HRS 178:
Religions of India
Mondays 6-8:50 PM
Medocino Hall 1005
Dr. Layne R. Little
Fall 2014
Religions of India
This course offers a comprehensive study of the various religious traditions of India from
ancient times to the present. It explores not only the basic theological content of these
religious beliefs but also how the context of residing in the complex theological world of
India transforms these many religious traditions both from within and without. Exploring
religion through myth, ritual, philosophy, literature, poetry, art, and performance this
course presents a rich cultural tapestry. But it also traces in detail the historical, social
and political factors that have shaped and reshaped the vast cultural landscape of religion
in India.
Dr. Layne R. Little
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: M 4:30-6:00 PM; Mendocino 2022; ext. 278-5331.
Departmental Course Description:
An introduction to the diversity of Indian religions, relating religious practices & ideas to
broader cultural developments, including visual arts and literature. Focuses on the way
Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh traditions address the concept of karma in distinctive
ways, paying special attention to the way words and intentions are said to influence the
consequences of a person’s deeds. 3 units.
Learning Objectives:
Students will gain a comprehensive knowledge of the essential doctrines and beliefs of
the major religions of India, as well as the important history, myth, ritual, spiritual
practice, literature, art, and sacred geography associated with each of these traditions.
Students will gain a keen understanding of the cultural diversity of India, and the
complex social and political forces that have effected religious change across time in
addition to the social forces influencing these faiths today.
Required Texts:
 Mittal, Sushil and Gene Thursby. Eds. Religions of South Asia: An Introduction. Oxford:
Routledge, 2006.
 Reader (available at University Copy & Print, 446 Howe Ave., (916) 929- 6147).
 Netflix subscription for home viewing.
Assignments & Grading:
Grades are determined by 4 exams and one short research paper. Three of the exams will
be in class and the fourth during finals. NOTE: If you do not attend class you will miss
crucial information that will be on the exams. The research paper will be 5 pages in
length, double spaced, in a 12 point font, and should have proper MLA or Chicago style
citations. Each paper must have an original argument or thesis statement. Each student
must choose a topic themselves that reflects a specific aspect of one of the religious
traditions studied in this class that is of personal interest to them. At least two academic
sources (not included among course readings) must be cited.
Grade Breakdown:
Exam 1: 20%
Exam 2: 20%
Exam 3: 20%
Exam 4: 20%
Research Paper: 20%
Week One: No class (Instruction begins Tuesday, 9/2/14)
Week Two: Introduction (9/8/14)
Reading: “Introduction” pp. 1-11.
Week Three: Hinduism- Indus Valley, Vedas & Upanisads (9/15/14)
Reading: “Hindu Dharma” pp. 15-84.
Reader: Flood, Gavin. “Ancient Origins.” An Introduction to Hinduism. New York:
Cambridge University Press, 1996. pp. 23-50.
In class film: The Story of India, “The Beginnings.” (2009), 0:55.
Week Four: Hinduism- Epics (9/22/14)
Reader: Flood, Gavin. “Yoga and Renunciation.” An Introduction to Hinduism. New
York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Pp. 75-102.
Reader: Cush, Robinson and York. Eds. “Mahābhārata.” Encyclopedia of Hinduism. New
York: Routledge, 2008. pp. 469-471.
Reader: Reader: Cush, Robinson and York. Eds. “Rāmāyaṇa.” Encyclopedia of
Hinduism. New York: Routledge, 2008. pp. 667-669.
Reader: Juergensmeyer and Hawley. “Mirabai.” Songs of the Saints of India. New Delhi:
OUP, 2004. pp. 118-140.
Watch at Home: Arjun: The Warrior Prince (Netflix).
In class film: Rāmāyaṇa (select scenes).
Exam 1
Week Five: Hinduism- Theistic Hinduism: Sects, Gods & Bhakti (9/29/14)
Reader: Hawley & Jurgensmeyer. “A Dalit Poet-Saint: Ravidas.” Hawley and Narayanan.
The Life of Hinduism. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. pp. 199-217.
