2020 unit information
Classes and seminars in Trimester 2/Semester 2, 2020 will be online. Physical distancing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will affect delivery of other learning experiences in this unit. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates one week prior to the start of your trimester or semester.
Last updated: 2 June 2020
Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.
1 x 2-hour class per week
Online independent and collaborative learning activities including 1 (one) scheduled online seminar per week
Buddhism is a complex, multi-dimensional religious tradition that is far more diverse in philosophies, doctrines and practices than is generally realized. Buddhism is perhaps also unique amongst World Religions in that many of its core ideas, practices, and spiritual understandings have been taken out of their traditional religious contexts and adapted, appropriated, and employed in secular and non-religious contexts.
This unit introduces students to the rich tapestry of traditions, doctrines, and practices that are found throughout the Buddhist world: both in their traditional and modern expressions. In the traditional contexts, we look at the “how” of Buddhist practice by exploring diverse meditation practices and their accompanying philosophical underpinnings. In modern expressions, we look at how adaptations and appropriations of ancient Buddhist practices such as “mindfulness” have fed into contemporary adaptions of “engaged Buddhism” and “eco-dharma” and how these ideas are impacting on modern worldviews and ideas of “well-being”. We also consider other contemporary expressions of Buddhism such as secular Buddhism, agnostic Buddhism, and atheistic Buddhism.
Students will have the optional opportunity to experiment with Buddhist meditation practices such as insight meditation and Zen meditative techniques.
These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit
At the completion of this unit, successful students can:
Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
Understand and appreciate the variety of interpretative traditions and practices across the Buddhist world
GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
Demonstrate knowledge of the different histories and philosophies of Buddhist traditions
Critically analyse philosophies and practices of Buddhism in both traditional and modern settings
GLO4: Critical thinking
Apply theory to compare and contrast different Buddhist philosophies and practices in the East and the West
GLO8: Global citizenship
These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: ASR205 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
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