MAITRIPA COLLEGE: FALL 2010 COURSES

ACADEMIC PROGRAM LINKS

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

APPLICATION DEADLINES &
DATES FOR FALL 2012 DEGREE ENTRY

February 1: Early admissions application deadline for Fall 2012 degree entry
March 1: Notification of early admissions acceptance/denial for Fall 2012 degree entry
May 2: Application deadline for Fall 2012 degree entry
May 15: Notification of admissions acceptance/denial for Fall 2012 degree entry
June 5: Deadline to accept offer of degree entry

ACADEMIC YEAR CALENDAR

Fall 2011
August 29: Fall 2011 semester begins
September 12: Last day to add/drop classes for Fall 2011 semester
November 20-27: Thanksgiving Week
December 15: Registration open for Spring 2011 semester
December 18: Fall 2011 semester ends

Spring 2012
January 30: Spring 2012 semester begins
February 13: Last day to add/drop classes for Spring 2012 semester
March 19-April 1: Spring break
May 21: Registration opens for Fall 2012 semester
June 2: Spring semester ends

Fall 2012
August 27: Fall 2012 semester begins
September 10: Last day to add/drop classes for Fall 2012 semester
November 19-25: Thanksgiving Week
December 3: Registration opens for Spring 2013 semester
December 16: Fall 2012 semester ends

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Maitripa College is a nonprofit corporation authorized by the State of Oregon to offer and confer the academic degrees described herein, following a determination that state academic standards will be satisfied under OAR 583-030. Inquiries concerning the standards or school compliance may be directed to the Office of Degree Authorization, 1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100, Eugene, Oregon, 97401.

Fall 2010 COURSE LIST (On-Campus Courses)
*click here for complete course description (below) and here for the complete course catalog
*click here for Faculty bios

CRN

COURSE

CREDITS

DAY/TIME

INSTRUCTOR

PHL301

Introduction to Buddhist Thought

2

Tuesdays
7-9 pm

Yangsi Rinpoche

MDT301

Introduction to Buddhist Meditation

2

Saturdays
10am-12 noon

Yangsi Rinpoche

PHL303

Madhyamaka Philosophy:
Where is the Middle Way ?

2

Wednesdays
7-9 pm

Yangsi Rinpoche

MDT303
Techniques of Meditation: Madhyamaka

2

Fridays
11am -1pm

Yangsi Rinpoche

PHL500
Masters Thesis/Comprehensive Exam

4

TBA

Yangsi Rinpoche

PHL501
Final Project / Certificate Program
4
TBA
Yangsi Rinpoche
MDT340

Meditation for Mental Health I

2

Wednesdays
4:30-6:30pm

Yangsi Rinpoche
PSY301
Survey of East/West Psychology

2

Mondays
9:30-11:30 am
Vannoy & Rubin
TIB101
Introduction to Classical Tibetan Language

3

Mondays & Wednesdays
5:30-6:45pm 
Philippe Arribet

TIB301 / 302

Seminar in Tibetan Translation

2

Thursdays
5-7 pm

Yangsi Rinpoche

HIS301
History of Buddhism:
India and Tibet

2

Mondays
7-9 pm

HST320

Buddhist Theology

2
Thursdays
5-7pm
CS001
Community Service Practicum: Personal Theology

1

Tuesdays
5:00-6:30pm
every other week

CST001
Community Service Practicum: MDiv
3

Tuesdays 5-6:30 pm every other week + Thursdays 5-7 pm

Jim Blumenthal
CS003
Community Service Practicum
1
Fridays
9:45-10:45


Fall 2010 DISTANCE LEARNING (ONLINE) COURSE LIST
**click here for complete course description (below) and here for the complete course catalog

CRN

COURSE

HOURS/CREDITS

INSTRUCTOR

PHL301d

Introduction to Buddhist Thought

2

Yangsi Rinpoche

MDT301d

Introduction to Buddhist Meditation

2

Yangsi Rinpoche

PHL303d
Madhyamaka Philosophy: Where is the Middle Way ?
2
Yangsi Rinpoche
MDT303d
Techniques of Meditation: Madhyamaka

2

Yangsi Rinpoche
PSY301d
Survey of East/West Psychology

2

Vannoy & Rubin
MDT340d
Meditation for Mental Health I

2

Yangsi Rinpoche
CS001d
Changing the World: Compassionate Service in Your Community

1

Staff


MAITRIPA COLLEGE FALL 2010 COURSE OFFERINGS

CS001/CS001d. Community Service Practicum. An introduction to methodology, motivation, and the practice of service learning in the context of an engaged Buddhist worldview.

