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Religion 321-20 : Hindu Religious Thought ... |
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Religion 321-20
Hindu Religious Thought
Winter 2003
The Traditions of Vishnu, Shiva and Goddess
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Course Objectives ... |
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Course Description
This course is both a historical and thematic exploration of Hinduism's three major religious traditions: Vaisnava, Saiva, and Sakta. The course achieves two objectives. First, a historical study will enable us to see the development of these traditions from the inception of earlier sectarian formations during the sixth to the ninth centuries, to the rise of later devotional schools during the tenth to the sixteenth centuries. Second, a comparative thematic approach will allow us to study the ways in which Vaisnava, Saiva, and Sakta traditions form distinctive theologies, institutionalized practices, worship, and rituals. In the Vaisanava tradition, for example, we will examine the ways in which the southern Srivaisnava differs from the northern Gaudiya tradition. While it is not feasible to study Hindu traditions in their entirety during a single quarter, the course is designed to provide a reasonable understanding of how these three different religious traditions come together under the umbrella of Hinduism.
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Required Books ... |
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Available for purchase at SBX.
- Klaus K. Klostermaier, A Survey of Hinduism, 1994.
- J.A.B. van Buitenen, The Bhagavadgita, 1981.
- Richard Davis, Ritual in An Oscillating Universe: Worshipping Shiva in Medieval India, 1991.
- Diana L. Eck, Darsan, Seeing the Divine Image in India, 1996.
- A. K. Ramanujan, Speaking of Shiva, 1973.
Course Reader Referred to as CR in the class schedule (available for purchase at Quartet Copies). The contents of the CR are provided at the end of syllabus.
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Schedule of Classes ... |
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September 25: Hinduism
Major Questions, Problems and Perspectives.
September 27: Ancient Origins and Development of Hinduism
- Klostermaier, A Survey of Hinduism, pp. 1-48
- Alf Hiltebeitel, “Hinduism” (CR5).
October 2: Hindu Scriptures, Dharma, Orthodoxy, and Heresy
Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 49-98.
October 4: One and Many
The Three Hindu Paths of Liberation
- Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 130-182, 193-203, 204-211, 221-237.
- Carman, “Hindu Bhakti as a Middle Way” CR1.
October 9: Vishnu and The Vaishnava Schools
- Bhagavatas and Vasudeva-Krishna
- Sri Vaisnavas and Vishnu
- Gaudiyas and Krishna
- Pancaratrins and Vaisnava temple liturgy
- Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 239-249
- Flood, Hinduism, pp. 103-147. CR12
October 11: The Bhagavadgita ("Song of the God")
- Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 99-111
- J.A.B. van Buitenen, The Bhagavadgita, pp. 1-29
- Audio hymnal chanting
- Film clip from televised Mahabharata series: The Theophany of Krishna to Arjuna
October 16: Readings in the Bhagavadgita
J.A.B. van Buitenen, The Bhagavadgita, pp. 31-156
October 18: The Srivaisnavas of South India
- The Alvar Saint Poets.
- Theologian Ramanuja.
- Sri Vaisnava Temples.
- V. Narayanan, “The Devotion of the Alvars” and “Ramanuja: Theologian and Devotee” CR7.
- V. Narayanan, “Arcavatara: On Earth as He Is in Heaven,” pp. 118-125. CR8.
- Robert Lester, “Ramanuja and Sri Vaisnavism: The Concept of Prapatti or Saranagati” CR9.
October 23: The Gaudiya Vaisnavas of North India
- David L. Haberman, "The Ritual Process: Raganuga in Action" CR3.
- Barbara Stoler Miller, Love Song of the Dark Lord, 69-125. CR15.
Discussion topic: Compare the Srivaisnavas and the Gaudiyas
October 25: Theistic Traditions, Temple liturgy, Image Worship
- Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 311-332.
- Carman, “Conceiving Hindu ‘Bhakti’ as Theistic Mysticism” CR2.
- Eck, Darsan, Chapters 1-3.
Film: “Pilgrimage to Pittsburgh”.
October 30 Mid-term
November 1: Paradox of Siva in Hinduism
- Ascetic and householder traditions.
- The Nayanar Saint Poets.
- Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 261-277.
