PL 297: Indian Philosophy

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Indian Philosophy
PL 297, Fall 2005 William Edelglass T Th 11:00-12:15 Lovejoy 215 Office: Lovejoy 252 859-4551 William.Edelglass@colby.edu Office hours: M: 10:30-12:00, T: 1:00-3:00, W: 10:30-12:00, and by appointment. Description: This course is an introduction to some of the central topics, questions, strategies, and styles of Indian Philosophy. We will begin with a brief survey of the early themes and textual traditions that constitute the inspiration for many Indian philosophers: the Vedas, the Upaniads, the Bhagavad-gta, the Laws of Manu, and the early doctrines of Buddhism. This will be followed by a careful reading of Ngrjunas Mlamadhyamakakrik, a book considered by many Buddhists in Central and East Asia to be the most important text in the history of Buddhist philosophy. Then we will look at some central themes that occupied all traditions of classical Indian philosophy after the fifth century CE: What are valid sources of knowledge? What are valid forms of reasoning? Does God exist? What is the nature of the self? Next, we will turn to the ethical teachings of Mahyna Buddhism, Jainism, and Vednta, including how these ethics are applied to personal, social, political, and ecological concerns. Finally, we will reflect on the challenges of interpreting non-western texts, and raise the question of whether we can describe general characteristics of Indian philosophy. Objectives: The aim of this course is twofold: (1) to gain an appreciation for the richness and diversity of Indian philosophical traditions; and (2) to engage philosophically with some of the prominent concerns and strategies of Indian thought. Format: Class meetings will combine informal lecture with seminar-style discussion. Class periods will be devoted to clarifying the most prominent points in the assigned readings and reflecting together on the questions and ideas that they raise. In addition, some class meetings may include brief experiential exercises relevant to the readings. Required Texts: 1. Garfield, The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Ngrjunas Mlamadhyamakakrik (MK) 2. Radhakrishnan and Moore, A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy (SB) 3. Hamilton, Indian Philosophy (IP) 4. ntideva, Bodhicaryvatra, (BCA) In addition, there are a number of required readings on Electronic Reserve (ER). Books on Two-Hour Reserve in Miller Library: 1. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy 2. P.T. Raju, Structural Depths of Indian Thought 3. Potter, Presuppositions of Indias Philosophies 4. King, Indian Philosophy: An Introduction to Hindu and Buddhist Thought 5. Grimes, A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy

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Attendance: You are expected to attend all class meetings, prepared to participate in class discussion. (Attendance also includes bringing the assigned text to class.) Preparation includes at least one careful reading of the assigned text and bringing written questions and notes to class. For each class meeting set aside about three hours for preparation. Participation means an active engagement in class discussion, which may include particularly attentive listening and making space for others, as well as asking other students questions and responding to their comments. Because this class will include much discussion, careful preparation, participation, and regular attendance is necessary for its success. I expect you to make a commitment to attend every class, for your own personal learning, and to contribute to the class community. For this reason, after three absences each further absence will result in your final grade being lowered by one letter. For example, if your final grade were to be a B+, and you missed four classes, then your actual final grade would be a C+. Writing Assignments: Beginning on Tuesday, September 13th, a brief, written response to the reading assignment will be due each class. This daily response should be no more than one page typed single-space and should consist of two elements. First, summarize three main points from the assigned reading for that day. Second, articulate a question, and briefly write why the reading raises this question for you. Though the writing for these daily assignments does not need to be polished, it should reflect a serious and sincere engagement with the text. You are required to hand in thirteen daily assignments during the semester. When computing your grade, each daily assignment will be worth up to five points. Only under extraordinary circumstances will the daily assignments be accepted late. I dont expect you to hand in the daily assignment for classes when another assignment is due. On Tuesday, October 25th, a five-page paper is due in class for peer review. Upon reviewing each others work, you will return the paper with your comments by class on Tuesday, November 1st. The final draft will be due on Tuesday, November 8th. The grade for this paper will reflect how well you were able to incorporate the changes suggested in the peer review process. The paper will be worth up to fifty points. The final paper is due on Monday, December 19th, at 2:00 pm, in my office. This paper will be eight to ten pages, and will be an opportunity for you to explore in depth a theme or question from Indian philosophical traditions. We will go over the expectations for this paper together in class. It will be worth 100 points, or one-third of your grade. All written assignments for this class should be typed, with one-inch margins and twelve-point font. The daily assignments can be single-spaced; the papers should be double-spaced. Put your name, my name, the course title, and the date on the first page. Number and staple the pages, and make sure to keep a copy. In the interest of cutting less tress and using less toxins in the production of paper, I encourage you to print on both sides of the paper when you hand in your work. Many of the diacritical marks necessary for transliterating Sanskrit words are not available on standard fonts. In order to properly transliterate, you will need to download a font with diacritics. I strongly recommend Times Extended Roman, which is available for free download at: http://www.bcca.org/services/fonts/. Your writing should follow the paper checklist that accompanies this syllabus. Please read your papers carefully before handing them in. You should catch all spelling errors and most grammatical errors. Please proofread your paper. Spell checking is not

