Bhikkhu Analayo will be offering an online course which compares Chinese and
Pali versions of some suttas:
http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/index.php?id=121&L=0
E-learning Course
*Purification, Ethics and Karma in Early Buddhist Discourse -*
*Studies in the Madhyama-**ā**gama***
**An e-learning online course by Bhikkhu Anālayo
Thursdays 18.15 to 19.45 CEST
14 April - 21 July 2011
Online registration starts on the 15 February 2011 on this webpage
The main purpose of the course is to introduce central themes of Buddhist
thought from an historical-critical perspective through the medium of a
comparative study of the early discourses. Extracts from the *Madhyama-**ā**
gama*preserved in Chinese will be made available in English translation to
participants, so that these can be compared with their Pāli counterparts,
which mostly, but not exclusively, are found in the *Majjhima-nik**ā**ya*.
The course follows the order of the discourses in the *Madhyama-**ā**gama *so
as to give the participants an opportunity for a first-hand impression of
this collection, so far not available in translation in any European
language. The coverage of the first chapters of this collection during the
course held in 2011 will alternate between brief surveys of some discourses
and in-depth studies of other discourses (see below for the discourses
selected for this term).
Participants are expected to have a basic acquaintance with central ideas of
Buddhism. There are, however, no language requirements apart from a
reasonable degree of fluency in English. Participation in the course would
provide those who are relatively new to the early discourses with a
first-hand understanding of early Buddhism through textual study of the
primary sources. At the same time, the course should also be of interest to
those who, being already well familiar with the Pāli canon, are interested
in the differences and similarities between the Pāli discourses and parallel
versions transmitted by other early Buddhist traditions. In the present
case, the parallels taken into consideration are from the*Madhyama-**ā**gama
* translated into Chinese towards the end of the 4th century, a collection
that with considerable probability stems from a Sarvāstivāda line of
transmission.
The course is open for free participation after online registration for
a) "active participants"
b) "passive participants"
The e-learning platform of the University of Hamburg allows a limited number
of "active participants", which can directly participate in the discussions
during the online lecture. Though not meant for university students only,
the option of becoming an "active participant" would be appropriate for
students who wish to get credits, which requires regular and active
participation as well as preparing a written outline of a paper and
presenting this online during the course.
The number of "passive participants" is not limited, so that anyone
interested can gain access to the lectures through previous registration.
This option allows viewing the lecture either live or else at any time of
convenience later on. During the week that follows each lecture, an internet
forum will enable discussion and an exchange of opinions among participants.
Some of the points that have arisen during these discussions will be taken
up at the beginning of the subsequent lecture, so that in this way passive
participants have an indirect way of also giving an input to the lecture.
Technical requirements for participation are an internet connection and
Adobe Flash Player, which is available for free download on the internet and
is already installed in most computers. For "active" participation, a webcam
and a microphone are moreover required (i.e. the basic technical set-up for
being able to skype etc.). The managing of the access to the course does not
require any specialist knowledge and should thus not be a barrier for
participation.
These discourses selected from the *Madhyama-**ā**gama* for a more detailed
study are in one way or another related to the topics of "purification",
"ethics" and "karma", which are the central themes that will be explored
during the course. These discourses are:
Discourse:
Pāli Parallel:
Topic:
MĀ 9
MN 24 *Rathavin**ī**ta-sutta*
the seven purifications
MĀ 10
MN 2 *Sabb**ā**sava-sutta*
seven methods for removing the*ā**sava*s
MĀ 14
MN 61 *Ambala**ṭṭ**hik**ā**r**ā**hulov**ā**da-sutta*
basics of ethical conduct
MĀ 15
AN 10.208 *Karajak**ā**ya-sutta*
karma
MĀ 16
AN 3.65, *Kesamutti-* / "*K**ā**l**ā**ma-sutta*"
principles underlying ethical conduct
MĀ 27
MN 97 *Dh**ā**nanj**ā**ni-sutta*
karma and *mett**ā*
As a preparation for the course, in order to acquaint themselves with
central tenets of early Buddhism and to acquire some familiarity with
reading the discourses participants are kindly requested to study:
- Bhikkhu Bodhi 2005: *In the Buddha's Words*, Boston: Wisdom,
During the course, participants will need to consult regularly:
- Bhikkhu Bodhi (ed.) 2000: *The Middle Length Discourses*, Boston:
Wisdom.
Bankei
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