Post Graduate Diploma

•  Postgraduate Diploma in Pali Studies

Objective: to provide competitive research, presentation and textual and writing skills in Pali and Buddhist studies.

Course Content: The course will demonstrate the use of various methods and methodologies employed in social sciences for Pali and Buddhist studies. The course will draw largely from Buddhist scriptures in various source languages, exegeses, hermeneutics, and the investigation of vernacular literatures and chronicles.

Selected books and journal articles will be critically examined to identify strengths and weaknesses in presentation, textual editing and exegeses. Other topics include formulation of research questions and research problems, selection of samples, collection of data, taking notes, documenting sources, evaluating literature and oral presentation techniques.

PST 502: Prescribed Texts

Objective: to develop analytical exegeses and hermeneutic skills

Course Content: In this course the Parayanavagga of the Suttanipata and the Hatthavanagallaviharavamsa will be studied. A critical and comprehensive knowledge of the main doctrinal ideas discussed in these texts and the social, economic, political and religious conditions reflected therein is expected. A critical examination of the literary style and grammatical features of the texts and improved translation skills will also be expected. The texts should be studied paying attention to the exegetical literature as well as modern scholarly works on them.

PST 503: Buddhism in the Pali Canon

Objective: to study Buddhist teachings represented in the Pali canonical scriptures.

Course Content: Canonical discourses will be selected to represent major areas of the Buddha's teaching, such as epistemology, theory of reality, ethics, psychology and social philosophy for a detailed comparative and critical analysis. Special attention will be paid to the view that the Sutta literature of the Pali canon represents the original teachings of Buddhism. The study will also involve a critical study of interpretations of the canonical teachings by recent scholars.

PST 504: Pali Translation and Composition

Objective: to introduce different sentence styles, functions and structural patterns of the canonical and post-canonical Pali texts

Course Content: The course will focus on translating selected Pali prose passages and verses into English/Sinhala with annotations where necessary. Students will also be required to acquire the ability to translate English/Sinhala passages into Pali. Attention will be paid to preserving the idiom of the language in translation. Students will also be encouraged to compose simple gatha and write short compositions under given topics.

PST 505: Pali Grammar and Syntax

Objective: to teach advanced Pali grammar and syntax enabling students to be competent in translating from Sinhala/ English into Pali and from Pali into Sinhala/ English.

Course Content: Passages will be selected for discussion in class from different strata of Pali literature in order to familiarize students with the development of the Pali language. Exercises in translation will be conducted regularly. Conjunction, combinations, syntax, participles, and verbs will be studied in detail using both traditional grammatical texts and historical grammar.

Objective: to provide competitive research, presentation and textual and writing skills in Pali and Buddhist studies.

Course Content: The course will demonstrate the use of various methods and methodologies employed in social sciences for Pali and Buddhist studies. The course will draw largely from Buddhist scriptures in various source languages, exegeses, hermeneutics, and the investigation of vernacular literatures and chronicles.

Selected books and journal articles will be critically examined to identify strengths and weaknesses in presentation, textual editing and exegeses. Other topics include formulation of research questions and research problems, selection of samples, collection of data, taking notes, documenting sources, evaluating literature and oral presentation techniques.

BST 502: Background to Early Buddhism

Objective: to teach the historical background of early Buddhism in the light of the pre-Vedic, Vedic and non-Vedic religious systems of India known at the time of the Buddha; to enable students to identify and understand the formation of and distinctive characteristics of the early Buddhist thought with both the thought of the § rama ö ic tradition and that of the Vedas and the Brahmanism at the time of the Buddha.

Course Content: Types of religious beings (yogis, munis, vratya, priests), practices (yoga, yajna,  ahimsa), and concepts ( rta, dharma, karma, rebirth, bhukti, mukti, God, gods and goddesses, Brahman, Atman, jiva-ajiva, sasvata, uccheda and samsaya) of  pre-Buddhist India and at the time of the Buddha will be studied drawing data from the findings of the Indus Valley Civilization, the four Vedas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, the Upanisads, the Jaina texts, and also the early Buddhist texts.

•  Postgraduate Diploma in Buddhist Studies

Objective: to provide competitive research, presentation and textual and writing skills in Pali and Buddhist studies.

Course Content: The course will demonstrate the use of various methods and methodologies employed in social sciences for Pali and Buddhist studies. The course will draw largely from Buddhist scriptures in various source languages, exegeses, hermeneutics, and the investigation of vernacular literatures and chronicles.

