Theravada Buddhist Stories: Ancient Texts to Modern Film (3 credits)
Course Syllabus Excerpt
- Jan – Apr 2011, Tue / Thu 10:00-11:00 Buchanan B218
- Instructor: Jessica L. Main, jessica.main@ubc.ca, (604) 822-9305, C.K. Choi Building, Room 283
- Office hours: TBA
Course Description: The course will examine Theravada Buddhism, the Buddhism of Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, through stories both ancient and modern. Stories tend to complicate or reverse the most organized, academic accounts of Buddhist doctrine. Moreover, telling and listening to stories tends to be the way that many Buddhists experience their religion. For example, the sasana, the Buddhist tradition in history, tells stories to transmit the teachings. These stories open windows on Theravada society, philosophy, infrastructure, and image. The goal of this course is to become conscious of how we read and view stories, styles of interpretation, and point of view, and to become capable of more nuanced interpretations of narratives within Theravada Buddhism. We will proceed in four parts: (1) ; Beginnings: good guys and bad guys; (2) Classical chronicles: kings, missionaries, and commentators; (3) Medieval tales: monastics, the laity, and the six‐fold world; (4) Modern films: popular film and documentary styles. Prerequisites: ASIA 250 or permission of the instructor.
Coursepack and textbooks: Textbooks and coursepacks will be available for purchase at the UBC Bookstore. Bibliographic information for selected course texts and recommended further reading:
- Gombrich, Richard F. Theravāda Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo. 2nd ed. Routledge, 2006. [Online through UBC library]
- Nyanaponika, Thera, Hellmuth Hecker, and Bhikkhu Bodhi. Great Disciples of the Buddha: Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2003.
- Malalasekera, Gunapala Piyasena. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Published for the Pāli Text Society by Luzac, 1960.
- Rhys Davids, T. W. and Stede, William. The Pāli Text Society’s Pāli-English Dictionary. Pāli Text Society, 1998.
- Anne Ruth Hansen & Judy Ledgerwood, eds. At the Edge of the Forest: Essays on Cambodia, History, and Narrative in Honor of David Chandler. SEAP Publications, 2008.
- Strong, John. The Buddha: A Short Biography. Oneworld, 2001.
- Ling, Trevor O. Buddhism and the Mythology of Evil: A Study in Theravāda Buddhism. Allen and Unwin, 1962.
- Potraits of Buddhist Women: Stories from the Saddharmaratnāvaliya. Trans. Rajini Obeyesekere. SUNY, 2001.
- The Questions of King Milinda [Milindapañha], 2 Vols. Trans. T.W. Rhys Davids. New York: Dover, 1963.
- The Grateful Elephant: And Other Stories from the Pāli. Trans. Eugene Watson Burlingame. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1923.
Film:
- Film: “Tum Teav” by Samang Fai (105 min). 2003. (Cambodia)
- Film: “Anna and the King” by Andy Tennant (148 min). 1999. (Thailand)
- Film: “Mekhong Full Moon Party (Sibha kham doan sib ed)” by Jira Maligool (119 min). 2002. (Laos)
- Film: “Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country” (84 min). 2008. (Burma)
- Film: “OK Baytong” by Nonzee Nimibutr (min). 2003. (Thailand)
Assessment and Grading: Your course work for the semester will be weighted as follows:
- 2 short papers (1000 – 1500 words) 2 x 20%
- 2 critical responses (700 words) 2 x 15%
- 1 in-class presentation 20%
- Class participation/preparation/effort 10%
- <no final exam>
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