Fall Semester 2014

Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown, 303-546-3502 (o), jsb@naropa.edu My office is on the second floor of the Ginsberg Library, in the

Religious Studies Faculty Suite. My office hours this semester are: T 3:00-5:00; W 2:00-4:00; Friday mornings by appointment

G.A., JR Gilness, jgilness@students.naropa.edu

Class Meetings: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10:30-11:50 Lincoln 4140

Course Orientation: This is a seminar focusing on the reading of primary texts of the Nikāya tradition, presupposing reading preparation for each class. Readings are drawn from the sūtras and commentaries of the Pāli and Sanskrit traditions, as well as from the 19th century in Tibet, in translation. Because of the demanding quality of these texts, the format of the class will combine lecture, class discussion, and a number of short papers in addition to the exams and longer paper that are described below. In addition, in class there will be experiential explorations of the subject in the form of guided meditations and contemplations. This course applies the principles of contemplative education in the following ways: 1) it models an approach that delves into an body of literature from the ancient Buddhist tradition and looks beyond merely the literal meaning

Methods of Instruction: This course is a text seminar with 50 per cent time spent in text study and lecture, 15 per cent on guided contemplations, and 35 per cent on student discussion. Course Description: When the Buddha turned the wheel of dharma the first time, he laid the foundations for a rich sacred literature that shaped Buddhism around the world. The Sūtras express the refreshing directness and pragmatism of the Buddhist teachings, while the Vinaya lays the ground for the monastic community and ethos. The Abhidharma represents a pedagogy that deepens the communityís experience of the nature, structure and operation of the mind and emotions. This course introduces this literature, with special emphasis on the sūtra and vinaya, the life of the Buddha, and the Indian milieu in which he lived and taught.

into the definitive meaning, using contemporary commentaries and guided practice; 2) it asks of the students that they follow the explorations of the early sangha in moving from hearing to contemplating and then meditating, investigating the personal meaning and application of the earliest phase of the Buddhist teachings that challenge conventional concepts about the world. Expectations of students: 1. The material is highly structured and graduated: for this reason it is essential that students do not miss class, and do not fall behind in reading, as the material covered in this class is detailed and is presented in stages. 2. Please arrive at class on time. Tardiness is defined as more than fifteen minutes late for class, and three tardinesses constitute an unexcused absence. And please, class time is not mealtimeóno food in the classroom. Please have lunch or dinner before you come. And please, no internet surfing or text-messaging during class!! 3. Please plan to see the instructor during office hours during the semester to discuss how things are going in the course, and to choose a paper topic. This personal contact is important for both of us. The instructorís office hour sign-up sheets are in the hall of the Religious Studies department, on the second floor of the Allen Ginsberg Library; if the times do not fit your schedule, please contact her (x3502) for another time. 4. Work is to be handed in on time--late work will be downgraded each day, one-third grade for each day late. Assignments are due in classónot after classóso plan your printer time accordingly. If there is a valid reason for late work, please discuss this with the instructor well in advance of the deadline. 5. All students are requested to visit the Writing Center during the semester for a ìmaintenance checkî on writing skills. These services are free for all degree-seeking students, and every writer, no matter how polished, can benefit from support from the Writing Center staff. M.A. students are expected to produce publishable-quality papers, and it is good to begin the first semester with this level of writing. 6. Academic dishonesty and plagiarism are not tolerated. For the Universityís academic dishonesty policy, see the Academic Affairs section on http://eropa.naropa.edu. Course objectives: 1. Cultivate a basic understanding of vocabularies and hermeneutics of Buddhism through a survey of topics common to many Buddhist schools, contextualized in early Indian Buddhism. This provides a theological basis for all studies of Buddhism important for Buddhist practice, as well as academic, activist, and chaplaincy pursuits.

