0. The Conditions and Course Requirements

THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM

This guide to the Associate Degree Program has been prepared by Dharmayana Studies Department of the Mahabodhi Sunyata Seminary in Tarragona, Spain, and is designed as a comprehensive introduction to the multi-faceted dimensions of the Buddhist tradition, ranging from the primary sources of Buddhism through Buddhist doctrines and philosophy to the culture of Buddhism. The curriculum approaches these different areas from a historical, religious, philosophical, and socio-cultural perspective in order to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of this rich spiritual tradition.

The Associate Program is divided into two parts, each consisting of nine courses. Both parts of the Associate Program are available in the Long Distance Learning Format twice a year, a Summer Session and a Winter Session, with pre-assigned material and lectures/discussions conducted online throughout the year.

Due to our belief that the Buddha-dharma should be offered free to all, there is no cost for participating in the Associate Program and related curriculum, but fees may be required to cover the cost of diplomas and transcripts as determined in accordance with the decisions made by the Board of Directors, should graduates request or need such documentation. Donations, however, would certainly be appreciated.

No applicant should register unless they have unrestricted access to a computer as well as capable of committing to at least 10 hours per week of study and course work.

                                             PART ONE

MBI-101: Birth of Buddhism (3 Units)

The purpose of this course is to examine the socio-cultural and religio-philosophical background against which Buddhism arose in order to understand Buddhist doctrines from a broad historical perspective. The course will focus on the evolution of Vedic religion from polytheism via henotheism to monotheism, emergence of the Upanisads, religious practices and social institutions associated with Brahmanism, the rise of the Sramana movement, the Six Teachers, materialism and scepticism, ascetic practices as a means to self-purification, the polarization of intellectual thought into spiritual (sassatavada) and materialist (ucchedavada) ideologies and the birth of Buddhism as a critical response to their mutual conflict.

MBI-102: The Teacher and His Mission (4 Units)

The course will begin with the life of the Buddha, according to both history and Buddhist tradition, and this will be followed up with a discussion under the following headings: The practice of perfections, search for Truth and Enlightenment, spiritual qualities and attainments of the Buddha, tevijja (three higher knowledges) and sabbannuta (omniscience), the difference between the Buddha, Pacceka-Buddha, and Arahant, the Buddha as Mahapurisa, the Buddha as Teacher and Communicator, the Buddha in the eyes of His contemporaries, the Buddha's mission, missionary and social work.

MBI-103: Basic Doctrines of Early Buddhism (4 Units)

This course will be based mainly on the Pali Suttas in order to provide an insight into the basic teachings of early Buddhism. Attention will be focused on the following themes: Buddhist view of individual existence as shown by the Three Signata and Dependent Origination, Four Noble Truths as the Buddhist diagnosis of the human condition and the Buddhist Way to Freedom, analysis of the empiric individuality (khandha, ayatana, dhatu), concept of person in the context of the anatta doctrine, analysis of mind and its relevance to ethics, teachings relating to theory of knowledge, the universe, world-systems, and beings, Middle Path ethics and Nibbana as the final goal of Buddhism.

MBI-104: Critique of Contemporary Religious and Philosophical Views (3 Units)

The course is intended to elucidate Buddhism's critical assessment of contemporary religious and philosophical views in order to highlight the identity of Buddhist doctrines. For this purpose attention will be focused on the following aspects: Buddhist critique of spiritualist and materialist ideologies, skepticism, theism, strict determinism, theory of fortuitous origination, theories of external and self-causation, monistic and pluralistic world-views. The course will be concluded with an inquiry as to why Buddhism sets aside certain questions as undetermined.

MBI-105: Schools of Buddhist Thought in India - I (3 Units)

A historical survey of the early Buddhist schools and their respective contribution to the development of Buddhist thought. The survey will begin with a review, in historical perspective, of the emergence of Buddhist schools after the Second Buddhist Council. Attention will be focused on the Theravada, Vatsiputriya, Sarvastivada, and Sautrantika schools. The course will involve a discussion of the following aspects: emergence of the Abhidharma and the dharma theory, the Sautrantika response to the Abhidharma, doctrinal controversies of the Abhidharma tradition, e.g. personalism (pudgalavada), tritemporal existence (sarvastitva), Buddhalogical speculations, and karma theories of avijnapti, avipranasa and bija.

MBI-106: History of Buddhism in India (3 Units)

A historical survey of Buddhism in India, with the following aspects forming an integral part of the study: spread of Buddhism in India during the pre-Asokan period, Buddhist Councils, the codification of Buddhist canonical scriptures and their oral transmission, growth of Buddhist rituals and concessions to popular religious needs, Asoka and the Buddhist missionary movement, Sangha and monastic life, rise of Buddhist sects and the emergence of Mahayana, seats of Buddhist learning, celebrated acaryas and Buddhist literary activities, royal patronage of Buddhism and impact of foreign invasions on the state of Buddhist religion, declin

MBI-106B: Spread of Buddhism: Southern Transmission (3 Units)

A historical survey of the geographical expansion of Buddhism in the sub-continent of India, Sri Lanka and in the countries of South-East Asia: Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. The course will focus on the role played by the Buddhist Sangha and royal patronage in the dissemination of the new faith and the reception it got from the indigenous cultures of the region. The course will be concluded with an assessment of Buddhism's contribution to the indigenous cultures of the region through its teachings and institutional framework.