CS003. Community Service Practicum. Students engage with community service partners while developing their practice of service using structured reflection techniques and training methods specific to a Buddhist worldview. Includes development of practice components related to engaged Buddhist practice, examination of personal strengths and challenges, and exploration of relevant social justice issues.

CST001. Community Service Practicum: MDiv. Description TBA.

HIS301.  History of Buddhism: India and Tibet. This course will provide a broad-based survey of the history of Buddhism in India and Tibet .  We will begin by discussing the historical and cultural context out of which Buddhism emerged, namely the Vedic period and Vedic traditions that preceded classical Hindu traditions in India .  From here we will discuss the brahmana (ascetic) movement, the life the historical Buddha, and the formulation of the early sangha.  After discussing Buddhism during the lifetime of the Buddha, we will cover the early history of Buddhism including the early Buddhist councils, the creation of the Buddhist canon, and the formulation of early Buddhist schools.  We will then cover the beginnings of the Mahayana, the early Mahayana philosophers and the intellectual history of Mahayana Buddhism in India .  In addition to reading histories of Buddhism, we will also read and discuss scholarly articles about the proper methods for approaching and understanding this history. We will then turn our attention to the transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet .  We will discuss the key figures in both the early and later disseminations of Buddhism to Tibet and the key events which helped shape the forms Tibetan Buddhism takes today.  This portion of the course will be divided into two sections: the early transmission and the later transmission.  Each of the four major Tibetan Buddhist schools as well as the indigenous Bon tradition, their histories, key figures, texts and lineages will be discussed. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of Buddhist beginnings in India , its history and development in the land of its origin, and the manner in which the tradition was transmitted to Tibet .  In addition, students will gain a detailed understanding of the religious and intellectual history of Buddhism in Tibet , including the key figures, lineages, texts, and practices which make the schools of Buddhism in Tibet unique.

HST320. Buddhist Theology. The work of the academic study of Buddhism by contemporary scholars has offered tremendous insights into the historical and social conditions that grounded, informed, and influenced the formation of Buddhist ideas and institutions. Yet due to the academic attempt to keep an objective and scientific distance from its object of study, such scholars, many of whom are self-identified Buddhists, have traditionally been discouraged in the academy from thinking about the normative implications of these insights for modern Buddhist communities. Recent years have seen a growth of Buddhist "theological" thinking paralleling the kind of theological thinking our monotheistic counterparts have engaged in to address similar issues in their own traditions. Buddhist scholars who are also practitioners have moved beyond simply describing the tradition from a critical distance, and begun to use the critical skills of the academy to think about the tradition and speak from within the tradition about issues of concern to themselves as members of Buddhist communities. What do Buddhists have to say about the environmental crisis? How ought Buddhists think about the tradition's patriarchal past?  What might Buddhism contribute to prison reform? How might "justice" be conceived in Buddhist terms?  What does Buddhism have to contribute to hospice care? To psychology? What are the appropriate and effective Buddhist ways of thinking about these problems and questions? This course will examine the development of this new branch of Buddhist thinking including the very use of the term "theology" for a tradition without a theos (God), its theoretical grounding, and examples of its contemporary application.

MDT301/MDT301d. Introduction to Buddhist Meditation. This course will provide a broad introduction to the vast corpus of techniques and practices of Buddhist meditation, with particular emphasis on the techniques of analytical meditation. The course will be taught in an interactive format, allowing students the opportunity to learn specific meditations as directed by the instructor, practice them, and discuss their experiences in class. The subject matter will parallel the topics of Buddhist philosophy as taught in PHL301 | PHL301d. Part of this class will include regular meditation sessions out of class, the keeping of a sitting journal, and the opportunity for objective discussion on the effect of these practices on the individual’s mind. If desired, the committed student will have the opportunity to work with the instructor to design a personal meditation practice.

