Syllablus for Tibetan Buddhist Culture Course
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NAME OF UNIVERSITY; NAME OF DEPARTMENT Time and contact informationSemester ## Year ## Course: Relb 254 (at the University of Virginia) Department:## Instructors: Classroom Instructor: NAME (EMAIL; office PHONE);
Classroom Instructor's office hours: DAYS TIME or by appointment (LOCATION). Please use office hours/appointments for larger questions, rather than email. Section Instructors' office hours: DAYS TIME or by appointment (LOCATION). Regular class room: LOCATION Time: lectures are DAYS TIME. Attendance is required at lectures and at one discussion section meeting per week.
Section times:
ReadingsThe following books should be made available for purchase as well as put on reserve at the relevant Library and/or electronic reserve. They constitute the sources for required reading for the course. 1. Ricard, Matthieu, translator (1994). The Life of Shabkar. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN: 1559391545 2. Fisher, Robert E. (1997). Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN: 0500203083 3. Patrul Rinpoche (1994 translation published). The Words of My Perfect Teacher. Rowman and Littlefield. Or Shambala: 1570624127, or Altamira: 0761990275. 4 Fremantle, Francesca and Chogyam Trungpa (1987). The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Boston & London: Shambhala Publications. Classroom structure: assignmentsIf an interactive class management system is used (such as E-folio - see nmc.itc.virginia.edu/e-folio at the University of Virginia), Each section may have its own home page within it. You will see the course's sections listed under the courses for the semester and year. Assignments are an intrinsic part of the sections, which will strongly support them. For your own section, you will create an ID and password unique to you. However, you can view the work being done in other sections with the user ID "guest" and password "guest". While class meetings will primarily be lecture-oriented with room for questions and discussions, sections will be instead be oriented towards discussion of the readings and collaborative work on assignments. E-folio binds the course together and is the central communication nexus: assignments are announced as well as eventually posted there, and it also constitutes students' work space. All three assignments will use E-folio to create hypertext linked assignments that combine textual analysis with different types of media, most prominently images. We will keep the technical demands low, but students with greater technical background are welcome to be more ambitious in the types of media they draw upon. E-folio itself allows students to easily create assignments that link together texts and images, as well as videos. The focus will be on these easy to use functions of E-folio. There are two assignments in the first half of the semester, and a final assignment due at the semester's end. Each assignment will have training sessions introducing the necessary tools and concepts, and sections will support all aspects of the assignments. It is essential to keep in mind that the presentation of the assignments – i.e. how you organize and interweave its distinct elements – is important, but can not substitute for the intellectual content of the assignment. The challenge is to maintain intellectual quality, but learn how to think creatively and rigorously within different media while taking advantage of the ability to hyperlink different elements. You may be interested to see finished student projects from other courses at UVA in the humanities using technology.
Time-based presentationsThe most simple incorporation of time can be in timed slide shows, which proceed at a predetermined pace. Even in this simple way, a creator can begin to factor time in a deliberate way into their products. For example, the sequence might be presented with short intervals to convey a sense of the hectic pace of change in modern culture; or they might be presented slowly to encourage the viewer to carefully analyze visual detail. More sophisticated uses of temporality can entail the use of animation to represent temporal change. For example, a slide bar could produce changes in a map based upon time - pulling the slide bar to 1400 would show the size of principalities at that point, pulling it to 1500 would show the changed extents at that point, and so forth. AudioThe incorporation of audio into presentations can perform multiple functions. On the one hand, it can set a mood for presentations, or segments of a presentation. This can have important effects on the intellectual context of a presentation. In addition, audio can allow for a narration of slide shows of images, allowing the person to better focus on immersion in the visual details. Finally, if a database of various types of sounds – such as soundscapes of various areas at different times – us available, these can be used for analytical purposes of aiding in creating immersive environments. Section #1 (in section): Introduction to E-folio and HTMLIn the first section meeting, we will have basic hands-on introduction to E-folio, our web-based class management tool. We will orient ourselves to its basic design and features, including its HTML editor that allows one to construct web pages without knowing HTML. HTML is a series of "tags" that allow one to specify how a web page looks, its contents, and its links to other pages. These tags allow one to specify aspects of how the page looks – bold, italics, etc. – as well as hyperlink one page to another page. In addition, we will give instruction in basic tags used in HTML to construct a web page. E-folio offers a very basic ability to construct web pages with HTML without knowing these tags. However its ability is very limited. In addition, if you run into problems, this gives you a least a minimal ability to look at the tags beneath the web page and do some basic trouble shooting. Section #2 (due): Basic use of hyper links and imagesThe goal of this exercise is to acquaint yourself with E-folio and the use of hyperlinks for combining texts and images. In this case we are just learning the "illustrational", "beautifying", or "definitional" use of images – they illustrate a point made