FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Fall 2011
RELIGIONS OF INDIA [REL 3330/5331]
EASTERN PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS THOUGHT [PHI 3762]
TR, 9:30-10:45 a.m. [+ REL 5331 T, 11:00 a.m.-12:15p .m.
Dr. Nathan Katz –
Tel.: x3909. Office: DM 305-A.
Hours: TR, 8:30-9:15 + R 11-12 + by appointment.
Course Orientation:
Description: This course will trace major themes of the religions of India from pre-history right through contemporary times. Both indigenous Indian traditions (“Hinduism,” Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism) and foreign religions in India (Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity) will be studied, and students will look into classical Indian philosophy and contemporary movements and issues.
Goals:
• Students will learn to identify major themes in the religions of India and to trace these themes from pre-history to contemporary times.
• Students will trace the development of priestly (brahmanic) and renunciate (shramanic) threads of “Hinduism.”
• Students will closely examine such key texts as the Upanisads and the Bhagavad-Gita.
• Students will be introduced to classical Indian philosophies – Samkhya-Yoga, Vedanta, Mimamsa, Nyaya-Vaisesika – and how they understand the nature of the Self and Liberation.
• Students will become familiar with the three major theisms of Hinduism – Shiva, Vishnu and the Goddess,.
• By focusing on four extrinsic religions in India (Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity), students will understand the cultural moorings that made these religions “Indian.”
• Students will learn to contextualize modern and contemporary religious movements in India, developing an appreciation of their continuity with and innovations on classical themes.
Textbooks
Prabhavananda & Manchester, trs., The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal
B. S. Miller, trans., The Bhagavad Gita: Krishna's Counsel in Time of War
W. Rahula, What the Buddha Taught
R. D. Baird, Religion in Modern India
Articles (available on line)
Film notes, “India – Empire of the Spirit”
Film notes, “The Fourth Stage”
From A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India
From K. M. Sen, Hinduism
D. Frawley, “The Myth of the Aryan Invasion of India”
R. P. Nanavati, "Jainism"
Ashoka’s edicts
N. Katz and E. Goldberg, "Asceticism and Caste in the Passover Observances of the Cochin Jews"
J. Vellian, "The Jewish Christian Community in India"
J. Lawton, "Islam in Central and South Asia"
K. Singh, "Sikhism"
T 8-23 / Introduction; basic concepts / Basham 1-9; Sen 13-21R 8-25 / Film: “India – Empire of the Spirit” / Film notes
T 8-30 / Indus Valley Civilization / Basham 1044; Sen 43-44
R 9-1 / Vedic worldview and a controversy / Basham 234-245; Frawley; Sen 45-54 + 115-126
T 9-6 / Caste system then and now / Sen 27-31; Baird, 343-362
T 9-8 / Upanishads / Basham 245-258; Sen 53-57, entire Upanishads
R 9-13 / Upanishads / Entire Upanishads
R 9-15 / Renunciation
Film – “The Fourth Stage” / Film notes; Basham 245-258 Sen 22-26
T 9-20 / Jainism / Nanavati; Basham 258-289
R 9-22 / Modern Jainism / Guest: Samani Charita Prajna
T 9-27 / Buddhism / Basham 258-289; Rahula xv-66
R 9-29 No class, Rosh Hashanah
R 10-4 / Buddhism / Rahula 67-78, 119-125; AshokaT 10-6 / MIDTERM EXAMINATION / --
R 10-11 / Bhagavad Gita / Miller entire; Sen 72-77
R 10-13 No class, Sukkot
T 10-18 / Bhagavad Gita / MillerR 10-20 No class, Shmini
T 10-25 / Yoga / Basham 327-329; Sen 69-71R 10-27 / Vaishnavism
FIRST ESSAY DUE 5 pm / Basham 300-309; Sen 58-62, 91-96
T 11-1 / Shaivism / Basham 309-313
R 11-3 / Goddess / Basham 313-325
T 11-8 / Indian Jews / Katz & Goldberg
R 11-10 / Indian Christians / Basham 345-347; Vellian; Baird 221-238
T 11-25 / Indian Muslims / Lawton; Sen 97-102
R 11-17 / Sikhs / Singh; Baird 189-220
T 11-22 / Bengali Renaissance / Sen 108-111, Baird 1-80
R 11-25 / Gandhi / Baird, 343-362
R 11-26 / No class, Thanksgiving / --
T 11-29 / Modern Hinduisms / Baird, 1-80, 189-220
R 12-1 / Hinduism in America
SECOND ESSAY DUE
5 pm
. / FINAL EXAM
FINAL EXAM during exam week.