Reader: Eck, Diana L. “The Deity: The Image of God.” Hawley and Narayanan. The Life
of Hinduism. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. pp. 42-52.
Reader: George Mitchell. “The Temple as a Link between Gods and Man.” The Hindu
Temple: An Introduction to its Meanings and Forms. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1988. pp. 61-76.
In class film: Vaastu Marapu: A Shilpi Speaks.
In class film: The Wedding of the Goddess (Part 1).
Week Six: Hinduism- Folk Religion & Modern Context (10/6/14)
Reader: Dumont, Louis. “A Folk Deity of Tamil Nad: Aiyanar, the Lord.” Madan, T.N.
Religion in India. Delhi: Oxford India, 1997. Pp. 38-49.
Reader: Nagarajan, Vijaya. “The Earth as Goddess Bhu Devi: Towards a Theory of
“Embedded Ecology” in Folk Hinduism.” Nelson, Lance. Ed. Purifying the Earthly Body
of God: Religion and ecology in Hindu India. Albany: SUNY, 1998. Pp. 269-295.
In class film: Bearing the Heat.
Week Seven: Jainism (10/13/14)
Reading: “Jaina Dharma” pp. 87-101.
In class film: Ahimsa (Non-violence); a PBS documentary by Michael Tobias.
Week Eight: Midterm & Buddhism- Buddha & Early History (10/20/14)
Reading: “Bauddha Dhamma” pp. 102-128.
Watch at Home: The Buddha – PBS Documentary (Narrated by Richard Gere), 1:54.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIfXlfsbYOw
Exam 2
Week Nine: Buddhism- Meditation & Philosophical Basis (10/27/14)
Reader: Lopez, Donald S. “The Buddha.” The Story of Buddhism: A Concise Guide to its
History and Teachings. New York: Harper Collins Pub., 2001. pp. 37-102.
Watch at home: The Story of India, “The Power of Ideas.” (2009), 0:55.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Jw0Ky6ZpQ
Week Ten: Buddhism- Mahayana & Vajrayana (11/3/14)
Reader: Lopez, Donald S. “Enlightenment.” The Story of Buddhism: A Concise Guide to
its History and Teachings. New York: Harper Collins Pub., 2001. pp. 206-253.
Watch at home: Little Buddha (Netflix).
In class film: TBA.
Week Eleven: Sikhism- Early History & Ideas (11/10/14)
Reading: “Sikh Dharam” PP. 130-148.
In class film: Revealed: The Golden Temple.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oeo4BDViHcM
Week Twelve: Sikhism- Texts & Contexts (11/17/14)
Reader: Hawley, John S. and Mark Juergensmeyer, “Nanak” & “Kabir.” Songs of the
Saints of India. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2006. pp. 63-88; 34-61.
Watch at home: Dastaar: Defending Sikh Identity. (2012), 0:14.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odUXxeP3EHI
Exam 3
Week Thirteen: Islam, Sufism & The Baha’i (11/24/14)
Reading: “Indian Muslim Tradition” pp. 201-245.
Reading: “Indian Baha’i Tradition” pp. 247-259.
Watch at home: Prophet Muhammad (2:51). Please watch up to 1:45.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FvfFSIQZnI
In class film: The Story of India, “The Meeting of Two Oceans.” (2009) 0:55.
Week Fourteen: Zoroastrianism & Judaism (12/1/14)
Reading: “Indian Zoroastrian Tradition” pp. 150-166.
Reading: “Indian Judaic Tradition” pp. 169-183.
In class film: TBA.
Week Fifteen: Christianity & Conclusions (12/8/14)
Reading: “Indian Christian Tradition” pp. 184-198.
Reading: “Contested Categories” pp. 263-286.
In class film: Father Bede Griffiths: Discovering the Feminine (1993).
Finals Week: Exam 4 & Research Paper Due (12/15/14)
Note: Weeks 13-15 present subject areas that are optional. If enough students express special
interest in other specific topics relevant to the subject of religion in India, the lectures and
readings of these three weeks may be subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.