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the same as proofreading. I strongly suggest that you share your work with another student, as a fresh eye can often catch mistakes or vague writing. Learning to write well-crafted, reflective papers will be one of the most significant foundations of your college education. Writing well is not easy. For many students writing is an intimidating challenge. If you are having difficulty or are feeling overwhelmed, please make an appointment with me; I will be happy to work with you on your writing no matter what level of confidence or skill you happen to have. Also, the Writing Center is available for all students and can assist you in improving your skills in reading, writing, and studying. Their website is: http://www.colby.edu/writers.center/. The Writing Center website has good links that answer many writing questions: http://www.colby.edu/writers.center/writinglinks.html, and also tips for writing: http://www.colby.edu/writers.center/tips.html. For help with writing philosophy papers in particular, see: http://www.philosophypages.com/sy.htm. For bibliographies on Indian philosophy, and to get a sense of current scholarly research on Indian philosophy, see: http://faculty.washington.edu/kpotter/ckeyt/home.htm. Exams: This class will have one in class examination, worth 50 points, and two short vocabulary quizzes, worth ten points each. There will be no final exam. Office Hours: I will have office hours on Monday and Wednesday from 10:30-12:00, and Tuesday from 1:00-3:00. Sometimes office hours can be busy. I would be happy to make an appointment for a longer period of time. You can speak to me after class, call, or email me. Also, I will expect each of you to make an appointment to meet with me once during October to talk about how the semester is going when there is still some time to make some changes and once after Thanksgiving to speak about your final paper. Grading: I believe that receiving honest evaluation from teachers and peers is an important element in learning. I do not believe that giving letter grades is central to the learning process. Throughout the course I will try to communicate clearly about assignments and expectations for excellent work. I will try to be fair, open, and honest about the grading process. College can be very challenging and you may find yourself academically or emotionally overwhelmed. If you are under too much stress, or feel as if you are falling behind, please make an appointment to see me and we can work together to find a way for you to flourish in this class. The final grade for this course will be computed as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Final paper Thirteen daily assignments, five points each Five-page paper In class examination Two vocabulary quizzes, ten points each Peer Review 100 points 65 points 50 points 50 points 20 points 15 points Total = 300 points

PL 297: Indian Philosophy This will translate into letter grades: 300-279: A 278-269 A268-260 B+ 259-248 B 247-239 B238-230 229-218 217-209 208-200 199-188 187-

Edelglass, Fall 2005, p. 4 C+ C CD+ DF

Learning Differences: This class will honor all necessary accommodations for students with documented learning differences. If you have a learning difference or believe you may have a learning difference that requires specific accommodation, please make an appointment with Mark Serdjenian (x4255) in the Deans Office. The Deans Office will then let me know which accommodations are appropriate. Academic Honesty: I support Colbys commitment to academic honesty. Have faith in your own ability to think clearly and creatively. Dont plagiarize.