Selected books and journal articles will be critically examined to identify strengths and weaknesses in presentation, textual editing and exegeses. Other topics include formulation of research questions and research problems, selection of samples, collection of data, taking notes, documenting sources, evaluating literature and oral presentation techniques.

BST 502: Background to Early Buddhism

Objective: to teach the historical background of early Buddhism in the light of the pre-Vedic, Vedic and non-Vedic religious systems of India known at the time of the Buddha; to enable students to identify and understand the formation of and distinctive characteristics of the early Buddhist thought with both the thought of the sramanic tradition and that of the Vedas and the Brahmanism at the time of the Buddha.

Course Content: Types of religious beings (yogis, munis, vratya, priests), practices (yoga, yajna, ahimsa ), and concepts (rta, dharma, karma, rebirth, bhukti, mukti, God, gods and goddesses, Brahman, Atman, jiva-ajiva,sasvata, uccheda and samsaya) of  pre-Buddhist India and at the time of the Buddha will be studied drawing data from the findings of the Indus Valley Civilization, the four Vedas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, the Upanisads, the Jaina texts, and also the early Buddhist texts.

BST 503: Buddhism in the Pali Canon

Objective: to study Buddhist teachings represented in the Pali canonical scriptures.

Course Content: Canonical discourses will be selected to represent major areas of the Buddha's teaching, such as epistemology, theory of reality, ethics, psychology and social philosophy for a detailed comparative and critical analysis. Special attention will be paid to the view that the Sutta literature of the Pali canon represents the original teachings of Buddhism. The study will also involve a critical study of interpretations of the canonical teachings by recent scholars.

BST 504: Development of Buddhist Doctrines

Objective: to make a comprehensive study of the development of Buddhist doctrines within both Theravada and Non-Theravada Buddhist traditions.

Course Content: Attention will be paid to topics such as the three councils, emergence of the Mahasanghika and the eighteen Buddhist sects, origin and development of the schools and their historical expansion, literary, philosophical and doctrinal contributions of prominent teachers belonging to each school. Students should also be able to compare and contrast the teachings of different schools such as Abhidhammic developments of the Theravada and the Sarvastivada.

BST 505: Buddhism in Modern Sri Lanka

Objective: to introduce the religious changes that emerged in traditional Sri Lankan culture in the modern period beginning with the arrival of Europeans and their mercantilism and capitalism in the 16th century.

Course Content: The course will focus on how the traditional social and economic patterns on which the Sri Lankan Buddhist culture depended were disrupted and eventually displaced by the new patterns, and how the Buddhists in Sri Lanka responded to European colonization, Christian missionary activities, and to the revolution of modernization by reinterpreting and re-organizing her Buddhist tradition while also reacting against and imitating the European powers and Christianity.

BST 506: Buddhist Culture of Ancient Sri Lanka

Objective: to study the cultural history of Sri Lanka between the 3rd century B.C.E and the 14th Century C.E.

Course Content: The course will involve the study of the religious conditions in Sri Lanka prior to the introduction of Buddhism, events related to the introduction of Buddhism, Indianization and its cultural influences, establishment and expansion of Buddhism, the role of Mahavihara and Abhayagirivihara in the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, monastic life, the Aranyavasi and the Gramavasi traditions, sangha and state influence of Mahayana Buddhism, literary and intellectual activities, material culture, foreign cultural relationships, historical challenges and strengthening and preservation of the Buddha sasana and the growth of nationalism.

aterial culture, foreign cultural relationships, historical challenges and strengthening and preservation of the Buddha s Πsana and the growth of nationalism.

Objective: to study the Asian religious thought and culture by examining important philosophical, religious and cultural concepts of a selected traditional country in South, Southeast or East Asia.

Course Content: The course will examine the way Buddhism either came to dominate or adjusted to co-exist with various other traditional and new religious traditions while forming and nurturing the overall religious thought and culture in the given country over the centuries. In addition to a historical survey of Buddhism and other religions of the country, such topics as philosophical concepts, the objects of worship, the worshipers, the places of worship, the calendar festivals, and rites of passage will also be studied. By studying these topics students are expected to develop skills to identify the general categories of the Asian religious thought and culture and to generate a comparative framework to understand religions and religious themes of various other Asian and non-Asian countries and cultures where Buddhism co-exists with other religions.