Assignment
1. Explain the significance of the bodhisattva concept as an alternative to the arhat concept in Mahayana Buddhism (1 paragraph).
2. Briefly explain Confucius' approach to the problem of creating social order (1 paragraph).
3. Explain the kinds of obstacles Buddhism had to face in gaining acceptance in China. (1 paragraph)
4. Explain how Neo-Confucianism developed in a different direction from traditional Confucianism, in reaction to other religions (1 paragraph).
5. Briefly explain the difference between a mystery and a problem. (1 paragraph)
6. Describe the key features of Chinese folk religion (1 paragraph)
7. What are some of the key differences that distinguish Theravada from Mahayana Buddhism? (1-2 paragraphs).
8. Explain the concept of 'wuwei' as it is presented in the Tao TeChing. Use passages from the text to illustrate your explanation. (1-2 paragraphs)
9. Explain the Buddhist doctrine of upaya. What is the significance of this doctrine as regards the interpretation of Buddhist scriptures? How does this doctrine differ from the way a fundamentalist interprets scripture? (1-2 paragraphs).
10. At the heart of Taoism is the idea of understanding and following the Tao. But what is the Tao, as it is presented in the Tao TeChing? Is it in any way comparable to the Western notion of God? (1-2 paragraphs).
11. Explain the Taoist doctrine of the complementarity of opposites, and how this applies to the relation between good and evil. Is Taoism saying that evil is just as important and just as valuable as good? (1-2 paragraphs).
12. Many people like to say that Buddhism is an atheistic religion. Evaluate this claim. (1-2 paragraphs).
13. Explain how Taoism can be seen as a reaction against the Confucian ideal: what are the main issues on which Taoism differs from the Confucian values? (1-2 paragraphs).
14. Do you think Confucianism is a religion, based on the definition of religion that we adopted in this class? What are the arguments for and against? (1-2 paragraphs).
15. The three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) all have a common historical source and share many of the same principles. Explain briefly what are the key similarities and differences between these 3 religions (1-2 paragraphs).
16. It is sometimes claimed that belief in an afterlife or an immortal soul is an essential element of religion. Evaluate this claim; does the definition of religion require belief in an afterlife? Give a brief summary of the position of each major world religions we have discussed this semester (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism) (2-3 paragraphs).
17. How can mysticism claim that all religions are one? Isn't this denying the major differences between religion? Assess the mystic's claim of the essential unity of religions, being sure to give the arguments on both sides of this issue (2-3 paragraphs).