2. Introduce the foundational teachings of Indian Buddhism both pedagogically and doctrinally, with a link between the scholastic and experiential dimensions. This includes a survey of textual sources, available translations especially from the Theravāda and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. 3. Develop research skills in Buddhist studies with methods appropriate to contemplative education, especially in the development of a paper that integrates library and textual research with a related area of personal development. 4. Encourage the development of personal inquiry concerning Buddhist topics through class discussions, exam and paper preparation, and experiential meditations. Required Texts: (at Boulder Bookstore) John Strong, The Buddha, A Short Biography (Oxford: Oneworld, 2001), 978-1851686261. John Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2006), 978-0872-207-929. Lobsang Gyatso, The Four Noble Truths (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1994), 1-55939-027-1. Ajahn Sucitto, Turning the Wheel of Truth (Boston & London: Shambhala 2010), 978-1-59030-764-9. Rupert Gethin, The Foundations of Buddhism, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), 0-19-289223-1. You can now access your online sourcebook directly through the ELearning platform of your class. Periodic downloadable readings are located in the Online Sourcebook Tab and links to internet sources are located in the Web Resources tab. It is the expectation that students will check both tabs weekly to access assigned readings. Recommended Books: (Additional recommended listed for each class meeting) Nyanaponika Thera, Abhidhamma Studies (new edition) Reggie Ray, Buddhist Saints in India Daniel Goleman and the Dalai Lama, Destructive Emotions Geshe Rabten, Mind and its Functions Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddhaís Teaching Course grading: 1. Attendance, preparation, and participation in class (15 per cent). Assignments listed under each class date.

2. Short writing assignments, two assigned during the course. (15 per cent each) 3. Midterm (15 per cent) and Final exam (15 per cent) performance,

4. Term paper (12-15 pages) written on topic approved by instructor, due after Thanksgiving (25 per cent). Attendance Policy: No more than two unexcused absences (in advance) permitted, due to the graduated nature of the material--otherwise, grade for this portion will be lowered one mark (B+ to B) per missed day. Three tardinesses of more than 15 minutes will be counted as an unexcused absence. Course Outline: August 26 Introduction to the First Turning Concept and Experience: Buddhist attitude of mind Studying Buddhismóetic and emic perspectives Buddhist modernism and the First Turning Reading: David McMahan, ìBuddhism and Multiple Modernities,î Buddhism Beyond Borders, edited by Scott Mitchell and Natalie E. F. Quli (Albany: SUNY Press, 2014), Chapter XII. August 28 Geographic context Historical context, spirituality in 6th B.C.E. India Reading: Gethin, Foundations of Buddhism, chapter I; September 2 Life of the Buddha I Previous Lives and Birth Sources of the accounts Hand out reflection questions for paper due September 11. Readings: Frank E. Reynolds and Charles Hallisey, ìThe Buddha,î Buddhism and Asian History (New York: Macmillan, 1989), 29-50; John Strong, The Buddha: A Short Biography, Introduction and Chapter I. Recommended: Reggie Ray, ìBuddha Śākyamuni as a Saint,î Buddhist Saints in India (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), 44-78; Toni Huber, The Holy Land Reborn: Pilgrimage and the Tibetan Reinvention of Buddhist India (Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 2008); Molly Emma Aitken, ed., Meeting the Buddha: On Pilgrimage in Buddhist India (New York: Riverhead, 1995). September 4 & 9 Life of the Buddha II Childhood, youth, and training Search for enlightenment Readings: John Holder, ìDiscourse on the Noble Quest,î Early Buddhist Discourses, pp. 1-18;

John Strong, The Buddha: A Short Biography, Chapters II-III. Donald Swearer, ìBimbāís Lament,î in Donald Lopez, ed., Buddhism in Practice, 541-552; John Strong, ìThe Great Departure and Enlightenment,î Translated from The Gilgit Manuscript of the Saṃghabhedavastu,î in Strong, The Experience of Buddhism: Sources and Interpretations, Second Edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2001), 9-18. September 11 Life of the Buddha III The Buddhaís Enlightenment What traditions sayÖ. Papers on ìWhat Traditions Sayî are due today Class discussion on papers Readings: Students choose readings, based on their short papers; no new readings this day. Recommended: Reginald Ray, Buddhist Saints in India, chapter II. September 16 The Buddha as Teacher

