October 2008 Archives

"I hope the time comes when the laws and literature of the ancient Hebrews will be studied in all of our schools as now are studied the laws and literature of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and when it will be universally recognized that no man ignorant of the laws and literature of the ancient Hebrews is a well-educated man." - Lyman Abbott


REMINDERS:  Your Buddhism short essay questions are due today. Your Blog Entry #3 - Buddhism is also officially late as of today.

You should begin (or continue) your reading in the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. I've changed the reading schedule to accommodate the extra day we took on Buddhism. You should be through page 282 by the time of today's class and through 289 by the time we meet again on Tuesday.

I'll have the Judaism Reading Packets available at our next class session.


The History of Judaism: Clearly, this topic could cover an entire course. In addition, you are familiar with some of the material from your Regional Studies and Western Civilization classes. (At least, I hope you are...) For this class, we will try to create a sort of time line or historical overview as a group. I have taken the liberty of dividing Judaism's history into six periods as you can see here.  (OK, the article I'm giving you did this already.)

• The Biblical Period (c. 2500 - 300 BCE)
• The Hellenistic Age (c. 300 BCE - 135 CE)
• The Talmudic Period (c. 135 - 600)
• The Judeo-Islamic Age (Seventh to Thirteenth Centuries)
• The European Age (Thirteenth to Eighteenth Centuries)
• The Modern Age (Eighteenth Century to the Present)

     We'll split this last one into three "sub-groups."

• Modern: 18th century to World War II
• Modern: World War II and the Holocaust
• Modern: Israel to the present

It is your job to provide the content. (Do that in a word-processing document. You will submit this to me, and I will collate and copy them.) I'll give you the class time today, but don't expect much more than that for this.

There doesn't seem to be a need for more than three or four people in any particular group. This will carry over parts of a couple days, and I want the finished product ready at the start of class on Tuesday, November 11th.  That means I should receive your groups' work by noon of that day.

What should you include? This obviously depends on the particular period you are examining. You will not be able to teach us everything, so you should focus on what you believe to be most important and interesting. Here are some suggestions:

• Who are important people or groups from this time period?
• What did they do?
• What world events impacted Judaism during this period?
• What new beliefs, customs, or traditions evolved in Judaism during this period?
• Did the Jewish population undergo migration or movement during this time?
• What conflicts or examples of Anti-Semitism did Jews face at this time?
• What examples of the covenant can you identify during this period?
• Are there useful resources on the Internet to which you can direct readers?

Obviously, there are many more possibilities...

You can make a decision on the best way to present your information, whether it be in text or outline format. I'm thinking the equivalent of a page per group. (Some of you might want to do a version of a "Top Ten" list or handout or whatever...)

As you probably suspect, there is an abundance of material available on the Internet on this subject. Here is a link to get you started:

Judaism 101: This may be the single most useful source for information on Judaism found anywhere on the Internet. One look at the Table of Contents might convince you of that.


HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #3

Please continue in your reading with the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. You should be up thorough page 289 by class time on Tuesday.

Your fourth Independent Assignment is due on Thursday, November 6th.

"Hear O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up..."  - Deuteronomy 6:4-7
   

The History of Judaism and The Jewish Calendar

REMINDER:  Your Buddhism short essay questions are due at the beginning of the class on Friday, October 31st. Your Blog Entry #3 - Buddhism should be posted by now.

You should begin (or continue) your reading in the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. I've changed the reading schedule to accommodate the extra day we took on Buddhism. You should be through page 282 by the time of Friday's class.


The History of Judaism: Clearly, this topic could cover an entire course. In addition, you are familiar with some of the material from your Regional Studies and Western Civilization classes. (At least, I hope you are...) For this class, we will try to create a sort of time line or historical overview as a group. I have taken the liberty of dividing Judaism's history into six periods as you can see here.  (OK, the article I'm giving you did this already.)

• The Biblical Period (c. 2500 - 300 BCE)
• The Hellenistic Age (c. 300 BCE - 135 CE)
• The Talmudic Period (c. 135 - 600)
• The Judeo-Islamic Age (Seventh to Thirteenth Centuries)
• The European Age (Thirteenth to Eighteenth Centuries)
• The Modern Age (Eighteenth Century to the Present)

     We'll split this last one into three "sub-groups."

• Modern: 18th century to World War II
• Modern: World War II and the Holocaust
• Modern: Israel to the present

It is your job to provide the content. (Do that in a word-processing document. You will submit this to me, and I will collate and copy them.)

