京都大学 京都大学

The History of Eastern Thought I-E2

Numbering Code U-LAS00 10012 LE34 Year/Term 2022 ・ First semester
Number of Credits 2 Course Type Lecture
Target Year All students Target Student For liberal arts students
Language English Day/Period Wed.2
Instructor name CATT, Adam Alvah (Graduate School of Letters Associate Professor)
Outline and Purpose of the Course This course is designed as an introduction to early eastern philosophical and religious thought. We will begin with a reading of early Indian Vedic literature and then turn our focus to Zoroastrianism and early and later forms of Buddhism.
Course Goals By the end of this course, students will have gained a basic understanding of eastern philosophical and religious thought.
Schedule and Contents The course is divided into the following four sections, each with a different theme.

1. Introduction (about 2 weeks)
Indo-Iranian and Indo-European origins; shared cultural, linguistic, and religious material; comparative mythology

2. The Vedas and Upanishads (about 5 weeks)
Vedic and the Vedic world: language, texts, and ritual; the Rigveda and the Upanishads

3. Zoroastrianism (about 4 weeks)
Zoroaster and his world; Zoroastrian religion and literature; shared Indo-Iranian religious and cultural themes

4. Buddhism (about 3 weeks)
The Buddha; Buddhist texts and schools; Japanese Buddhism

Feedback (1 week)
Evaluation Methods and Policy Grades are based on attendance/class participation (30%), and assignments/exams (70%). Important: If you miss four or more classes, you will not be given credit for the course.
Course Requirements None
Study outside of Class (preparation and review) Readings will be assigned on a weekly basis, and you will be expected to prepare sufficiently for each class. In addition, there are brief writing assignments for each section.
Textbooks Textbooks/References Relevant materials will be provided in class.
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