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Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:30 am
by Raga Mala
Heya folks,

I took an Eastern religions class two years ago and, as a practicing Theravadin Buddhist I became the de facto Theravada authority in the classroom--I was even able to educate my professor on a point or two. I do not consider myself a great scholar, but over many years of reading and study I do have a pretty solid foundation in the Theravada basics.

That professor recently e-mailed me that she will be out of town for a week this fall and she would like me to come in and teach this year's students a unit on the Theravada. I was wondering if folks here had any input on what they think should be included in a scholastic overview of the Theravada tradition.

I already have significant ideas of what I want to talk about and how I want to structure it, but any input from other Theravadins out there would be much appreciated.

It's about two class periods or about three hours' worth of material/discussion/activity I need to prepare.
[this is a question I already posted at e-sangha. wondering if the folks here have new/different opinions]

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:41 am
by Ben
Hi RM
I'm also going to be giving a presentation to high-school students on the Theravada perspective on death & dying in a couple of weeks.
Perhaps if you give us a precis of what you are going to present and that will allow members to fill in the blanks.
metta

Ben

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:52 am
by Raga Mala
Well, I have no outline, as such, but here is a brainstorm of concepts that I wish to Introduce. She will have already taught basic Buddhism (Life of Siddhattha, 4NT, etc etc), so my job is Theravada-specific:

--Basic history, 1st Council, 2nd Council, arising of Mahaynism, Mahayana "apocrypha" etc

--Meaning of "Theravada" - way of the elders

--Discuss the concept & organization of the Pali Canon.

--"Essential Tenets of Theravadin Buddhism:
---Three Refuges (meaning of refuge, etc)
---Five precepts
---Three marks of existence (though this is not theravada-exclusive, I want to make sure students don't leave teh class without it)
---The three principal Suttas (first discourse, fire sermon, anatta discourse), have them read (at least excerpts) and discuss

Maybe introduce some thought-provoking optional readings by Ven Thanissaro, Ven Bodhi, or Ven Nanamoli...just to get them thinking.

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 3:59 am
by Cittasanto
Raga Mala wrote:Well, I have no outline, as such, but here is a brainstorm of concepts that I wish to Introduce. She will have already taught basic Buddhism (Life of Siddhattha, 4NT, etc etc), so my job is Theravada-specific:

--Basic history, 1st Council, 2nd Council, arising of Mahaynism, Mahayana "apocrypha" etc

--Meaning of "Theravada" - way of the elders

--Discuss the concept & organization of the Pali Canon.

--"Essential Tenets of Theravadin Buddhism:
---Three Refuges (meaning of refuge, etc)
---Five precepts
---Three marks of existence (though this is not theravada-exclusive, I want to make sure students don't leave teh class without it)
---The three principal Suttas (first discourse, fire sermon, anatta discourse), have them read (at least excerpts) and discuss

Maybe introduce some thought-provoking optional readings by Ven Thanissaro, Ven Bodhi, or Ven Nanamoli...just to get them thinking.
Looks like you pretty much have it sorted out!
and that is my last post for a while!!

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:16 am
by Ben
Hi RM
It looks good. When you get time, you might want to start thinking about how you want to structure your discussion.
In a similar situation, I would probably use the concept of the three jewels as the over-arching structure.

Under the heading of 'Buddha', you could include:

- historical social and spiritual context which Siddhartha was borne into
- recount of the bodhisatta's noble quest as per the ariyapariyesana sutta
- revision of the Buddha's life (ministry) from the Bodhi Tree to Parinibbana

Under the heading of 'Dhamma':
- Four Noble Truths (introduce here Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion: SN 56.11)
--Fourth Truth:
---Noble Eightfold Path. What you could do here is divide N8FP in three divisions:
Sabba papassa akaraṇaṃ
Abstain from all sinful actions-that is, all unwholesome actions, physical or vocal, which hurt other beings and disturb their peace and harmony.

The second part of the Path is samadhi-one-pointed concentration of wholesome mind, summed up as:
Kusalassa upasampada
Perform wholesome actions with concentrated, wholesome mind.

The third part is pañña-wisdom or insight, summed up as:
Sacittapariyodapanaṃ
Purify the totality of mind by developing insight.

These three trainings are the teaching of all the Buddhas of the past and will be the teaching of all the Buddhas of the future. That is why it is said,
Etaṃ Buddhana sasanaṃ.
This is the teaching of all the Buddhas.


