Course program
Introduction to the Philosophic-religious Doctrines of East Asia.
Lessons will be focused on the presentation and analytical comment of the philosophical-religious themes contained in the course and exam text, with reference to the ontological, soteriological, and eschatological aspects expressed therein, contextualized and articulated within the geo-cultural and historical macro-area of reference.
Prerequisites
Having passed the exam of the first chosen Oriental language.
Books
Reference Texts and Bibliography
All students, all curricula, including non-attending students.
Williams, Paul, Il buddhismo Mahayana. La saggezza e la compassione, Ubaldini Editore, Rome, 1990 (pp. 49–317). Department of Oriental Studies Library Bookshelf mark: IND 4C 773 29; IND 6 C 752. All students, all curricula, including non-attending students.
Handouts on Mahāyāna Buddhism (available on Classroom). All students, all curricula, including non-attending students.
Rossi, Donatella (ed.) and various authors, Fili di Seta. Introduzione al pensiero filosofico-religioso dell' Asia, Astrolabio Ubaldini Editore, Rome, 2018. Department of Oriental Studies Library Bookshelf mark: OR C 427, 427bis, 427ter. Only the chapters relating to the first language studied:
Chinese language, pp. 275–461;
Korean language, pp. 463–594;
Japanese language, pp. 595–688.
Handouts on Korean Buddhism (available on Classroom). For Korean language students only.
Handouts on Japanese Religious Traditions (available on Classroom). For Japanese Language students only.
Power Point slides of Lessons I, II, and III on Early Buddhism (available on Classroom).
For students whose first language is not an East Asian language:
Williams, Paul, Il buddhismo Mahayana. La saggezza e la compassione, Ubaldini Editore, Rome, 1990 (pp. 49–317). Department of Oriental Studies Library Bookshelf mark: IND 4C 773 29; IND 6 C 752.
Handouts on Mahāyāna Buddhism (available on Classroom).
Power Point slides of Lessons I, II, and III on Early Buddhism (available on Classroom).
A complete section of choice from:
Rossi, Donatella (ed.) and various authors, Fili di Seta. Introduzione al pensiero filosofico-religioso dell' Asia, Astrolabio Ubaldini Editore, Rome, 2018. Department of Oriental Studies Library Bookshelf mark: OR C 427, 427bis, 427ter. (For example, China, Korea, Japan, or Tibet [pp. 109–274]).
Frequency
Attendance at lectures is strongly recommended.
The course adopts a critical and comparative approach to sources and texts, complemented by moments of discussion and guided analysis. Attendance facilitates the understanding of concepts and technical terminology through direct interaction with the lecturer.
Exam mode
An oral test to be carried out at the end of the course.
The objective of the oral exam is to ascertain the actual achievement of the expected learning outcomes by the student in reference to all the five Dublin Descriptors. It will be implemented as an open unstructured stimulus test consisting of a presentation of about five minutes, without power point, on a chosen topic related to the religions of the first language studied, plus a question on Great Vehicle Buddhism (e.g. the Four Noble Truths, what does Buddha mean, the doctrine of Madhyamaka in China, Wŏnhyo and his doctrines, the Pure Land Schools in Japan).
The oral exam is evaluated in thirtieths and is considered passed with a grade not inferior to 18/30. The student must demonstrate that s/he has acquired solid knowledge of the cultural topics related to the subject-matter and is able to describe them in a congruous and convincing manner, using a correct Italian in the appropriate academic style. To achieve a score of 30/30 with honors the student must demonstrate that s/he has acquired excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course and is able to articulate their appreciation in a logical, coherent, critical, and creative way.
Bibliography
Williams, Paul, Il buddhismo Mahayana. La saggezza e la compassione, Ubaldini Editore, Rome, 1990, pp. 49–317.
Rossi, Donatella (ed.) and various authors, Fili di Seta. Introduzione al pensiero filosofico-religioso dell’Asia, Astrolabio Ubaldini Editore, Rome, 2018.
Handouts on Buddhismo Mahayana, available on Classroom.
Handouts on Buddhismo Coreano, available on Classroom.
Handouts on Tradizioni Religiose del Giappone, available on Classroom.
PowerPoint slides of Lessons I, II, and III on Buddhismo antico, available on Classroom.
Lesson mode
The course will take place during the first semester and will follow an interactive seminar style. The Teaching Methods adopted include: a) frontal lessons (DD1); b) sessions of comparative evaluation of cases and hypotheses analyzed (DD2); c) critical-analytical audio-vision of multimedia material as well as attendance, whenever possible, at specialized lectures and conferences (DD3); debates on specific topics presented in or connected to the reference text (DD4); methodological lessons (DD5).
