Description

TMS – Religions of the East: Paths To Enlightenment Course Syllabus Lecture 1  The Nature of Religion and How Asian Religions Complicate Things Lecture 2    Hinduism Before Hinduism: Vedic Religion Lecture 3    Hinduism as a Way of Wisdom Lecture 4    Hinduism as a Way of Devotion Lecture 5    Sikhism: The Way of the Disciples Lecture 6    Hinduism and Sikhism in America Lecture 7    Theravada Buddhism: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha Lecture 8    Mahayana Buddhism: Emptiness and Compassion Lecture 9    Zen Buddhism: Koans and Zaze Lecture 10  Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama Lecture 11  Buddhism in America Lecture 12  Confucianism: Becoming Human by Becoming Social Lecture 13  Daoism: Becoming Human by Becoming Natural Lecture 14  Pop Goes the Buddha: Asian Religions in Popular Culture    The main aim of this course is to cultivate basic literacy in the principal religions of Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. This course explores the origins of these religious traditions in Asia and their transplantation to the United States. The course focuses on three related issues: why religion matters, what the term “religion” means, and how Asian religions— especially Buddhism and Confucianism—wonderfully complicate that term.