Or:
Sila:
- Right speech
- Right action
- Right livelihood
Samadhi:
- Right effort
- Right mindfulness
- Right concentration

Panna:
- Right view
- Right intention


Organisation of the Tipitaka
Development of theAbhidhamma

Sangha
- development of the sangha, including the four-fold assembly during the Buddha's lifetime
- vinaya
- role of ordained sangha in maintaining the teachings following the death of the Buddha. Include here the Councils
- Commentarial tradition
-'modern' revivalism

Kind regards

Ben

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:24 am
by BlackBird
A question for you friend. How did you determine the 3 principal suttas?

:anjali:

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 6:12 am
by Raga Mala
Hi Ben,
As I tried to make clear, it's not my place to give a teaching encompassing those parts that might fall under the heading of "general Buddhism," because the Professor will already have covered such matters and won't want me to spend class time re-tracing them. This includes the life story of the bodhisatta and discussion of the 4NT. Instead, I'd like to focus on the things that make Theravada unique--including (as in the case of the "Three Marks") concepts that may have traction in wider Buddhism but are not likely to have been discussed and/or receive special emphasis in the Theravada. It's not meant to be a sermon on the Dhamma, nor a General Buddhism overview, but a general overview of Theravada, and laying down distinctions that will separate and distinguish it from the later discussion on Mahayana.

Here's a good, more specific question I would pose to the group: what are some good seminar questions/discussion questions to spark conversation among the students? Questions I would pose to them and invite them to discuss.

BlackBird wrote:A question for you friend. How did you determine the 3 principal suttas?

:anjali:
Hi BlackBird,
I didn't mean to definitively label them as being "principal," especially not in a way that was intended to demote the rest of the canon to secondary status. However, in a few readings I have encountered, they are grouped together as the three cardinal discourses of the Buddha. E.g.: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el017.html. Obviously the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta has specials tatus among suttas, and the eminence of the Anatta-lakkhana and aditta-pariyaya suttas is attested to, if nothing else, by the frequency with which they are chanted, as compared to other Suttas.

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 6:28 am
by BlackBird
Very good indeed :anjali:

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:40 am
by Mawkish1983
Just a thought but you could make mention of why we have the pali canon in writing at all, maybe mention what happened in Sri Lanka and how Burma helped restart the island's Theravada again later. I think any Theravada-specific discussion should be centred around the canon. :) just a thought

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:45 am
by retrofuturist
Greetings,
Mawkish1983 wrote: I think any Theravada-specific discussion should be centred around the canon. :) just a thought
Yes, with passing mention to the existence of the agamas etc., their likeness to the Pali suttas, and their neglected status in Mahayana Buddhism.

Metta,
Retro. :)

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:39 am
by appicchato
Mawkish1983 wrote:...and how Burma helped restart the island's Theravada again later.
It was the Siamese (Thais), not the Burmese...

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:34 am
by Mawkish1983
appicchato wrote:It was the Siamese (Thais), not the Burmese...
Gotcha :) good thing someone knows what they're talking about! (because, you know, I don't)

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 5:58 pm
by Individual
Raga Mala wrote: --Meaning of "Theravada" - way of the elders
I'd add to this the term "Vibhajjavada" and how it characterizes the teaching method of Theravada.
Raga Mala wrote: --"Essential Tenets of Theravadin Buddhism:
---Three Refuges (meaning of refuge, etc)
---Five precepts
---Three marks of existence (though this is not theravada-exclusive, I want to make sure students don't leave teh class without it)
---The three principal Suttas (first discourse, fire sermon, anatta discourse), have them read (at least excerpts) and discuss
I'd add to this Dependent Origination and Rebirth.

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:03 pm
by vitellius
Or may be this way:

1. Life and teaching of Buddha as presented in Pali Canon
1.1 Structure of Pali Canon
1.2 Buddha's life, including context of other samana traditions
1.3 Main teachings (4NT, 8FNW, 37 factors of enlightenment etc.)

2. Historical development of Theravada Buddhism
2.1 Early Buddhism in India
2.2 Early Theravada in Sri Lanka (Vimuttimagga, Commentaries, Visuddhimagga)
2.3 From middle ages to modern time

3. Modern state of Theravada
3.1 By state
3.2 By subtraditions

Re: Teaching Theravada to College Students

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:48 pm
by Raga Mala
Prof Hanson wanted me to cover the following, per our meeting today. These are broad categories, but what do you think of each:

-->Distinguishing Mahayana from Theravada in the modern world.

-->Reinforcing/clarifying on Anatta

-->Reinforcing/clarifying on Nibbana

-->"Hinayana" meaning/use of term

-->Place of Women in Theravada

-->Similarities between Mahayana/Theravada