The first teaching The three baskets of the Tṛpiṭaka Readings: John Strong, Life of the Buddha, Chapters IV & V; Rupert Gethin, Foundations of Buddhism, chapter II; Recommended: Ralph Flores, Buddhist Scriptures as Literature, Chapters 3-5. September 18 The First Basket: Sūtra- piṭaka Dharma-cakra-pravartanā-sūtra, turning the wheel Criteria of interpretation Reading: Kalama-sutta, in Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 19-25;

Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, vii-xxii; Sucitto, Turning the Wheel of Truth, 1-31

Simmer-Brown, ìBuddha Turns the Wheel of Dharma,î excerpt from Bodhi Magazine, Fall 2002. Recommended: Mizuno, Buddhist Sūtras; George Bond, The Word of the Buddha; Cabezon and Jackson, Tibetan Literature. September 23 Dharma-cakra-pravartanā-sūtra, cont. September 25 First Noble Truth Dalai Lama, Four Noble Truths video

(Judith at University of Alabama September 25) Reading: Sucitto, Turning the Wheel, 33-47, 99-107;

Gethin, FB, 59-68; Gyatso, The Four Noble Truths, 13-23. Recommended: Thanissaro Bhikku, The Mind Like Fire Unbound; Rahula, What the Buddha Taught; Ways of Enlightenment, Sections XIV. September 30 Dharma-cakra-pravartana-sūtra, cont.

Second Noble Truth (Judith at Colorado State University)

Reading: Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 26-41, 73-94 ; Sucitto, Turning the Wheel, 49-76, 109-121;

Gethin, FB, 68-73, and Chapter VI; Simmer-Brown, ìPratityasamutpada: Seeing the Dependent Origination of Suffering as the Key to Liberation,î Naropa Journal of Contemplative Psychotherapy; Gyatso, The Four Noble Truths, Chapters III and IV. October 2 Third Noble Truth What is cessation? The Buddhaís Parinirvāna Readings: Strong, The Buddha, pp. 125-148; Sucitto, Turning the Wheel, 77-86, 123-136; Gethin, FB, 74-79;

Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 101-116 ; Gyatso, The Four Noble Truths, Chapter V.

Recommended: Guy Welbon, The Buddhist Nirvana and Its Western Interpreters; Surya Das, Awakening the Buddha Within; Sangharakshita, The Buddhaís Noble Eightfold Path. October 7 & 9 This week is Practice Week for our department, and we will have a short intensive sitting retreat as a department. We will also take part in the Universityís Practice Day. These events count as class attendanceóthey are required. October 14 Fourth Noble Truth Revisiting enlightenment How about everybody? Readings: Sucitto, Turning the Wheel, 87-98, 137-149;

Gethin, FB, 79-84; Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 150-163 ; Gyatso, The Four Noble Truths, Chapter V. October 16 In ClassóMidterm Exam Please take part in Radical Compassion SymposiumÖ.(Limited workstudy student seats available) October 21 Ending unnecessary suffering through meditation Śamatha and Vipaśyanā Final Paper group meetings this week, topics due Oct. 23

Reading: Shinzen Young, ìBuddhist Meditationî in Robinson and Johnson, The Buddhist Religion, Third Edition.

Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 42-58; Gethin, FB, chapter VII. Recommended: Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English; Winston King, Theravada Meditation; Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Turning the Mind into an Ally. October 23 The Third Basket: Abhidharma- piṭaka Abhidharma lineages Reading: Gethin, Chapter VIII; George Dreyfus, ìThe General Structure of the Tibetan Curriculum,î and ìTwo Curricular Models,î in The Sound of Two Hands Clapping, 98-148. Donald Swearer, ìA Summary of the Seven Books of the Abhidhamma,î in Donald Lopez, ed., Buddhism in Practice, 336-342; Recommended: Stcherbatsky, The Central Conception of Buddhism Guenther, Philosophy and Psychology of the Abhidharma; Hirakawa, History of Indian Buddhism, Part II; October 28 Skandhasófoundation of Buddhist psychology October 30 Introduction to insight meditationsóāyatanas November 4 Reading: Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 128-149; Lama Norlha, ìThe Five Skandhas,î in Kalu, The Dharma, 139-183;