There doesn't seem to be a need for more than three or four people in any particular group. This will carry over parts of a couple days, and I want the finished product ready at the start of class on Tuesday, November 11th.  That means I should receive your groups' work by noon of that day.

What should you include? This obviously depends on the particular period you are examining. You will not be able to teach us everything, so you should focus on what you believe to be most important and interesting. Here are some suggestions:

• Who are important people or groups from this time period?
• What did they do?
• What world events impacted Judaism during this period?
• What new beliefs, customs, or traditions evolved in Judaism during this period?
• Did the Jewish population undergo migration or movement during this time?
• What conflicts or examples of Anti-Semitism did Jews face at this time?
• What examples of the covenant can you identify during this period?
• Are there useful resources on the Internet to which you can direct readers?

Obviously, there are many more possibilities...

You can make a decision on the best way to present your information, whether it be in text or outline format. I'm thinking the equivalent of a page per group. (Some of you might want to do a version of a "Top Ten" list or handout or whatever...)

As you probably suspect, there is an abundance of material available on the Internet on this subject. Here is a link to get you started:

Judaism 101: This may be the single most useful source for information on Judaism found anywhere on the Internet. One look at the Table of Contents might convince you of that.


The Jewish Calendar: Some of you may be aware of this already, but today's date is the 30th of Tishri, 5769. Of course, that is the date on the Jewish calendar which corresponds to October 29, 2008 on the Gregorian (Western) calendar.

To learn much more about the calendar, refer to this article from the website "Judaism 101." They also have calendar tools posted.

Some things worth noting about the Jewish calendar:

• The calendar is lunar based, not solar. A "year" according to the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than a solar year.
• A leap month of Adar II is occasionally (7 of every 19 years) added to keep dates from "drifting" through the seasons.
• The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nisan, but the "Jewish New Year" occurs in the 7th month, Tishri. That is when the year is "increased" in number.
• The year represents the number of years since Creation according to the Jewish tradition.
• C.E. (Common Era) and B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) are the preferred terms to use in dating events.
• The Jewish day begins at sundown.

The Jewish Festival Year: I have selected eight holidays, festivals, or days of remembrance that are commemorated during each year on the Jewish calendar. Each is linked to a web page dedicated to that day (or time period). Of course, there are many other web sites and resources available. You will be responsible for presenting some basic information to the rest of us. Keep an emphasis on ritual, symbolism, and connections to spiritual or historical events. (I know many of you did a version of this in Regional Studies, but it is certainly worth attempting again from a more "academic" perspective.)

NOTE: Spellings may vary given that these names are translated from Hebrew.

• Rosh Hashanah (High Holy Days begin)
• Yom Kippur (High Holy Days end)
• Sukkot
• Chanukah (Hannukah)
• Purim
• Passover (Pesach)
• Yom Ha' Shoah
• Shavuot

HOMEWORK for next session - Friday, October 31st

Your Buddhism short essay questions are due at the beginning of the class on Friday, October 31st.

You should be through page 282 in Huston Smith's The World's Religions by the time of Friday's class.

Please read the assigned articles from the Judaism Reading Packet.


 

There's no real entry here. This is just a reminder that, because of all the recent changes in the schedule, we extended the Buddhism unit out and plan to review and take the multiple choice quiz today.

We'll start back up with Judaism - Day #1 on Wednesday, October 29th. Your Buddhism Blog Entry should be posted by then, and the Buddhism Short Essay responses are due on Friday, October 31st.

"I think I am a reflection,like the moon, on water. When you see me, and I try to be a good man, see yourself " - Tenzin Gyatso (Dalai Lama) 

REMINDERS: If you missed part of Kundun, I have two copies of the film that I am happy to lend out to you.

We will take the Buddhism multiple choice quiz on Wednesday. You can again bring 75 words of notes if that helps you organize the foreign terms, etc.

These are the articles from the Buddhism reading packet that are due today:

• "From Ruins of Afghan Buddhas, a History Grows" The New York Times, December 6, 2006
• "Tourism Saves a Laotian City but Saps Its Buddhist Spirit," The New York Times, April 15, 2008
• "Nepalese Await Election Results and Brace for Major Changes. Stay Tuned." The New York Times, April 12, 2008
• "What Makes a Monk Mad," The New York Times, September 30, 2007
• "Myanmar Writhes in the Grip of Its Junta," The New York Times, September 26, 2008

Going back a bit: It occurs to me that we never dealt explicitly with several of the questions on the basics of Buddhism. Let's backtrack a bit to some material I've recopied from an Buddhism - Day #2.

