Phil B32: Eastern Religion
Professor McNellis
Critical Essay, Exam #3
On Buddhism: The Story of Buddhism by Donald Lopez
(Anticipate writing approximately 4double-spaced paged essay or 2-2 1/2 single-spaced essay)
This critical essay exam is due Wednesday, December 9in my office, FACE 15a, between 11 am and 11:50 am. Note: our original final date is Monday, December 7 from 10-11:50. I’m changing that. You may turn in your exam anytime before Wednesday at 11; and if I am not there when you turn in your exam, just slide your exam under my door. I will get it!
Any exams turned in after 11:50 will be subject to a half grade reduction. Expect a full grade reduction for every day not turned in after the due date. Overall, don’t exceed 5 pages in writing! This exam expects you to write one clear, coherent, and cohesive essay addressing all the questions and issues raised in any one of the given five critical essay topics.Think hard and do well!
This exam is not evaluating you on remote memorization. Instead, I’d rather like to think that this exam reflects a more comprehensible and consequential approach to assessment. Its attempt is to provide you with the following: 1) the opportunity to reflect on the material your learning in a meaningful and significant way; and 2) more time for you to construct a thoughtful, intelligent, and substantive response to the questions. My intention then is that you will actually remember more about what you have learned in the course than otherwise. If this exam fails to do that, please inform me.
Grades will be given using the following criteria:
A: Content (Demonstrates superb knowledge of both lecture and reading. And shows talented and superb ability to put content in one’s own terms and relate material to other things.) Presentation (written in an especially clear, coherent, and cohesive style and format)
B: Content (Demonstrates strong knowledge of content from lecture and reading. And shows above average ability to put content in one’s own terms and relate to other similar contexts.) Presentation (written in a clear, coherent, and cohesive style and format)
C: Content (Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of content from lecture and/or reading; or demonstrates strong knowledge from lecture alone -- this is not to copy my lecture notes verbatim. And shows only minimum ability to put content in one’s own terms and relate content to other more familiar terms.) Presentation (written in a clear to unclear and readable but not necessarily cohesive style and format)
D: Content (Demonstrates basic knowledge of content from lecture and/or reading. And does not show ability to put content in one’s own terms.) Presentation (written in a less clear, less coherent, and less cohesive style and format.)
F: Content (Fails to demonstrate any understanding of lecture and reading.) Presentation (written in an unclear and less cohesive style and format)
CRITICAL ESSAY TOPICS: You may choose from any oneof these essay questions:
A)Explain the role of karma in the Buddhist understanding of the cosmos by evaluating the following quote: “The beings of the universe have been reborn without beginning in six realms, as gods, demigods, humans, animals, ghosts, and hell beings. Their actions create not only their individual experiences of pleasure and pain, but also the domains in which they dwell.” (pp. 19)
B)The Mahayana tradition spends a lot of time on the notion of shunyata, or emptiness. Explain how shunyata is connected to 1) the idea of Buddha-nature, or tathagata garba, and 2) the notion of anatman, or no self. Be sure to mention all five aggregates, or skandhas.
C)Explain the new role of the Bodhisattva Ideal within Mahayana Buddhism, noting the main differences with Theravada Buddhism. Be sure to outline the major characteristics. Finally, if you can, try to relate how the person of a Bodhisattva would compare with the chun-tzu, or superior person, in Confucianism.
D)Briefly outline the story of Siddhartha Gautama, noting well the mythological connections of the story to how a Buddhism practioner is supposed to go about his/her religious understanding and practice. What is the role of Siddhartha and why is he significant within both the traditions of Theravada and Mahayana? After becoming the Buddha, does this mean he is the only Buddha? Explain. (Be sure to discuss the 4 Noble-Truths and the Buddha-bodies in the context of the story of Siddhartha. In other words, don’t just list the 4 Noble Truths. Explain them.).