Recommended: Trungpa, Glimpses of Abhidharma; Sircar, Psycho-Ethical Aspects of the Abhidharma, 39-56; Stcherbatsky, Central Conception, 1-20; Varela, Thompson, and Rosch, The Embodied Mind: Ways of Enlightenment, Section VIII-X. November 6 What is mind? Meditation and the mind The Role of Intellect

Final paper outlines due November 6 Reading: Holder, Early Buddhist Discourses, 95-100, 117-122; Kalu, Luminous Mind, The Way of the Buddha, 13-44. Recommended: Guenther and Kawamura, Mind in Buddhist Psychology; Guenther, Philosophy and Psychology of the Abhidharma. November 11 Emotions in the First Turning November 13 Kuśala and kleśaóand Karma November 18 Emotional intelligence, Buddhist style Insight into karma

Reflection questions for Sūtra and Abhidharma paper handed out November 11

Reading: Rabten, Mind and Its Functions, 64-73; Sucitto, Turning the Wheel of Truth, 151-181; Gethin, SB, 195-204; Goleman and Dalai Lama, chapter VII. Recommended: Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence; Hirakawa, History of Indian Buddhism, Chapters 11-13; Flickstein, Swallowing the River Ganges. November 20 No Class (Made up December 9)óJudith at University of

San Diego Conference Reflection paper on Sūtra and Abhidharma due Nov. 20, in

Judithís mailbox November 25 The Second Basket: Vinaya-piṭaka The Buddhist communityólay, monastic, and yogic Readings: Gethin, Foundations, Chapter IV; John Strong, ìThe Experience of the Sangha,î The Experience of Buddhism, 44-75. Alan Sponberg, ìAttitudes Towards Women and the Feminine in Early Buddhismî in Buddhism, Sexuality, and Gender, edited by Jose Ignacio Cabezon, 3-36;

Recommended: Judith Simmer-Brown, ìThe Prospects for a Bhikṣunī Saṅgha in Tibetan Buddhism,î in Buddhist Studies from India to America: Essays in Honor of Charles S. Prebish, 56-70; November 27 Thanksgiving, no class December 2 Vinaya-piṭaka continued Take-home final exam questions handed out December 4 Monastic life: Bhikṣus and Bhikṣunīs December 7 Lay life and Yogic life Practice throughout the three tiers Final paper due December 4, no exceptions Reading: Holder, Discourses, 59-72, 191-201; Reggie Ray, ìThe Buddhist Saints and the Two-tiered Model of Buddhism,î Buddhist Saints in India, 15-43. Recommended: Thera and Hecker, Great Disciples of the Buddha. December 9 Take-home Final exam due this day (Make Up Day) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ • Accommodations for Disabilities: Naropa University will provide

accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. To request an accommodation, or to discuss any learning needs you may have, contact the Jackie Chavarria, the Disability Resources Coordinator. Her office is located in the Student Affairs Department in the Administration Building on the Arapahoe Campus. You may contact her at 303-245-4749 or email: jchavarria@naropa.edu

• Other Needs: If you have any other needs that may require accommodations

(special arrangements) or if you will miss a class because of a religious holiday, please contact the instructor by the third week of class

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Relevant Goals and Outcomes: Indo-Tibetan Buddhism Goal 1: Students should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of, and appreciation for, the history, teachings and practices of Buddhism in the context of the phenomena of religions. Learning outcomes: *Students should be able to trace the historical and cultural development of Buddhism in Asia and its transmission to the West.