Defining terms: anatta, nirvana

* Do Buddhists believe in reincarnation?

* Do human beings survive bodily death?

* How does karma affect the lives of Buddhists?

* What is nirvana?

Tibetan Buddhism

Defining terms: King Songstan, Atisha, yana, Vajrayana, lama, Tantra, upaya, mantra, mudras, mandalas

Modern Tibet: The "Land of the Snows"- The Communist government of China overran Tibet in 1949-1951, beginning decades of hostile occupancy. In 1959, the unsuccessful Tibetan National Uprising occurred. The Dalai Lama and his government fled into exile in India, where they remain yet today.

Questions for Investigation: Use the Internet resources below, and feel free to look around elsewhere as well.

• What has been China's policy toward Buddhism in Tibet?
• What have been Amnesty International's chief human rights concerns in Tibet?
• What has been American policy on the issue of Tibet? What should it be?

• What role has the Dalai Lama played in international relations and human rights?
• Who is the Karmapa?
• Who is the Panchen Lama? What has happened to the Panchen Lama at the hands of China's government?

Dreams of Tibet - PBS documentary 

Understanding Tibetan Buddhism

China in Tibet

Tibetan Government in Exile's Official Web Site

The United States: Reassessing Tibet Policy

A Lesson in Compassion from a Tortured Monk

The Gere Foundation: Yes, it's THAT Richard Gere... The "Tibet Tragedy" slide show is interesting.

Help Find the Panchen Lama

HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #1

The title for the next lesson is slightly deceiving, as a good chunk of the period will be spent reviewing Buddhism and taking the multiple choice quiz. Don't worry about starting the reading in Judaism or anything yet. Just be ready for the quiz.

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Wednesday, October 22nd to be considered on time.

1. Based on your reading, what is the most appealing or intriguing feature of Buddhism? What seems most difficult to accept or understand?

2. Siddhartha Gautama's search for enlightenment begins with his confrontations with the realities of sickness, old age, and death. Is personal crisis a necessary prelude to spiritual exploration?

3. The first noble truth of Buddhism holds that life is suffering and that even our most blissful moments hold a subtle residue of unhappiness. Is this an accurate description of the human condition?

4.Buddhists include "right livelihood" among the Eightfold Path. Are certain professions incompatible with spiritual growth? Are some jobs more conducive to enlightenment that others? Why or why not?

5. According to Einstein, the most important question that can be asked is, "Is the universe a friendly place or not?" How do Buddhists answer that question? How would you answer it?

These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

REMINDER: Your third Independent Assignment is due today.

These are the articles from the Buddhism reading packet that are due today:

•  "Simmering Resentments Led to Tibetan Backlash," The New York Times, March 18, 2008
• "Fed Up With Peace," The New York Times, May 18, 2008
• "An Olive Branch From the Dalai Lama," The New York Times, August 7, 2008
• "After the Games, Tibet," The New York Times, August 14, 2008

We'll continue with the film today. I'll set it so we finish before the end of the hour. (If you missed the first part, I have two copies of the film that I am happy to lend out to you.)

Kundun: This is a film of the early years of the Dalai Lama made by Martin Scorcese. If you want a little background on the film, here's one review of the work. Here's what "Rotten Tomatoes" has to say.

HOMEWORK for Buddhism - Day #6

Please read the articles for Buddhism - Day #6 from the packet.

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - Dalai Lama

REMINDER: Your third Independent Assignment is due on Tuesday, October 14th. That's our next class meeting.

These are the articles from the Buddhism reading packet that are due today:

• "Dalai Lama Lite," The New York Times, September 19, 2003
• "Searching for the Dalai Lama," The New York Times, April 6, 2008
• "Young Spiritual Leader Arrives in New York, Ready to Teach and Be Taught," The New York Times, May 16, 2008
• "Lamas Seek the Holy Child, but Politics Intrude," The New York Times, October 1, 1990
• "China's Buddha Complex," The New York Times, December 3, 1995
• "Praise for Beijing by a Lama It Appointed," The New York Times, December 27, 2005

Given the number of people missing for the MPA Cultural Fair and for other conflicts, we're going to change the schedule up a bit here. Let's watch the film these next two sessions, and we'll pick up Tibetan Buddhism after that.