in the text, they make the text more "pretty", or they simply give a visual equivalent or visual definition of an item referred to in the text. The illustrational or definitional usages are near identical. The in-class assignment is "personal info" on E-folio. You can always go back after class and edit what you do in class. One paragraph AT MINIMUM discussing your biography/interests/hobbies/etc. One hypertext link AT MINIMUM to another website. This link must be relevant to the content of the biographical information. One relevant picture, downloaded from another website, or scanned and uploaded in the Digital Media Lab in Clemons Library, etc. Basic guidelines given below must be implemented in terms of use of fonts, etc. Basic guidelines for HTML listCreative use of font sizes and colored fonts to emphasize key points of the information. All information must be displayed in a creative and cohesive fashion - the purpose of the information being presented (i.e., links, pictures, etc) must be indicated to the viewer. Some simple possibilities for hyperlinked text in general are as follows. You might make a compilation of passages relevant to a particular topic, and type in those passages – then the hyperlink would go that compilation of passages. Or it might simply be like a traditional footnote, and offer a short digest of a term or event that is referred to in the main body, but which could not tolerate an extended discussion without breaking the flow of that main text. Or, as discussed below, it might initiate a whole separate line of argument and thought that includes secondary and tertiary hyperlinked sequences of texts and images. E-folio requires that you provide a title for the various components of your presentation. This helps the reader understand the logic of your presentation, as well as forcing you to keep in mind clearly what the point of each section is, and how they all interrelate. Hyperlinks: multiple lines of thought and organizationIt is important to be able to think in a linear, structured fashion. We all learn this, or at least hope we do, in the secondary school system – to formulate a thesis, present it in an introduction, argue for it with supporting details in a body, and summarize our findings in a conclusion. In your assignments, you should have a clear overall structure that argues systematically, even if you have other things going off to the side, looping around, and so forth. At the same time, it is also important that we develop and value our abilities to think in associative fashions. This is of course the logic of a dream, a vision, a poem, or an art work, but it is also an essential logic at work in our ordinary lives. We discover about ourselves, others and the world through following associations, and logics that don't arrive at the level of worked out explicit, linear argumentation until after the fact. Talking to a person suddenly reminds us of some task, which in turn leads to a memory, that then intersects with the present when a vivid flash of color calls itself to one's attention. Associative thinking is particularly important in understanding another culture, which is always a complex, interlocking series of elements that fade into each other, and far exceed any linear representation of the "facts". The possibilities of the hyperlinked medium of the Web thus not only entails the ability to go beyond text in representing another culture through images, videos and maps, but allows one to creatively explore multiple ways of organizing essays to be more adequate to the subject at hand. The reader can be enabled to proceed in variable ways through the text, and various strands of arguments can weave in and out of each other. For example, a link from the main linear sequence of arguments might go to an image, or a quotation from a text; one could then return to that sequence, or instead proceed to link through the images, or quotations, directly, in which there could be another type of logic embedded. Or the link to a quotation, might itself be linked to further arguments, or interesting side issues, which then in turn link back somewhere else in the main series of textual parts. Thus readers are given multiple routes through the materials, allow them to organize and access the information in diverse ways rather than being limited to just one single route sequentially through the information. In this way, ultimately one, even on a modest scale, can have multiple texts simultaneously at work. This is one of the most exciting capacities of the new medium, namely it allows us to begin to envision possibilities of arguments that go beyond the traditional linear progress of thought and argumentation. That linear sequence can be there, but many other lines and associations are interwoven with it. It is not that linear logic is replaced. Section #3 (due): Thinking about/with Images & researching the WebThe goal of this exercise is to begin to think analytically about images, and not just use them in simple ways that are illustrational, beautifying or definitional. In other words, rather than saying "angel", and then showing an image of an angel, the content of the image itself is offered as compelling content in its own right, which the text itself may unfold. The first step, however, is to begin to develop the ability to think analytically about images, as well as to begin to follow a train of though the medium of images. This is not a skill most of us have developed well. Select three images – one involving Tibetan people, one involving a Buddhist image, and one involving anything of your choice, whether or not it has anything to do with Tibet or Buddhism. The three images do not have to be related in any way. Analyze the visual and content details of each image with no more than one apiece, but no less than half a page apiece. The researching of the Web portion of this assignment aims to help students begin to think about the various resources of the Web analytically, to get used to conducting searches in support of analytical work, and to become acquainted with some of the major Web resources on Tibet. To begin with, the images should be drawn from three different sources, and each source should be documented with the corresponding image. Secondly, the analysis of the images should draw