Lesson 1 (3-3-04) Lesson 2 (10-3-04) Lesson 3 (17-3-04) Lesson 4 (24-3-04)
Lesson 5 (31-3-04) Lesson 6 (7-4-04) Lesson 7 (14-4-04) Lesson 8 (22-4-04)
Lesson 9 (28-4-04) 2004 Exam Questions
Module 1 : Fundamental Doctrines of Early Buddhism - by Emeritus Professor Y. Karunadasa
The course will begin with a review of socio-cultural and religio-philosophical background against which Buddhism arose in order to understand Buddhist doctrines from a broad historical perspective. The main focus will be on the following themes :
1) Buddhist view of individual existence as shown by the Three Signata and Dependent Origination
2) Four Noble Truths as the Buddhist diagnosis of the human condition and the Buddhist Way to Freedom
3) Analysis of individual existence into khandha, ayatana, and dhatu
4) Anatta-doctrine and the concept of person
5) Analysis of mind and mental development
6) Buddhist teachings relating to theory of knowledge, the universe, world-systems
7) Theory and practice of moral life
8) Nibbana as the final goal of Buddhism
Reference
Venerable Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, Gordon Fraser, London, 1959.
Venerable Narada Mahathera, The Buddha and His Teachings, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Singapore 1990.
Padmasiri de Silva, An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology, London, 1979.
David J. Kalupahana, Buddhist Ethics, Hawaii University Press, 1999.
W.S Karunatratne, The Theory of Causality in Early Buddhism, Deepani Printers and Publishers, Nugegoda, 1988.