- Sanderson, “Saivism and the Tantric Traditions” CR11.
- Indira Peterson, Poems to Siva, pp. 224-267, 269-322. CR10.
November 4: The Saiva Siddhantins and Their Ritual Ways
Richard Davis, Ritual in an Oscillating Universe, pp. 22-41 ("Ritual and Human Powers") and pp. 42-82 ("Oscillation in the Ritual Universe").
November 6: The Saiva Siddhanta Ritual Process
Richard Davis, Ritual in an Oscillating Universe, pp 83-111 ("Becoming a Siva") and pp. 112-136 ("Summoning the Lord”).
November 8: The Heterodox Schools of Saivism
A.K. Ramanujan, Speaking of Siva, pp. 1-53 and a selection of poems
Discussion topic: Compare Saiva Siddhantins and Virashaivas
November 13: Great Goddess Durga and the Sakta Traditions
- Klostermaier, Hinduism, pp. 278-293.
- David Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses, pp. 95-115 (“Durga”) and pp. 178-186 (“Goddesses and Sacred Geography”) CR5.
November 15: Goddess Tripura and The Sri Vidya School
D. R. Brooks, The Secret of the Three Cities, pp. 46-72 and 149-190. CR13
November 20: No Class, AAR conference
Review of course material covered since mid-term.
November 22: Thanksgiving, No Class
November 27: Kali and Her Tantric Traditions
- David Kinsley, Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine, pp. 67-91 (“Kali”) CR6.
- David R. Kinsley, "Kali: Blood and Death Out of Place" in Devi, Goddesses of India, Ed. J.S. Hawley, pp. 77-86. CR14
Discussion topic: Compare the Sri Vidya and the Kali Schools.
November 27: Paper presentations
December 4: Paper presentations
December 15: Term paper due
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Course Requirements and Grading System ... |
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| Regular class attendance and active participation in discussion |
20% of Final Grade |
| Mid Term |
30% of Final Grade |
| One essay (4-5 Pages) |
20% of Final Grade |
| One term paper (10 pages) and a 10-minute presentation |
30% of Final Grade |
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Course Reader Contents ... |
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| CR 1 |
John Carman, “Hindu Bhakti as a Middle Way” in The Other Side of God: A Polarity in World Religions, edited by Peter Berger, pp. 182-207. |
| CR 2 |
John Carman, “Conceiving Hindu ‘Bhakti’ as Theistic Mysticism” in Mysticism and Religious Traditions, edited by Steven Katz, 191-225. |
| CR 3 |
David L. Haberman, "The Ritual Process: Raganuga in Action" in his book, Acting as a Way of Salvation, pp. 115-144. |
| CR 4 |
Alf Hiltebeitel, “Hinduism,” Encyclopedia of Religion, Vol. 6, pp. 336-360. |
| CR 5 |
David Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses, pp. 95-115 (“Durga”) and pp. 178-186 (“Goddesses and Sacred Geography”). |
| CR 6 |
David Kinsley, Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine, pp. 67-91 (“Kali”). |
| CR 7 |
Vasudha Narayanan, “The Devotion of the Alvars” in her book, The Way and the Goal, pp. 7-57. |
| CR 8 |
V. Narayanan, “Arcavatara: On Earth as He Is in Heaven,” pp. 118-125. |
| CR 9 |
Robert Lester, “Ramanuja and Sri Vaisnavism: The Concept of Prapatti or Saranagati,” History of Religions 5 (1966): 266-82. |
| CR 10 |
Indira Peterson, Poems to Siva: The Hymns of the Tamil Saints, pp. 224-267 and 269-322. |
| CR 11 |
A. Sanderson, “Saivism and the Tantric Traditions” in Sutherland et al., The World’s Religions, pp. 660-704. |
| CR 12 |
Gavind Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism. |
| CR 13 |
Brooks, The Secret of the Three Cities, an Introduction to Hindu Sakta Tantrism, pp. 46-72 and 149-190. |
| CR 14 |
David R. Kinsley, "Kali: Blood and Death Out of Place" in Devi, Goddesses of India, edited by. J.S. Hawley, pp. 77-86. |
| CR 15 |
Barbara Stoler Miller, Love Song of the Dark Lord, 69-125. |
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