MDT303/MDT303d. Techniques of Meditation: Madhyamaka. The subject matter of this course will parallel the topics of Buddhist philosophy as taught in as taught in PHL303 | PHL303d. The course will be taught in an interactive format, allowing students the opportunity to learn specific meditations as directed by the instructor, practice them, and discuss their experiences in class. Part of this class will include regular meditation sessions out of class, the keeping of a sitting journal, and the opportunity for objective discussion on the effect of these practices on the individual’s mind. If desired, the committed student will have the opportunity to work with the instructor to design a personal meditation practice.

MDT340/MDT340d. Meditation for Mental Health I. This course will be the first in a two-part series of meditation instruction, resources, and practical application of techniques designed specifically to cultivate and support a healthy mind. Techniques learned in this class will include basic practices for developing a calm and focused mental state, techniques for managing stress and overwhelming emotions, and an emphasis on examining and correctly positioning one’s motivation for working with others. (2 credits)

PHL301/PHL301d.  Introduction to Buddhist Thought. This class will make use of philosophical treatises, literature, and historical analysis to present the foundations of Buddhist philosophy as taught by the early Indian pandits and commented upon by Tibetan scholars. Readings will include selections from the Abhidharma Kosha, Pramanavarttika, and Abhisamayalamkara, with particular focus on the readings that relate to the three scopes of the lamrim as presented by the Tibetan scholar Je Tsongkhapa. Students will come away from this course with a foundation in Buddhist philosophy and knowledge of key issues of Buddhist Studies, including personal identity and the five skandhas, subtle impermanence, and the basics of a Buddhist world view. Students will gain important grounding in basic principles of dependent arising, the structure of Buddhist logic, and familiarity with Buddhist logic and logical arguments.

PHL303/PHL303d. Madhyamaka Philosophy: Where is the Middle Way ? An overview and in-depth introduction to the heart of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the philosophy and practice of Madhyamaka, or the “Middle Way,” as presented by the renowned Indian Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna and his Indian and Tibetan commentators. Primary readings for this course include Lama Tsongkhapa’s Essence of Eloquence (Lekshé Nyingpo) and its sources. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in MDT305 Techniques of Meditation: Madhyamaka in conjunction with this class.

PHL500. Masters Thesis/Comprehensive Exam. Final mastery for the master's degree is demonstrated through one of the following two options:
1. Completion of a Master's Thesis - The MA thesis is submitted to a committee of no fewer than two faculty members at least three weeks prior to the final oral defense of the thesis.  The oral defense includes a short presentation of the thesis by the student (30 minutes), followed by a question-and-answer period with the audience (including other graduate students and faculty), followed by a closed-door question-and-answer period between the thesis committee and the student. A final decision is made by the committee members there. Students propose, frame, and present drafts of the thesis in consultation with the thesis advisor in the months preceding the final defense.
2. Passing a Final, Comprehensive Exam - The comprehensive exam is an on-campus four-hour exam covering the breadth of content of the subject matter of the MA degree.  A list of 40 potential questions from which the faculty will draw are given to the students in advance for their study and preparation.  The actual exam will have twelve questions from which the student will choose eight to serve as the subjects of their essays.

PHL501/PHL501d. Final Project / Certificate Program. Final project for completion of Certificate in Advanced Buddhist Studies: topic and scope to be developed by the student and approved by faculty.

PSY301/PSY301d. Survey of East/West Psychology. This course provides an overview of western psychology and Buddhist perspectives on the mind. Students will become familiar with the historical foundations, major branches of psychology, and current issues in the field. Emphasis will be placed on overlap with Buddhism. This course includes a mandatory service learning component. (2 credits)

TIB101. Introduction to Classical Tibetan Language. Introduction to alphabet, grammar, and sentence structure of classical Tibetan language.

TIB201. Classical Tibetan Language Intermediate I. Using examples and short selections from texts, students continue working with Tibetan grammar and syntax.

TIB301/302. Seminar in Tibetan Translation. Advanced Tibetan translation seminar. Prerequisites: TIB101, TIB102, TIB103, TIB104 or permission of the instructor.


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Maitripa College | 1119 SE Market Street | Portland, Oregon USA 97214 | phone: 503-235-2477 | email: info@maitripa.org | fax: 503-231-6408