BUDDHISM IN JAPAN
Rel 490
Spring, 2002 T 1:30-4:00 Sak A-302
George J. Tanabe, Jr.
Sakamaki A-303, Ph. 956-4204
Office Hours: TR 9:30-10:30 and by appointment
Texts: Wm. Theodore de Bary, et al., Sources of Japanese Tradition, second edition
Various handouts
Course requirements: class attendance, midterm exam (100 points), research paper (100 pts.)
Website: www2.hawaii.edu/~gtanabe

SCHEDULE (Numbers in parentheses indicate readings in text)
Jan. 15 Introduction: What is Buddhism?
22 Shinto (3-40)
29 Prince Shōtoku (40-62) and Nara Buddhism (100-121)
Feb. 5 Saichō and Tendai Buddhism (123-152)
12 Library workshop with Ross Christensen at Hamilton Library 114.
19 Kūkai and Shingon Buddhism (153-204)
26 Pure Land Buddhism and Its Critics(211-237)
Mar. 5 Nichiren Buddhism (292-305) and Medieval Shinto (336-363)
12 Zen Buddhism (306-335)
19 Exam
26 Holiday: Spring Break
Apr. 2 Guest speaker from Ryūkoku University: True Pure Land Buddhism
9 Student reports:
16 Student reports:
23 Student reports:
30 Student reports:
May 7 Student reports:
Research papers due

Course Overview
This course is divided into two sections. The first half of the course will be an overview of the major Buddhist sectarian traditions, which will be examined through class lectures and readings from Sources of Japanese Tradition (second edition). This section ends with an exam consisting of terms to be explained and an essay question.
The second half of the course will be devoted to a study of the history, rituals and deities of Shingon Buddhism. This study will take advantage of the Sacred Treasures of Mt. Kōya exhibition of Shingon Buddhist art at the Honolulu Academy of Arts from September 1 to November 10, 2002. Breaking a long tradition of never exhibiting its art outside of Japan, the Kōyasan Shingon sect is sending some of its most spectacular sculpture, paintings, calligraphy and ritual objects for this exhibition. Using photographs and descriptions of the objects, the class will attempt to read into the complex forms and stylizations of Shingon art and arrive at a clear understanding of the worldview, values, teachings, and practices of Shingon Buddhism, which is one of the least understood traditions in Japan.
At the beginning of the course, each student will select an object from the exhibition as the subject of a research paper. By the second half of the course, students should have completed enough research to present a report in class of their findings. Certain information from the research papers may be selected for use in the exhibition catalogue, which is being prepared by Willa Tanabe, Dean of the School of Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Studies. If students agree to have their work used in this way, they will be given credit by name in the acknowledgments section of the catalogue.