Kundun: This is a film of the early years of the Dalai Lama made by Martin Scorcese. If you want a little background on the film, here's one review of the work. Here's what "Rotten Tomatoes" has to say.

HOMEWORK for Buddhism - Day #5

Please read the articles for Buddhism - Day #5 from the packet.

Your third Independent Assignment is due on Tuesday, October 14th.

"To grasp Zen, you must experience it. ...
You should withdraw inwardly
and search for the ground upon which you stand;
thereby you will find out what Truth is. "- Ummon

REMINDERS: Your Hinduism short essay responses are officially past due if I do not have them. They'll be penalized ten % per class period that they are late. The Hinduism blog entry is also late as of now, but you'd still get partial credit, so submit them.

These articles from the Buddhism packet were assigned for today.

• "In Japan, Buddhism May Be Dying Out," The New York Times, July 14, 2008
• "A Very Old Zen Master and His Art of Tough Love," The New York Times, December 9, 2007
• "Joke's Not Funny? Blame It on Buddha," The New York Times, September 2, 2003
• "On the Journey That Is Buddhism, There Are Many Paths" The New York Times, April 13, 2007
• "Buddhism Nears Mainstream in U.S., Author Says," The New York Times, January 29, 2000

THERAVADA and MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

We can review anything that has you puzzled or confused from the time you spent last class period on the two major forms of Buddhism.

Defining terms: Asoka, Mahayana, Theravada (Hinayana), arhat, boddhisattva, Sangha

You were given resources to use in completing this chart: (Download if you need one.)

You were given some web resources on Buddhism -Day #2, and you can make use of Huston Smith's The World's Religions- pages 119 through 127.

ZEN BUDDHISM

Ideally, you should making good progress in the Buddhism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. The pages that contain today's information on Zen Buddhism are 128 through 139. The reading schedule actually has you finishing the chapter for today. If you're not there yet, please keep going.

We'll start with showing you the Buddhism excerpt from Huston Smith's Wisdom of Faith series... It shares his personal experience with Zen Buddhism. I think it is a good starting point.

Basics of Zen Buddhism:

Defining terms: Zen, ch'an, "Flower Sermon", Bodhidharma, zazen, koan, kensho, sanzen, satori

* zazen- "seated meditation"
* koan- problems or questions designed to agitate the mind
* sanzen- interplay between master and student
* kensho- "True Thusness"- bursts of enlightenment
* satori- enlightenment, unity of all existence

Frequently Asked Questions from alt.zen is a nice, basic introduction to Zen. Several basic questions are asked and answered.

ZenGuide claims to be the "Ultimate On-Line Resource" on Zen Buddhism. You can browse their resources and judge for yourself...

Since Zen stresses EXPERIENCE as the only path to knowledge, today's lesson will minimize lecture and maximize experience. It is your job to give things a try and participate.

Daily Zen: You can get a daily Zen quote here. You can also access previous examples and even send someone a Zen greeting card... DO THIS: Send someone not in this class a "Zencard."

The Ten Oxherding Pictures is a classic collection of Zen art. DO THIS: View the collection of the ten pictures. See if you can figure out what the artist is trying to convey by reading the verses and studying the pictures. Who is the boy representing? What is the ox symbolizing?

Primary Zen Texts is pretty self-explanatory. You will find a number of usefulresources. DO THIS: Attempt to replicate the basics of Zen mediation by trying "How to Sit (Zazen)." It might help to try this with a partner or two who can take turns reading the instructions. DO THIS: An early Zen exercise it to simply count ten breath cycles. The trick is that you must return to 1 if any other thought enters your mind during that time. (Don't cheat. It takes most monks months to perfect this.) Try it a couple times.

The Gateless Gate is a collection of more than 30 koan. DO THIS: Browse through the collection reading at least a half dozen examples. Read and consider the commentaries provided. DO THIS: Try writing a koan of your own. Share it with the class.

HOMEWORK for Buddhism - Day #4

If you haven't already done so, please finish up the reading in the Buddhism chapter of Huston Smith's The World's Religions. I'll get the Buddhism blog entry posted soon.

Please read the articles from the Buddhism article packet assigned for Day #4.

Your third Independent Assignment is due on Tuesday, October 14th.

"Hatred does not cease by hatred but only by love;
this is the eternal rule."- Buddha

DAY #2- BASIC BELIEFS, MAHAYANA AND THERAVADA BUDDHISM

REMEMBER: Your Hinduism short answer "take home" exams are due today. I'll penalize late work at 10% per class period.