PL 297: Indian Philosophy Reading Schedule:

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Assignment Date Author 09/08 Th Introduction: syllabus, course goals, and expectations EARLY THEMES AND TEXTUAL TRADITIONS 09/13 T Vedas Hamilton, IP 18-26 The Vedas, SB 8-16, 17-21, 23-24, 25-26, 28-36. Dasgupta, The Vedas, Brhmaas and Their Philosophy ER 10-27 09/15 Th Upani ads Hamilton, IP 27-33 Hiriyanna, The Upaniads ER 48-83 The Upani ads SB 39-42, 45-55, 63-64, 67-76, 93-96 09/20 T Short vocabulary quiz Bhagavad-gta Bhagavad-gta, SB 102-29, 132-38, 143-45, 157-63 Kumar, Bhagavad-gta ER 67-88 Miller, Key Words in the Bhagavad-gta ER 163-68 09/22 Th The Laws of Manu The Laws of Manu, SB 173-92 09/27 T The Four Noble Truths Hamilton, IP 34-56 Hinayana, SB 273-292 14th Dalai Lama, The First Turning of the Wheel ER 15-18 09/29 Th In class examination NGRJUNAS MLAMADHYAMAKAKRIK 10/04 T Garfield, MK 87-135 Rosh Hashanah 10/06 Th Garfield, MK 136-88 10/11 T Fall Break: No Class 10/13 Th Garfield, MK 189-230 Yom Kippur 10/18 T Garfield, MK 231-83 10/20 Th Garfield, MK 284-359 10/25 T FIRST PAPER DUE IN CLASS Discussion, Midcourse Evaluation EPISTEMOLOGY 10/27 Th PramGa: Valid Sources of Cognition Hamilton, IP 70-83 Nyya Stra SB 358-79 Kumar, The Nyya System: The School of Logical Realism ER 291-305 Mohanty, Theory of Knowledge (Prama Theory) ER 15-25, 30-31 11/01 T PEER REVIEW OF FIRST PAPER DUE IN CLASS Nyya: Valid Forms of Reasoning Nyya Stra SB 358-79 Raju, The Nyya and the Architechtonic of Logic ER 192-222

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PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION 11/03 Th Short vocabulary quiz Theism: Nyya, Uttara MmCsa (Vednta), and Yoga Nyyakusumjali of Udayancrya, SB 379-85 The Non-Dualism of a kara, SB 509-17 Kumar, Vednta Philosophy ER 437-66 11/08 T FINAL DRAFT FIRST PAPER DUE IN CLASS Atheism: Buddhism and Crvka Crvka SB 228-49 Raju, The Crvka and Its Anti-Vedic Materialism ER 78-102 Hayes, Principled Atheism in the Buddhist Scholastic Tradition ER 1-17, or: http://www.unm.edu/~rhayes/atheism.pdf ETHICS 11/10 Th Bodhicitta ntideva, Bodhicaryvatra, BCA 3-8, 30-44 14th Dalai Lama, The Benefits of Bodhicitta ER 9-19 11/15 T Pramits on the Bodhisattva Path ntideva, Bodhicaryvatra, BCA 45-104, 138-43 11/17 Th Buddhism and Ecology Kinsley, Buddhism: Ecological Themes ER 84-98 Harris, Ecological Buddhism? ER 171-81 11/22 T Jainism and Ecology Phillips, The Jain Ethics of Non-Injury ER 380-82 Tatia, The Jain Worldview and Ecology ER 3-16 Koller, Jain Ecological Perspectives ER 19-32 11/24 Th Thanksgiving Recess: No Class 11/29 T Nonviolence Chapple, Origins and Traditional Articulations of Ahi s ER 3-20 Gandhi, Non-violence ER 133-41 Gandhi, The Practice of Non-violence ER 94-125 12/01 Th Guest Speaker Prof. Douglas Allen, University of Maine, On Gandhi INTERPETING INDIAN PHILOSOPHY 12/06 T Orientalism, Postcolonialism, and Indian Philosophy Said, Orientalism ER 87-91 King, India and the History of Philosophy ER 1-16, 24-40 Ganeri, Indian Logic and the Colonization of Reason ER 1-22 12/08 Th What is Indian Philosophy? Kapstein, What is Buddhist Philosophy? ER 3-22 Garfield, Philosophy, Religion, and the Hermeneutic Imperative ER 251-60 Krishna, Three Myths about Indian Philosophy ER 3-15 Mohanty, Theory and Practice in Indian Philosophy ER 19-34 12/19 M FINAL PAPER DUE