*Students should demonstrate facility with basic Buddhist vocabulary, using Sanskrit and Tibetan terms and their translations. *Students should have knowledge of basic bibliographic sources and research methodologies in the study of Buddhism, both traditional and contemporary. Goal 3. Students will exhibit the marks of a contemplative scholar. Learning Outcomes: *Students will demonstrate integration of contemplative perspective into academic expression in writing and speech. *Students will develop appreciation for the unique perspective that contemplative practice brings to the study of religious phenomena. *Students will exhibit integration in the areas of conative,1 attentional, affective, and cognitive capacities. *Students will develop kindness to oneself and compassion for others, thereby transcending self-deprecation and arrogance. Goal 4: Students will demonstrate mastery in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist traditions, integrating knowledge of history, meditative practices, canons, lineages, cultural manifestations, religious institutions, and contemporary expressions. Learning Outcomes: *Students should be able to specify in detail the teachings of the three turnings of the wheel, and to appraise the appropriate usages of this heuristic device. *Students will master the fundamentals of the traditional pedagogies of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, such as the relationship between conceptuality, emotions, and objects, in order to illuminate the source of suffering and transform it. *Students will realize the true nature of their minds. *Students will study Indo-Tibetan canons in translation, including the Tripitaka, commentaries, biographies, devotional literature, and the oral traditions based on these sources. *Students will integrate their practice if Buddhist meditation with their study, with special emphasis on analytic meditation. *Students should be able to apply Buddhist principles learned in the study of Buddhism to problems in contemporary life. 1 Conative means "intention, volition, the ability to form an intention." "Attention" means "mindfulness, the ability to sustain focus." "Affective" refers to "the emotions and our ability to have balanced emotions, not to be dragged off constantly into emotional dramas." "Cognitive" means "a cultivated and trained conceptual life, without necessarily believing everything we think."

Goal 5. The student should develop an awareness of his/her own spiritual journey in the context of study of Buddhismís diverse traditions. This awareness should include sensitivity to issues of plurality and diversity within Buddhism. Learning Outcomes: *Students will cultivate a sense of personal identity within a context of a contemplative journey in light of their course of study. *Students will appreciate the value of having their own personal contemplative practice. *Students will respect other Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions and cultures in their academic work. *Students will exhibit sensitivity to issues of race, class and gender and other diversity issues in their academic work. *Students will demonstrate an awareness of issues of cultural appropriation and cultural ìotheringî (for example, ìorientalismî) in their academic work and contemplative practice. Goal 6. Students should develop the ability to communicate effectively, integrating an informed understanding of Buddhism with their own original reflection. Learning Outcomes: *Students will be able to critically and appreciatively articulate their understanding verbally in the classroom in discussion, in presentation, and in direct dialogues with the faculty and their peers. *Students will be able to write effective academic term papers, with proper formatting and notation. *Student will express original reflection drawn from contemplative insight and/or personal experience in their term papers. Relevant Goals and Outcomes: Masters of Divinity Degree-------------------------- Goal 1: The student will formulate a theological identity informed by a) an in-depth knowledge of the teachings of Buddhism in its cultural and historical context, b) the ability to analyze, critique, and synthesize those teachings, and c) experience in contemplative practice. Learning Outcomes: * Students will appraise/determine the unique role of theology in mediating the needs of religious communities, scholarly life, and popular culture within Buddhism and contemporary religion in America.

* Students will integrate the key theological teachings of Buddhism with personal contemplative Buddhist practice, in order to more thoroughly understand Buddhist theology. * Students will honor their personal journeys, tests/measure the relevance of Buddhist theology and practice against oneís own experience and perspectives. * Based on the prior three learning outcomes, students will engage in the ongoing formation/evolution of their theological identity. Goal 2: The student will develop an integrated knowledge of the history and concepts of Buddhism Learning Outcomes: * Students will be able to identify the three phases of the development of Buddhism in India, distinguishing historical frameworks, major figures, basic doctrines, scriptures, and meditation practices. * Students will demonstrate facility with basic Buddhist vocabulary, using Sanskrit and Tibetan terms and their translations. * Students will be able to read Buddhist texts in translation, identifying major themes and translation idiosyncrasies. * Students will be able to apply Buddhist principles learned in the study of Buddhism to problems in contemporary life. * Students will demonstrate understanding of issues and methods of interreligious dialog and of relating to people of diverse religions. Goal 7: The student will develop the ability to communicate effectively, integrating an informed understanding of theology perspectives and chaplaincy with their own original reflection. Learning Outcomes: * Students will be able to clearly articulate their understanding verbally in the classroom in discussion, in presentation, and in direct dialogues with the faculty and their peers * Students will be able to write effective academic term papers with proper formatting and notation. * Student term papers will express original reflection drawn from contemplative insight and/or personal experience. * Students will understand and be able to articulate their work and thought in a way that takes into consideration the theological discourses on the fields of chaplaincy and socially engaged spirituality.