Spring 2023

SASIAN R5B 001 - LEC 001

Formerly South Asian R5B

India in the Writer's Eye

Lives of the Buddha

Petra Lamberson

Jan 17, 2023 - May 05, 2023

Tu, Th

11:00 am - 12:29 pm

Wheeler 30

Class #:23131

Units: 4

Instruction Mode: In-Person Instruction

Offered through South and Southeast Asian Studies

Current Enrollment

Total Open Seats: 2

Enrolled: 15

Waitlisted: 0

Capacity: 17

Waitlist Max: 3

No Reserved Seats

Hours & Workload

3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week, and 9 hours of outside work hours per week.

Reading and composition in connection with eastern and western representations of India, and other Asian cultures, in great works of modern literature. Satisfies the second half of the reading and composition requirement.

Class Description

What does it mean to “wake up”? How might the life story of the Buddha suggest alternative possibilities for interpreting experience? This course will explore the plural “lives” of the Buddha in two senses: the multiple tellings of the life of the historical Shakyamuni Buddha and his awakening, on the one hand, and the stories of past lives of the Buddha (jātakas), on the other. Through these life stories, we will have occasion to more deeply explore some aspects of Buddhist thought, such as the doctrine of no-self, the elusive concept of nirvana, and the practice of great compassion. Readings will span from ancient India to modern Nepal and beyond and will be supplemented by artwork and film. This course satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition (R&C) requirement. Students will extend the skills learned in the first half of the requirement, supplementing analysis of primary sources with the incorporation of secondary sources (i.e., scholarship) in their reading and writing, as well as building original research skills. The course stresses close reading and rereading, writing, revising, and research. After frequent, short writing assignments and a midterm paper, the course culminates in a longer research paper, in which students delve into an aspect of the Buddha’s life story of their choosing and apply the inquisitive reading and research skills developed throughout the semester.

Rules & Requirements

Requisites

Previously passed an R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Previously passed an articulated R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Score a 4 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature and Composition. Score a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition. Score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English.