MA/MPhil

MA/MPhil in Pali Studies

PST 601: Editing and Translating Pali Texts

Objective: to teach the methods of editing and translating texts in order to acquire competence to produce critical editions and translations of Pali texts.

Course Content: Problems of both editing and translating a Pali text and the possible solutions to them will be discussed in the light of the methods employed by the editors and translators of Pali texts and those of related languages. The theoretical and the practical components of reading various Pali scripts (Sinhala, Thai, Lanna, Burmese etc), handle and record manuscripts, draw genealogical trees of manuscripts, assign sigla to manuscripts, record variant readings, recognize corruptions, use abbreviations, identify metres, find parallels, use electronic means, write introductions, translate idiomatically, and prepare indices and bibliographies.

PST 602: Abhidharma Literature

Objective: to study the origin and development of the Abhidharma literature in the Theravada and other schools of Buddhism.

Course Content : An attempt will be made to trace the origins of the Abhidhamma method in the Suttas and other early canonical texts, paying special attention to the Niddesa and the Pa   tisambhidamaggaŒ magga that represent the beginnings of the Abhidhamma method of analysis. A study of the contents of the seven canonical Abidhamma texts of the Theravada tradition and the seven Abhidharma texts of the Sarvastivada tradition will be carried out. Introduction of the extant post canonical Abhidharma literature, including the commentaries in Pali, Sanskrit and Chinese with a view to understanding the independent growth of the Abhidharma literature in the different traditions as well as the mutual influences between them will be taught.

PST 603: Textual Study

Objective: to develop textual analytical skills through a detailed study of one of the texts selected from among the Suttanipata, the Theragatha, the Therigatha, the Petakopadesa, theNettippakarana and the Visuddhimagga.

Course Content : The study will involve a critical discussion of the chronology of the text, its grammatical and literary characteristics, the doctrine, ideology or philosophy it represents, its significance in the history of Pali literature and the development of Buddhist ideas.

PST 604: Vinaya Literature.

Objective:to provide a comprehensive knowledge of the Vinaya texts, commentaries (atthakatha) and sub commentaries (tika).

Course Content : The following topics will be covered in this course: (1) Parajikapali (2) Pacittiyapali and Parivarapali (3) Cullavaggapali and Mahavaggapali (4) Samantapasadika Vinaya Commentary (5) Vinayavinicchayatika (6) Post Vinaya Texts.

PST 605: Pali Grammatical Literature .

Objective: to familiarize grammatical texts such as Kaccayana, Moggallana, and Saddaniti and critically examine their contents, author, period, and importance.

Course Content : Identification of differences among various traditions and to study the grammatical texts composed with reference to these traditions and their grammatical features and literary style, and a substantial study on the following topics: (1) A review of opinions regarding the origin of Pali grammar, (2) Kaccayana Pali, (3) Moggallana Pali, (4) Saddaniti, (5) Texts composed with reference to Kaccayana, (6) Texts composed with reference to Moggallana, (7) Texts composed with reference to Saddaniti, and (8) Post Grammatical texts.

PST 606: Buddhist Sanskrit Texts

Objective: to improve the ability to read and understand the contents of the prescribed texts in original Buddhist Sanskrit language.

Course Content : In this course attention will be paid to the discussion of the chronology of the selected texts. The texts will be studied paying special attention to the development of Buddhalogical speculations and other religions and philosophical concepts representing the origin and evolution of Mahayana Buddhist teachings; Translation into Sinhala/ English from the prescribed texts; Two of the following texts will selected for studying: (1) The Divyavadana, (2) The Mahavastu, (3) The Saddharmapundarikasutra,                        (4) The Lankavatarasutra, (5) The Aryasalistambasutra, and (6) The Sukhavativyuhasutra (both cula and maha).

MA/Mphil in Buddhist Studies

BST 601: Theravada Abhidhamma Objective: to study the Theravada Abhidhamma as represented in the Pali Abhidhammapitaka, the Abhidhamma commentaries, and post-commentarial Abhidhamma texts. Course Content: Attention will be paid to the origin and development of the canonical Abidhamma with special reference to the traditional Theravada view that the Abhidhammapitaka consists of the words of the Buddha. In this course a thorough examination of the relationship between dhamma and abhidhamma, the development of the abhidhamma method and the distinctive features of the abhidhamma in comparison with the sutta literature, characteristics of the abhidhamma philosophy, developments in the abhidhamma in the analysis of mind and matter, new Buddhist concepts in the abhidhamma and the factors that led to their introduction and major doctrinal developments of the Abhidhamma period will be attempted.