My plan is to do Zen Buddhism on Wednesday, with Tibetan Buddhism on Friday. That leaves us two days for watching Kundun.

Ideally, you would already be through page 127 in the Buddhism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. If not, you are a little behind at this point. Pages 119 through 127 look at the comparisons between Mahayana and Therevada Buddhism, and you'll make use of them later today.

The Eightfold Path: I asked you to take a look at this for today.

This is decent explanation of the Eightfold Path on the Web.

* Right Views
* Right Intent
* Right Speech
* Right Conduct
* Right Livelihood
* Right Effort
* Right Mindfulness
* Right Concentration

Basic Buddhist Concepts: This is a concise introduction to some of the core concepts. It is presented in a question and answer format for your convenience.

Defining terms: anatta, nirvana

* Do Buddhists believe in reincarnation?

* Do human beings survive bodily death?

* How does karma affect the lives of Buddhists?

* What is nirvana?

The Two Major Schools of Buddhism: Mahayana and Theravada

Defining terms: Asoka, Mahayana, Theravada (Hinayana), arhat, boddhisattva, Sangha

Resources to use in completing this chart: You download a copy of the chart below here. You can either print it out or complete it by computer.

You can make use of Huston Smith's The World's Religions- pages 119 through 127.

Mahayana Buddhism: This site gives you good deal of information on the Mahayana school of Buddhism.

Theravada Buddhism: Similarly, this site looks at Theravada (or Hinayana) Buddhism.

World Civilizations- Washington State University: This is described as "An Internet Classroom and Anthology." You might want to consult their sections on Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.

HOMEWORK for Buddhism - Day #3

According to the reading schedule, you should be finishing up the Buddhism chapter in Huston Smith's The World Religions. You all have several articles from the Buddhism reading packet to look at for Wednesday.

Your third "Independent Assignment" is due a week from Tuesday, October 14th.

"There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it." - Buddha

REMINDERS: We'll give you back your Hinduism Multiple Choice Exams so you can take a look at those. Overall, they went pretty well. Your Hinduism Short Essay Exams are due at the start of class on Monday, October 6th. You do three of those.

DAY #1 - INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM

You were asked to read through page 112 for today. If that didn't happen, try to get caught up ASAP.

The Life of the Buddha:

Defining terms: Siddhartha Gautama, "The Four Passing Sights," ascetic, "Great Awakening," bodhi tree, "Sermon in the Deer Park"

Lord Buddha does a nice job elaborating on the life of Buddha and reteling some of the most famous stories from his life.

If you are looking for more academic resources, you might check out what is offered in the Indian History Sourcebook. Scroll down a bit to find more links.

What is Buddhism?

Defining terms: Middle Path

Why does Buddhism break off from Hinduism in the 6th century BCE?

The Four Noble Truths:

Defining terms: dukkha, tanha

Here is an extensive, on-line summary of the Four Noble Truths.

* All life is dukkha.
* The cause of dukkha is tanha.
* Ending tanha will end dukkha.
* The way to ending tanha is through following the Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path:

This is decent explanation of the Eightfold Path on the Web.

* Right Views
* Right Intent
* Right Speech
* Right Conduct
* Right Livelihood
* Right Effort
* Right Mindfulness
* Right Concentration

DO THIS: Pick two of the steps along the Eightfold Path. Using either the link above or the text's section beginning on page 103, prepare to explain your "steps" to the rest of the class. Use as many specifics and examples as possible.

Questions to consider:

Is it possible to follow the Eightfold Path in modern society?
Would it be desirable to more closely follow the Eightfold Path?
In what ways do you follow the steps of the Eightfold Path?

DO THIS (if you want): Stories often referred to as the Jataka Tales are used to teach morals and lessons to young Buddhists. In some ways, they are very similar to Aesop's Fables. Consult this collection of the Jataka Tales. If you are ambitious, select one of them, read it, learn it, and be prepared to retell the story for the class. (You can decide how far you want to go in terms of characterization, voices, etc.)

HOMEWORK for Buddhism - Day #2

According to the reading schedule, you should be through page 127 in Huston Smith's The World's Religions by the time we come together on Monday. Since the reading is kind of front-loaded in this chapter, we'll save the article packet until Monday.

Your Hinduism Short Essay Exams are due at the start of class on Monday, October 6th. You do three of the questions.