Buddhism (PHIL 4300.03)
Professor: Stephen Leach
Office: ELABS 364
Phone: 665-8797
Hours: TBA
NOTE: This course, if adopted, may be cross- listed with the Religious
Studies Minor. This course will also count as a Service Learning class.
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About This Course: Buddhism is a philosophy, a religion, and, perhaps most significantly, a way of life,
or a practice. (In fact, it might be more accurate to claim that it is a varied set of each of these, as
there are many different ways of “being” Buddhist, and thus, many different “Buddhisms”.) As
religions go, Buddhism is often pointed to as an unusual case, in that, according to many reports, it is
non-theistic (although the Buddhists of Thailand or Sri Lanka, to name but two, would seem to
disagree with this judgment.) Moreover, although there is a place for “faith” in Buddhism, as in many
Western religions, in most cases this is not faith in a creed ( a so-called “cognitive faith,”) as much as it
is trust in a “Sangha,” a group of persons (or an “affective faith”)--- and in one person in particular,
Gautama Siddhartha, the “Sage of the Sakyas,” known since his enlightenment as “the Buddha” (or
“the Buddha of this world,” as Buddhists admit of many worlds!) As a set of philosophies, Buddhism
admits of a variety of views, including a deep skepticism of much that Western philosophy
traditionally considers obvious, such as the existence of a
“self,” or that “truth” should be somehow univocal. Perhaps
Someone who studies Buddhism
the most important thing to note is that Buddhism, as a set
without practicing meditation has also
accumulated knowledge only as
of philosophies, tends toward praxis to a radical degree. The
decoration. We hold our own fate in our
purpose of philosophy, much as was the case with the old
own hands. We have the capacity to
Socratic schools, is not speculation for its own sake, but for
practice until all concepts about birth
the sake of living wisely--- in this case, by minimizing the
and death, and being and non-being,
suffering of oneself and all other sentient beings. Thus, any
are uprooted.
serious effort to approach Buddhism philosophically will
—Thich Nhat Hanh, The Sun My Heart
require paying attention to its various practices, and this
means, among other things, practicing meditation, as well as
following the Eightfold Path to the best of one’s ability.
Therefore, although the focus of this course is Buddhism viewed philosophically, we will not exclude
the religious elements, nor the elements of practice, in our studies. Thus, this course includes both a
Research and a Service Component.
Service Component: Students will be expected to find time both for regular meditation (alone, or as
part of a community of practitioners) and for some sort of puṇya, or “good works.” (This may take the
form of volunteering through the University’s Service Learning program.) A short reflection paper
addressing your insights and your struggles in meditation, and in “service,” is required near the end of
the course. The Office of Engaged Scholarship and Learning holds an Engaged Scholar Symposium (ES2)
each Spring, and students in any session of this course are required to prepare an abstract which
details their Service Learning experiences and reflections (your reflection paper is a good start on
developing such an abstract, obviously.) Although students are not required to submit these abstracts
to the Office of Engaged Scholarship, students are encouraged to do so if they so wish; speaking
/reading about your experiences before an audience can an interesting experience in its own right,
and presentations of this sort also can serve to burnish one’s CV. Note: Students whose projects were
completed for a Fall session of this class are allowed to present at the Symposium the following
Spring. For further information on the Symposium, or on Service Learning in general, please contact
the Office at ESTAC 3.106 & BSTUN 2.10B (Email: [email protected]; Phone: (956)665-3461 or Phone
Alt: (956)882-4300.)
Research Component: We will be using three kinds of texts in this course: a Guiding Text, which will
steer our basic study; Primary Texts (in translation), coordinated with the chapters of the Guiding
Text, and which will serve to illuminate, and in some cases to interrogate, the Guiding Text; and
Secondary Texts, which are articles, anthologies, and monographs by contemporary scholars in the
field which bear specifically upon the themes of the
Now, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by
Primary Texts.
Guiding Text (Required): The Foundations of
Buddhism by Rupert Gethin (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1998) ISBN# 978-0-19289223-2.
legends, by traditions, by scripture, by
logical conjecture, by inference, by
analogies, by agreement through
pondering views, by probability, or by the
thought, ‘This contemplative is our
teacher.’ When you know for yourselves
that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these
qualities are blameless; these qualities
are praised by the wise; these qualities,
when adopted & carried out, lead to
welfare & to happiness’ — then you
should enter & remain in them.
Primary Texts: Gethin’s Select Bibliography
lists a number of Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, and
Tibetan writings, translated into modern
European languages, and correlated with the chapters of
his text. Although you are not required to purchase these
texts, you will need to access several of them through ILL
(http://www.utrgv.edu/medlibrary/services/interlibrary— The Kalama Sutra
loan.) The number, and the choice, of these texts will
depend upon the topics which the student considers of
greates personal interest, as these may very well figure in the student’s final research project.
However, the choice should be made in collaboration with the Instructor of the course.
Secondary texts: Once the student has determined which primary texts s/he will be consulting in the
course of working through the chapters of our Guiding Text, s/he should perform a search of relevant
databases for philosophical articles which address these texts (or their central themes) in significant
ways. Students are expected to read and annotate at least one article per each chapter division of our
Guiding Text (for a total of ten.)