MBI-106 C: Schools of Buddhist Thought in India - II (3 Units)

A historical study of the origins of Mahayana Buddhism and its ramification into schools of Buddhist thought. This study will involve the following aspects: antecedent Buddhist doctrines that led to the rise of the Mahayana, Prajnaparamita and other Mahayana sutras, their doctrinal orientations, Madhyamaka school and the doctrine of emptiness, Yogacara school and the doctrine of mind-only, Trikaya doctrine and other Buddhalogical developments, theory and the practice of the Bodhisattva ideal, emergence of Tantrayana as another dimension of the Mahayana movement.

MBI-107: Spread of Buddhism: Northern Transmission (3 Units)

A historical survey of the geographical expansion of Buddhism in the countries of East Asia, in the Himalayan regions and Mongolia, and in the lost civilization of Central Asia (from 1st e of Buddhism in India.

 PART TWO

MBI-201: The Sangha and Buddhist Monasticism (3 Units)

The course will begin with a discussion of the Buddhist Vinaya, the corpus of disciplinary laws governing the Buddhist monastic order, and this will be followed up with a study of the following aspects: the role of the Sangha in a Buddhist society, life of a Buddhist monk and his social commitment, the monastery as a center of learning an social service, relationship between the Sangha and the laity. The course will be concluded with a review of the changes the Buddhist monastic order underwent in response to social and cultural requirements of the regions to which Buddhism came to be introduced.

MBI-202: The Buddhist Conception of Society (4 Units)

While the Buddhist concept of man serves as a background to this study, it will focus on the following aspects: Buddhist critique of contemporary Brahmanical social institutions, Buddhist teachings on the origin and evolution of society, oneness of the human race, individual and interpersonal relations, Middle Path ethics as moral foundation of society, Bodhisattva ideal and practice, Buddhist social thought as exemplified in Buddhist monastic order. The main thrust of the course is to show how to inculcate Buddhist values and attitudes in today's life.

MBI-203: Social Problems: Buddhist Perspectives (3 Units)

A critical study of the Buddhist diagnosis of social problems and Buddhist prescriptions for their solution. The course will focus on the causative factors of moral decay, social evil, violence, terrorism, and internecine warfare from a Buddhist perspective. The Buddhist attitude to war and peace, and the Buddhist perspectives of law and justice, crime and punishment will also form an integral part of this study. The course will conclude with a discussion of the contemporary relevance of Buddhist social thought and the responses expected from Buddhist doctrines in regard to the needs and challenges of the present era.

MBI-204: Buddhist Ethics (4 Units)

The main emphasis is on early Buddhist ethical teachings, with the following aspects forming an integral part of the study: the psychological foundation of Buddhist ethics, Buddhist ethical concepts and categories, criteria of moral evaluation, the relevance of kiriyavada and viriyavada to moral practice, one's own good (attahita) and the good of others (parahita), the Noble Eightfold Path as Middle Path Ethics, the four Sublime States, moral practice as a gradual course, Nibbana as the highest level of moral perfection.

MBI-205: Buddhism and Family Life (3 Units)

The aim of this course is to examine the Buddhist concept and practice of marriage and family life: (1) various forms of family and marriage: sociological and Buddhist classification, (2) meaning and characteristics of family: the Buddhist view compared with pre-Buddhist and modern views, (3) functions of the family (regulation of sexual behavior, reproduction, socialization of children, economic and emotional functions), (4) non-sacramental character of Buddhist marriage, and religio-ethical implications of family life, (5) problems relating to family: divorce, repression of women, violence, (6) family and renunciation: problems of compromise.

MBI-206: Buddhism and Contemporary Social Issues (4 Units)

A critical discussion of the responses that can be elicited from Buddhist teachings in regard to contemporary social issues, such as population and family planning, war and peace, ecological issues, position of women, human rights, animal rights, poverty, consumerism, globalization and distribution of wealth, issues in bioethics, e.g. cloning, abortion, euthanasia.

MBI-301: The Buddhist Analysis of Mind (3 Units)

The course is designed to highlight the psychological content of the early Buddhist teachings and its importance to Buddhism as a philosophy and a non theist religion. The main topics of discussion are: psychological terminology of the Pali suttas, nature of mind in the context of the anatta doctrine, mind and body relationship, theory of perception, mental culture and higher reaches of mind, the Abhidhamma analysis of mind into citta and cetasika and the Abhidhamma theory of bhavanga consciousness.

MBI-302: Buddhism as Religion and Philosophy (4 Units)

This will involve a critical discussion of the following topics: Buddhist attitude to other religions, critical tolerance and peaceful co-existence, non-compromising emphasis on truth, critique of theism, criteria of wholesome religion; Buddhist attitude to authority, tradition and dogmatism, freedom of enquiry, attitude to logic and reasoning, critique of skepticism, agnosticism and materialism, Buddhist emphasis on the instrumental value of views, and the Buddhist distinction between view (ditthi) and vision (dassana).

MBI-304: Modern History of Buddhism (3 Units)

The course begins with the Buddhist awakening in the 19th century due to the renaissance in Buddhist studies, brought about by the discovery of Buddhist scriptures in different regions in the continent of Asia, including the manuscript remains of the lost Buddhist civilization of Central Asia. This will be followed up with a review of the Buddhist revivals in traditionally Buddhist countries, introduction of Buddhism to the West, the reception of Buddhism by Western philosophers and intellectuals, academic studies in Buddhism, Buddhist societies and international Buddhist organizations.