Marty Schmidt
Hong Kong International School
"Who is Buddha?" Fall, 2004-2005
Home
Summer '04 NEH & Family Pictures
Course Syllabus
|
Jataka Tales
|
Day 1: Introduction
and Jataka Tales 1) Website: Go over course syllabus and introduce expecations of the class 2) Brainstorm: Students write what they know about Buddhism already and what they want to know about Buddhism (perhaps on the board). 3) Jataka Tales in groups: Read, summarize as cartoon, act out, etc. Generate more questions about Buddhism. HW: (1) Begin reading about the Buddha's life using Prince Siddartha:
The Story of the Buddha (other possibilities: use Trainor book). |
 Siddartha's 4 Passing Sights: Old Age, Sickness, Death, and an Ascetic Meditating |
Day 2: Buddha's world and Buddha's life
1) Debrief geography homework, map, and basic questions about the 3 schools of Buddhism. 2) More Jataka Tales: Read in pairs, share story, and note characteristics of the Buddha as well as questions about Buddhism from the stories. 3) Begin the movie "Little Buddha" excerpts HW: Read more about Buddha's life; assign in-class presentations Buddhist In-Class Presentation Assignment Sheet Buddhist In-class Presentations Resource Additional information: Buddha's
Life in 32 Excerpts |
 The god Shiva of the Hindu Tradition |
Day 3: Buddha's Life: Context 1) Lecture (25 min): The Hindu world of the Buddha 2) "Little Buddha" excerpts continued and discussion 3) Some in-class work on their in-class presentation HW: (1) In-class presentation tomorrow |
|
Yama, the Lord of Death, holds all of Life in his bite, symbolizing the intractable grip of samsara on the lives of all - from the depths of hell to the heights of heaven, including the human domain.
This Wheel of Life image comes from exoticindiaart.com, the excellent website from which you are doing your research for the in-class presentation. |
Day 4: In-class presentations on Buddhism using |
|
Major Events of the Buddha's Life |
Day 5: Basic Buddhist concepts 1) Choose projects and books for the quarter 2) Lecture/discussion on basic Buddhist concepts HW: Prepare for writing quiz using Buddha's life, Jataka tales, in-class presentations and lecture/discussions about the Hindu world of the Buddha and basic Buddhist concepts. Projects and Books Assignment Sheet |
 |
Day 6: Writing quiz in the lab. 1) In-class writing 2) Work on "Who Am I?" paper. HW: Finish "Who Am I?" papers; short reading on Vipassana
meditation. |
|
Bo Lozoff and his wife, Sita Bo's work promotes meditation and other spiritual practices in prisons in his home state of North Carolina and in other parts of the US. |
Day 7: Share and beginning about meditation 1) Share either in small groups or in large group, depending on student input. 2) Reading on Buddhist meditation: Vipassana HW: Read more meditation Bo Lozoff's Human Kindness Organization
|
|
|
Day 8: Theravada Buddhism and meditation
HW: Start working on project/read book on Buddhism Additional information on Buddhist Monasticism
|
 Teacher of Vipassana Meditation, SN Goenka, who has revitalized Buddhist meditation around the world. |
Day 9: Meditation continued 1) Finish "Doing Time, Doing Vipassana" 2) In-class writing about meditation HW: Begin reading "Story of Caravan Leader Simhala"-
Excerpt from Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and
Rituals of Newar Buddhism by Todd Lewis |
 Buddhist Monks Doing Prostrations |
Day 10: Mahayana Buddhism HW: Finish "Story of Caravan Leader Simhala"- Excerpt
from Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals
of Newar Buddhism by Todd Lewis |
|
Newari Householders in a Temple in Nepal
Newari priest Naresh explains Nepali Buddhist rituals. |
Day 11: Lived Buddhism in Mahayana Tradition Additional information: Naresh's Guru Mandala Arcana Explanation |
|
Hong Kong's Chi Lin Nunnery, built as an imitation of a Tang Dynasty style nunnery. |
Day 12: Panel discussion with nuns from Chi Lin Nunnery HW: Prepare presentations and read book Additional information on Buddhist monasticism
|
 Kuan Yin, Goddess of Compassion |
Day 13: Debrief experience, prepare for
field trip, and time to work on presentation. Show pictures of Kuan Yin. HW: Presentation and book |
 Serene Courtyard at the Chi Lin Nunnery, Hong Kong |
Day 14: Visit to Chi Lin Nunnery (and Kuan Yin in Stanley?)
HW: Presentation and book |
|
|
Day 15: Debrief experience; work day on projects 1) Class presentation 2) Final course writing: 1-page single-spaced writing which picks one main concept that you learned from this course. You should incorporate class materials, the book that you read, field trips, and your personal reflections. HW: Class presentation, book, final writing, and preparation to visit the students. |
|
Vietnamese Monks Performing Prayers |
Day 16: Class presentations |
|
Buddhist Protector Deity |
Day 17: Class presentations |
|
Many-headed Avalokiteshvara, Tibetan God of Compassion |
Day 18: Class presentations |
|
The Eight-Fold Path |
Day 19: We as a class will "turn the wheel of Dharma"
by sharing what we've learned this quarter with a visit to the Lower
Primary School. In pairs you will teach a Buddhist story, concept
or practice to HKIS primary school students. This resource has many helps to teach
about Buddhism to primary school children. |
|
The course may be over, but the journey towards enlightenment continues! |
Day 20: Concluding class 1) Sharing of what we have learned in this class 2) Course evaluation. |
Additional Information and Links from NEH Summer Institute:
1. Stupa information (Lori)
2. Make a Tibetan prayer flag (Lori, Teresa)
3. Zen Garden and other Zen resources (Lori)
4. Museusm: Los Angelas County Museum (Chris)
5. Samsara Cosmology Chart (Heng Shun)
6. 4 Vows of Bodhisattbva (Heng Shun)
7. Buddhist Reader and Index (Heng Shun)
8. Dung Guan Resources (Heng Shun)
9. Show Mudras (Teresa, Karen)
10. Interpreting Tibetan Art (Teresa, Karen)
11. Exploring the Mandala (Lisa) - "Looking Exercise"
Mandala video clip (Teresa)
12. More Jataka Tales (Karen)
13. Outline map for Asia (Jared)
14. Buddhism and Hinduism resources (Jared)
15. Explore a Chinese Temple (Jared)
16. Jakata Tale about wife throwing throwing herself on her husband's funeral pyre (Denise)
This site was created by Marty Schmidt at the NEH Summer Institute "Cultures and Religions of the Himalayan Region," held at the College of the Holy Cross, Summer 2004