Research Paper: The research component of this class terminates in a philosophic paper suitable for
presentation/publication at the undergraduate level. Although official presentation or publication is
not required for this assignment, the student’s work should aspire to that level of performance.
What Grades Mean: Please do not be misled by recent reports of the demise of grading integrity: in
this class, grades have specific meanings and criteria to match. There will be no grading on a bell-
curve (a process I find dehumanizing, personally) and so each student may earn an “A”—or an “F” —
depending on how well they meet the criteria. The standards follow. (You should know that I
consider this class as important as any other offered by this University, and will expect the same of
you; it is not my responsibility to rescue your GPA should a class in your major prove too daunting.)
F: Student’s work is missing several
assignments, or shows very little
engagement with reading, discussion, or
both, or contains many factual, stylistic,
or logical flaws.
D: Student’s work is mostly complete
and on time, but is marred by some
factual or stylistic or logical flaws, and
does not capture several important ideas
or themes. Student’s work shows poor
critical thinking.
C: Student’s work is not flawed by any of
the previous standards, but is perfunctory, showing no real interest in the matters at hand. Evidence
of interest includes, but is not limited to, signs that the student can apply ideas across a broad
spectrum, and does not simply parrot some text or recite biographical or historical details
unnecessarily.
B: Student’s work shows deliberate effort to achieve at an above- average level. Student may bring in
relevant outside texts, or ask probing questions about the matters at hand, or show particular
attention to detail, or in some other way demonstrate more than simple adequacy of understanding.
A: Student’s work incorporates all of the good qualities of a “B” grade, and excels in judgment, style,
or comprehensiveness. An “A” student is not afraid to tackle big questions, and considers issues from
a variety of perspectives. For a student to receive an “A” s/he must show exemplary skill in both
portfolios and the final exam.
How Your Grades are calculated:
5 quizzes on Chapters of our Guiding Text @ 5 points each: 25%
10 Annotated Secondary Sources1 @ 3 points each: 30%
Research Paper (7-10 pages)2: 30%
Service Learning/Meditation Reflection Paper (2-3 pages): 10%
Abstract Proposal for Engaged Scholar Symposium (ES2): 5%
Total Possible: 100%
1
2
Examples of well-annotated articles, as well as a rubric detailing best practices, will be distributed via BlackBoard.
Full details on Content, Format, Required Citations, etc. will be distributed via BlackBoard.
Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability (physical, psychological, learning, or
other disability which affects your academic performance) and would like to receive academic
accommodations, please inform your instructor and contact Student Accessibility Services to schedule
an appointment to initiate services. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment with
Student Accessibility Services before classes start. However, accommodations can be provided at any
time. Brownsville Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in Cortez Hall Room 129 and can
be contacted by phone at (956) 882-7374 (Voice) or via email at [email protected]. Edinburg Campus:
Student Accessibility Services is located in 108 University Center and can be contacted by phone at
(956) 665-7005 (Voice), (956) 665-3840 (Fax), or via email at [email protected].
Mandatory Course Evaluation Period: Students are required to complete an ONLINE evaluation of this
course, accessed through your UTRGV account (https://my.utrgv.edu/home); you will be contacted
through email with further instructions. Students who complete their evaluations will have priority
access to their grades. Online evaluations will be available:
Feb 15 – Feb 21 for Module 1 courses
Apr 12 – Apr 18 for Module 2 courses
Apr 12 – May 3 for full spring semester courses
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and may be dropped from the
course for excessive absences. UTRGV’s attendance policy excuses students from attending class if
they are participating in officially sponsored university activities, such as athletics; for observance of
religious holy days; or for military service. Students should contact the instructor in advance of the
excused absence and arrange to make up missed work or examinations.
Scholastic Integrity: As members of a community dedicated to Honesty, Integrity and Respect,
students are reminded that those who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion from the University.
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, and collusion; submission for
credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person; taking an
examination for another person; any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student; or the
attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the
integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced (Board of Regents
Rules and Regulations and UTRGV Academic Integrity Guidelines). All scholastic dishonesty incidents
will be reported to the Dean of Students.
Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Violence: In accordance with UT System regulations, your
instructor is a “responsible employee” for reporting purposes under Title IX regulations and so must
report any instance, occurring during a student’s time in college, of sexual assault, stalking, dating
violence, domestic violence, or sexual harassment about which she/he becomes aware during this
course through writing, discussion, or personal disclosure. More information can be found at
www.utrgv.edu/equity, including confidential resources available on campus. The faculty and staff of
UTRGV actively strive to provide a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal
integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free from sexual misconduct and
discrimination.
Course Drops: According to UTRGV policy, students may drop any class without penalty earning a
grade of DR until the official drop date. Following that date, students must be assigned a letter grade
and can no longer drop the class. Students considering dropping the class should be aware of the “3peat rule” and the “6-drop” rule so they can recognize how dropped classes may affect their academic
success. The 6-drop rule refers to Texas law that dictates that undergraduate students may not drop
more than six courses during their undergraduate career. Courses dropped at other Texas public
higher education institutions will count toward the six-course drop limit. The 3-peat rule refers to
additional fees charged to students who take the same class for the third time.
Course Schedule: [TBA] A full weekly schedule (subject to revision) will be posted on BlackBoard
before the first class.