Course requirements:
1. There will be two multiple choice examines – a midterm in class on 10/13 and a final during exam week. Each counts 25% of the course grade.
2. There will be two 1,000-word essays, to be submitted on Turnitin.
i. The first essay will explore the nature of the self/Self according to one of the following: Upanishad (pick one Upanishad text), Advaita of Shankara, Jainism, early Buddhism, Samkhya-Yoga. This is due at 5 p.m. on 10-27.
ii. The second essay will discuss an issue in contemporary Hinduism, also 1,000 words, due 5 p.m. on 12-1.
Each essay counts for 25% of the course grade.
Extra credit:
Student may attend and write a 2 page report on any event sponsored by the Program in the Study of Spirituality. For a list of events, see spirituality.fiu.edu or facebook.com/SpiritualityFIU
Each write up will give one or two points added to your course grade.
Course Regulations and Expectations:
• ATTENDNCE is essential, as is punctuality. Students are strongly discouraged from joining this class after the first class meeting.
• READINGS must be completed by the date for which they are assigned. Careful preparation of readings is essential for success in this course!
• ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS are due via www.turnitin.com by the time and dates indicated. I recommend you register immediately: go to turnitin.com (select “New Users” if you are new to the site) and
enroll in the “REL 3330” or “PHI 3762” section with enrollment ID and password “dharma.” In the interest of fairness, deadlines are firm and will not be extended except in case of extreme and documented emergencies. Late assignments without authorized extensions will not be accepted.
Keep copies of all written work. For your own protection, keep a copy of your turnitin.com electronic receipt until you have received your final grade for the course.
• STANDARDS for citation and referencing must be adhered to. I recommend MLA style (see http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html and follow the link to MLA style), but any standard format is acceptable as long as you are consistent. All written assignments must be composed using a
standard word processing program, formatted in 10-12 point standard fonts, and double-spaced.
• SPELLING, grammar, neatness, clarity, style, organization, etc. all DO count! Poor writing will affect your grade. Strive for clarity and use your computer’s spell-check program wisely.
• RE-WRITE and revise your essays before turning them in; do not ask to do so afterwards. Ask yourself, Is this clear? Am I communicating my thoughts well? Would a friend in another class understand what I am saying?
• PLAGIARISM and any and all forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is stealing someone else’s words or original ideas. Plagiarism occurs in two forms: (1) uncredited quotations (including
words copied from elsewhere but not bracketed by quotation marks and quotations without proper citations and documentation) and (2) uncredited paraphrases. In both cases, to avoid plagiarism, students must properly cite the source material. Only commonly known facts and concepts, general material learned in the course of research and study, and students’ original ideas do not require citation. Students found violating standards will fail the course.
NOTE: The instructor will abide by the University’s policy on religious holy days as stated in the University catalogue and the student handbook, and any student may request to be excused from class to observe a religious holy day of his or her faith.
NOTE: The instructor takes very seriously matters of academic dishonesty and plagiarism. Students who violate standards will fail the course and will be reported to the Dean. Attached to this syllabus is a statement which defines plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
RIGHT AWAY, PLEASE:
1. “Like” http://www.facebook.com/SpiritualityFIU
2. Sign up for Turnitin:
TURNITIN CODE FOR REL 3330–
TURNITIN CODE FOR PHI 3762 -
PASSWORD – dharma
SIGN UP IMMEDIATELY, PLEASE