upon three distinct web resources, and each should be documented in your analysis. Basic guidelines for use of imagesImages must always be credited as to where they come from. If all images are taken from a single place, then one can credit that in the final bibliography. Best of all, however, the crediting would take on precisely to the web site from which they were drawn, if they come from a web resource. In addition, in general images should have captions, and not simply be put up without text unless it is really completely clear. Thus an image of Vajrapani should have a clear indication textually that this is Vajrapani; an image of monks shown to indicate renunciation, for example, should probably have a short caption saying "a monk in Derge monastery", or "a monk on retreat". Section #4 (due): Advanced Image logicSelect at least 5 images that are linked in some way, and construct a series of five images hyperlinked together in sequence. These images can be from any source and concern any topic, whether TIbetan/Buddhist or not. Each image should have a 1-2 line caption that simple factually states the image's contents. There should be an additional opening page from which the images are linked which gives a title, and a final sixth hyperlinked page at the end which gives no more than one page summarizing the logic of the pictures that were chosen, and their sequence. Images: thinking through different mediaA common suspicion is that the use of media just gets in the way of "real analysis", which can presumably only be in linear, textual argumentation. But if this isn't the case, then what is the relationship of analysis to the medias we use for analysis? One of the primary goals of using Web technology is to enable us to learn to think rigorously through different types of media, and pursue arguments through those media. The common expression "a picture is worth a thousand words" says it all – the world is not a text, and despite the overwhelming dominance of the written word in our culture, we all know the world exceeds the text, with its tendencies to reduce events to a narrative linear flow, clean up messy reality into a more focused presentation, and reduce the rich sensorial reality of life to black on white. The point of this assignment is to follow a train of thought through images, and not just texts. Thus the text here is subsidiary to the images – the images are presenting a certain logic, so that you are actually conveying an train of thought through the images. The title just orients the reader, and the captions given only factual information. The real thinking is in the particular images you choose, as well as how you sequence them in relationship to each other. The final summary then simply is a textual attempt to explain that logic which is expressed visually with the images. Section #5: Work plan due for Biographical analysis of a Saint's LifeA preliminary 1-2 page outline is due for this first major assignment. This should give a summary of the content of the argument the paper will be about, as well as a preliminary logical map of how the different textual and other media elements will be combined together. This assignment is done individually. Students should keep in mind assignment #3, so that this work can ultimately feed into the final assignment. Intellectual goal: biography and cultureThe intellectual goal is to use The Life of Shabkar as a basis to examine the intersection of various elements – such as doctrine, meditation, community, environment and world view – within a single saint's life. If you are having trouble getting started, just take the lectures and readings and turn elements into questions – ask how this doctrines or ideas or practices are present or not present in Shabkar's autobiography. If they are not present, then that itself tells you something; if it is present, how? In what way? What is its relative emphasis and importance in relationship to other elements? For example, you could address the issue of death in various forms, or impermanence; you could look at the role the three vehicles play in Shabkar's life, or the three forms of Buddhist tantra, and which seems more important, or whether they seem to be keyed to particular phases of his life, etc. One could look at a particular element of tantra, such as iconography, contemplation, ethics, social matrix – for example transgressive ethics in radical tantra - and ask what role that plays in Shabkar's life. Be creative – don't be limited to the obvious interpretations. And what do your findings suggest for how we understand the "reality" and nature on the ground of such calls to transgression? Look to the role and manifestation of deities in the fabric of Shabkar's life, and so forth. I can guarantee you that every aspect and form of Buddhism we have discussed was studied by Shabkar and appears in some form or another within the fabric of his life. Thus simply converting themes from lectures and readings into questions, and then carefully reading chapters from his autobiography that are interrogated with those questions, should naturally lead you into your paper. The point of the assignment is to get you to take the great ideas and practices of the different forms of Buddhism, and begin to see how they play out on the ground of a real life, real events, and a real society, where things are far more diverse, complex and messy than their simple textual presentations would suggest. So the assignment aims to begin to get us thinking about the intersection of religion and life, doctrine and society, neat ideals and the messy real. Technology: the technology of hyperlink and use of imagesExpected technology is to hyperlink together pieces of textual analysis together with images (single images as well as slide shows of images) using HTML facilities built into E-folio. The focus is on experimentation to begin to get familiar with the tools and processes that will be used in more complex ways subsequently. We are familiar with using hyperlinked text in traditional print with its most basic form, i.e. the footnote; and of course any magazine, newspaper and many books have for years combined text with images. This first assignment will be simply be extending these basic techniques you are familiar with in limited ways to incorporate other types of media in links, as well as making the "footnotes" possibly go off to other web pages, bring forth images, and so forth. The focus is on the quality of the textual analysis, and the manner in which the different materials are linked together to constitute a broader argument sustained through different media. Other technologies which will be explained include hyperlinking audio into presentations, and creating slide shows of sequential, captioned images. Work plan The basic steps are as follows:
