Download Buddhism and Literature in Japan: A Historical and Literary Analysis - Prof. Nathan R. Ell and more Study notes English Language in PDF only on Docsity! 4/11/11 Wednesday: read The Narrow Road of the Interior, 603-629, Quiz 552 A.D.-Korean missionaries bring Buddhism to Japan Western world-judaism, christianity, islam-oriented Shinto-nature worship 563-483 B.C.-Siddhartha Gautama “Buddha” is traveling India 1600-1868: Edo Period Tokugawa family: Japan becomes unified and shuts out outside influence, some small trading with Dutch and English merchants. -isolationism* 1639: Tokugawa family shuts out all but the Japanese from Japan Middle class begins to replace the aristocracy during this isolationist period; new kind of literature begins to formulate; more straight-forward and realistic literature comes about. Heaven: accept Christ as savior sin-defying the will of God Buddhism: Nirvana-cessation of existence, universal consciousness Four noble truths: life is suffering, the origin of suffering is attachment, the cessation of suffering is possible, the path to cessation is eightfold. Hell: rejecting christ/god/allah Causing pain and suffering leads to bad karma, which leads to reincarnation over and over again Zane (Zen Buddhism): meditation sitting, combines physical and spiritual buddhism as you meditate on things impossible to comprehend Haiku: 5-7-5 format (syllables) 4/13/11 For Friday: 629-648, “Bewitched”, Quiz Haikus focus on: 1. Season: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer 2. Natural Object 3. What is this asking me to meditate on? “Departing springtime: birds lament and fishes too have tears in their eyes.” -the haiku is about change, the birds and fishes are looking back on their youth and realizing they are losing this youth, growing up, which leads to suffering and death “Even my grass-thatched hut...” -grass-thatched hut is the natural object, the dolls represent the emperor, the palace of the emperor is built to last forever, but it will not. Having the dolls in the grass hut represents all things being equal. Detachment, giving up permanence. “...Sora composed this poem...” -the mountain is giving up its clothes, giving up attachments, change, comparing the mountain to a monk who gives up things (hair) in order to move along his path. -season is actually summer, roses and other flowers blooming -evokes another season, winter, snow, brining all these seasons together suggests that the best way to prepare for death is to remember that all moments are fleeting. 4/15/11 For Monday: Barrel maker brimful of Love, Quiz -the need for a son comes from needing to divide up the property of the family -his love interest appears to be exotic, at least in relation to the area she lives -she reverses the roles by asking him to marry her, uncomfortable situation, wine 4/20/11 For Friday: Part 1 of Snow Country How does “The Barrel Maker” and “The Narrow Road” demonstrate Buddhism in different ways? EXAMPLE Thesis: Arguable, Concise, Clear EXAMPLE BAD Answer: These two stories demonstrate Buddhism in two different ways. GOOD ANSWER: Barrel maker shows the dangers of attachment, narrow road shows us how to become detached. Aesthetic: beautiful Aesthetics: the study of what makes something beautiful 4/25/11 For Wednesday: “The American School”, 2583-2606, Quiz No class Friday Monday, May 2, Review Session
