Karma Why do things happen to us as they do? For many throughout Asia, the answer has been or is karma, the ancient Indian notion that over multiple lifetimes individuals reap the effects of past actions. We will examine this powerful idea of moral causality in depth, considering striking variations in classical Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, and compare it to other theories of causation, both religious and scientific. We will also study the wealth of practices believed to improve future lives (and ultimately lead to liberation) and investigate diverse, surprising consequences of karma in some Asian societies, including justification of social hierarchy, mistreatment of some groups, and vegetarianism.

Early Daoist Texts The two great early Daoist (Taoist) texts, the Daodejing (Tao te ching) and the Zhuangzi (Chuang–tzu)/, date from the Warring States period (475 -221 BCE) of China and remain widely read and studied. We will read them closely and slowly, considering questions of authorship, audience, philosophical and religious content, and translation. We will wrestle at length with these wonderful and difficult texts, with attention primarily to their original context and secondarily to their reception and interpretation in later religion, philosophy, and literature in East Asia and beyond.

Food in East Asian Religions One might think that food and eating have nothing to do with the lofty concerns of religious traditions. In fact, many religions bring their fundamental principles to bear on the questions of what, how, and with whom to eat; many also revolve around “feeding” gods and other spiritual beings. In this course, we will examine East Asian religions through the lens of eating practices. We will study Confucian feasting and fasting, various Chinese, Korean, and Japanese rituals offering food to ancestors and gods, Buddhist vegetarianism and its critics, unusual Taoist eating regimens, and the ancient cosmological ideas underlying traditional Chinese medical ideas of healthy eating.

Japanese Religions We will begin our study of Japanese religions with the ancient mythology that forms the basis of Shinto (the way of the kami, or gods). We will then consider the introduction of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism to Japan and examine how these traditions were accepted, absorbed, and adapted. We will also investigate Japanese reactions to Christianity in the 16th century and the appearance of "new" Japanese religions starting in the 19th century. Throughout, we will ask how and why Japanese have both adhered to tradition and been open to new religions.

“The Religious Life”: Buddhist and Christian Monastic Traditions Compared Both Buddhism and Christianity include traditions of  monasticism, of men and women leaving home for “the religious life.” In this course, we will study and compare Buddhist and Christian monasticism from historical and religious perspectives. We will read primary sources, from the Life of St. Anthony and the Rule of St. Benedict to the verses  attributed to the first Buddhist nuns and a Zen monastic code. We will examine monastic vocation, the integration of monasteries into society, and the adaptation of monasticism to different cultures. Throughout, we will  highlight the role of gender. We will conclude with attention to contemporary manifestations of monastic culture. This course is equivalent to INTL 0472 and RELI 0472. Pre-1800 3 hr sem.

Persecution and Revival of Religion in Modern China In this study of the dramatic recent religious history of China, we will begin with "modern" critics and reformers at the end of the imperial era and then consider the communist suppression of religion and the "cult of Mao." Our focus, however, will be the remarkable revival of religion since Mao's death in 1976. We will investigate the activity itself-ranging from traditional practices to new religious movements to various forms of Christianity—and the complex cultural and political dynamics involved in this "return" to religion.

“The Religious Life”: Buddhist and Christian Monastic Traditions Compared Both Buddhism and Christianity include traditions of  monasticism, of men and women leaving home for “the religious life.” In this course, we will study and compare Buddhist and Christian monasticism from historical and religious perspectives. We will read primary sources, from the Life of St. Anthony and the Rule of St. Benedict to the verses  attributed to the first Buddhist nuns and a Zen monastic code. We will examine monastic vocation, the integration of monasteries into society, and the adaptation of monasticism to different cultures. Throughout, we will  highlight the role of gender. We will conclude with attention to contemporary manifestations of monastic culture. This course is equivalent to HIST 0472 and INTL 0472. 3 hr sem.

Elizabeth Morrison

Great class if you have any interest in ancient Chinese philosophy. The texts can be confusing at times but Professor does a great job explaining everything while letting students reach their own conclusions. 

Professor Morrison is a fantastic teacher. She's friendly, has brought in food for the class to try, is very smart, and clearly passionate about the material. The readings added up to about 60-100 pages a week on average of dense material. I found a lot of value in reading the material fully without skimming as it improved my reading comprehension massively. My readings in my other courses were very easy in comparison. There's 2 essays and a research project and overall her grading seems fair. Going into this class, I didn't have the most enthusiasm for it, but it ended up being very enjoyable for me and easily surpassed my expectations.

This is a first year-seminar class, so there is definitely a focus on learning how to read and write at a college level. The material is really interesting (basically, looking into how different religions-- Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism-- characterize karma), but there is a lot of reading and it is very dense (although you can skim most of it.) There are typically 2 or 3 20-ish page articles to read before each class, and they are often very scholarly articles about the more technical aspects of these religions. However, you only have to write 3 essays and maybe a couple short responses all semester, and the professor is truly brilliant and a wonderful academic advisor.