BST 602: Buddhist Counseling Psychology

Objective: to provide the student with a theoretical knowledge as well as practical experience in Buddhist counseling psychology. (The student is expected to have a basic understanding of modern principles and methods of counseling and to be able to relate them to those known to the Buddhist tradition.)

Course Content: The main topics covered in the course will be: The Buddhist world-view and the place of man in it; the mind and personality according to Buddhism; the nature of counseling; introduction to the relationship between Buddhism and counseling psychology; comparative study of the goals and objectives of Buddhist counseling and modern counseling; qualities required of a counselor from the Buddhist perspective; specific counseling techniques of Buddhism related to the management of emotions; methods of mind culture, development of mindfulness and insight and other positive qualities of mind such as faculties (indriya), powers (bala), factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga); the forms of right endeavour (sammappadhana) and bases of psychic potency (iddhipada). The course will also involve a practical component consisting of the student's direct counseling experience in actual counselor client relationships.

BST 603: Buddhist Thought and Current Social Problems

Objective: to examine the relevance of the teachings of the Buddha to the resolution of current social problems.

Course Content: An attempt will be made in this course to examine critically the view that Buddhism is a life denying and asocial religion that has no relevance to the social life of the people. The theoretical and practical implications of the Buddha's teachings to problems such as war and violence, religious, ethnic and sexual discrimination, environmental pollution, poverty, youth unrest, alcoholism and drug addiction, value problems in contemporary society, and human rights will be taken up for special study.

BST 604: The Buddha Concept

Objective: to study the development of the Buddha concept in the different Buddhist traditions paying attention to the historical, religious and philosophical reasons that influenced these developments.

Course Content: Attention will be paid to the concept of Buddha in early Buddhism with special reference to the Pali Nikayas, the development of a biography of the Buddha, the emergence of the doctrine of plurality of Buddhas, the idea of Buddhaksetra, apotheosis of the Buddha, the doctrine of the bodies of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva doctrine and the concept of the three Yanas and the Tathagatagarbha doctrine.

BST 605: Therav Πda Buddhist Soteriology

Objective: to study the Buddhist concepts of liberation/s (vimutti) and liberated ones (vimutta) as presented in the early texts of the Pali canon enabling them to use that understanding for a critical evaluation of the traditional and modern scholarly discussions on Buddhist soteriology.

Course Content:Some of the topics that will be discussed in this course are: vimutti and nibbana, saupadisesa-nibbanas and anupadisesa-nibbanas, nibbana and parinibbana, cetovimutti, jhanas, samapattis, brahmaviharas, animitta and sunnata cetovimuttis, samayavimutti and asamayavimutti, pannavimutti and pannavimutta, sammavimutta, akuppacetovimutti, anupada cittassa vimutti, atthavimokkha, sannavedayitanirodha, sekha and asekha, sotapanna, sakadagami, anagamimi, arahat, kayasakkhi, ditthippatta, saddhavimutta, dhammanusari, saddhanusari, gotrabhu, ubhatobhagavimutta, tevijja, chalabhinna, sammasambuddha, tathagata, and paccekabuddha. By the end of the course, students are expected to submit two paper assignments on a selected topic related to the above, one reviewing the modern scholarly works on the topic and the other presenting the canonical teachings and traditional interpretations on it.

BST 606: Buddhist Art and Architecture of Sri Lanka

Objective: to provide the student with a critical and analytical understanding of Buddhist architecture, sculpture, and painting in Sri Lanka from the time of the advent of Buddhism up to the end of the Kandyan period.

Course Content: It includes the study of pre-Buddhist origins of Sri Lankan art and architecture; the way they were modified to suit the changing needs with the impact of Buddhism; the origin and development of Buddhist monasteries and monastic complexes; the origin, techniques, styles, and special features of the Sri Lankan Buddha image, the moonstones, balustrades, different sculptural motifs etc; Buddhist paintings and their special marks of identification, alien and indigenous techniques and styles of painting.

BST 607: Buddhism in Contemporary Sri Lanka

Objective: to study the current state and prominent features of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Course Content: Attention will be paid to the role of the sangha in contemporary Sri Lankan society, nature of the relationship between the laity and the sangha , influence of Buddhism on the moral, economic and political life of the people, characteristics of contemporary Buddhist practices, place of Buddhism in the educational system, Buddhist scholarship in Sri Lanka, inter-religious relationships, Buddhist organizations and their activities, and Buddhist perceptions regarding problems and challenges faced by the Buddhist community.