Section #6: Assignment on Biographical analysis dueThe final form of the assignment is submitted Feedback on content, presentation, and their interrelation is due from instructors in section #6. In sections, students in the same section are assigned to work in pairs for the second major assignment (spiritual agents/deity cults). TAs will make assignments of who works together based on their knowledge of the students, and questions asked in section with the goal of bringing together students with different kinds of skills in the various areas (technology, Buddhism, etc.). The technology and process is similar to #1. Students should keep in mind assignment #3, so that this work can ultimately feed into the final assignment. Intellectual goal: spiritual agents in contextThe intellectual goal is to analyze how spiritual agents – whether transcendental or demonic, Buddhist or non-Buddhist – function in Tibetan Buddhist culture using the readings for the course and visual images. Again the focus is showing on how different aspects of deities are interrelated – doctrinal, meditative, social, environment, biographical and so forth. This could be about a classical Buddhist deity like Mañjusri, or a resolutely mundane figure like a "serpent spirit" (klu) which afflicts a local community. You do NOT have to deal with a million different angles, but there should be a connection made at the central of your paper between prescriptive descriptions of the spiritual agent in question – such as in doctrine, in iconography, etc. – and how this spiritual agent is appearing in the rich fabric of people's lives, such as in Shabkar or Himalayan Dialogues. The essential point is to make that connection as a central part of your paper, not that you view the deity or demon from every angle imaginable. Section #7: Online diary beginsDue as of this section for the first time, the maintenance of a work diary will begin in E-folio. Instructions for how to accomplish this are in our help file on the class web site. Each Tuesday until the final week of the semester (excepting any vacation weeks), students must post at least one diary entry a week. These diaries will be confidential and only shared with the instructors. They can include anything, but in particular should include a discussion of collaborative relationships and roles within the second and third major assignments. Section #8: Work plan for spiritual agents/deity cult assignment dueThe 1-2 page work plan is due with short summary and structural design. Section #9: Assignment on deity cult dueThe final form of the assignment is submitted Feedback on content, presentation, and their interrelation is due from instructors in section #10. In sections, students in the same section are assigned to work in groups of 5 for the final major assignment (human-environmental interactions). However, each student will perform distinct roles, and work diaries will be kept so instructors can monitor group dynamics and individual performance. TAs will make assignments of who works together based on their knowledge of the students, and questions asked in section with the goal of bringing together students with different kinds of skills in the various areas (technology, Buddhism, etc.). Students are encouraged to make use of previous assignments in building the final assignment. Intellectual goal: Human-environment interactions in Tibetan religionThe intellectual goal is to consider Tibetan culture in relationship to place and the environment, namely how places and environment profoundly influence culture, and particularly religion, in Tibet (and indeed anywhere). For example, Shabkar's entire biography is structured around his movements through Tibetan places; pilgrimage is about ritual interactions with places, and so forth. This should draw upon work done in assignments #1-2 so that the first half of the semester forms the basis for the second half's work. This final assignment will be exhibited in a virtual exhibition space, which will be provided in a three dimensional room space constituted by a technology known as VRML. These rooms each have four smaller picture frames and two bigger frames. One of the larger ones can hold a video, while the other five hold pictures that can be hotlinked to underlying web pages that open in separate windows. When you submit an assignment, you have to select the image that goes in the "frame", and then the first page of the web presentation to which this image is linked. These individual web pages will be constituted by the same technology as assignments #1-2, but we will discuss adding in other resources, like links to the dictionary, bibliographies, videos and maps as relevant. Immersive environmentsImmersive environments use various media to literally immerse the user in a variety of media and inputs. Ordinary experience on a daily basis is fully immersive - we are receiving multiple sensations (sights, sounds, smells, and so forth), and multiple types of input, much of which is below the surface level of awareness. In contrast, traditional technologies for information transference tend to be non-immersive. For example, the text, which gives us only the sight of the black printed word on white pages; otherwise, our other modes of awareness remained embedded within the ordinary world around us. Immersive digital technologies aim to use multiple and simultaneous modes of presentation to engage the user on multiple levels. In addition, they often provide a spatial, three dimensional environment in which objects appear. These can be used to in some ways recreate the rich, varied texture of lived experience with its simultaneous feeds of differing types of input. In addition, they can be utilized to help creators and users think in multi-modal and holistic fashion, drawing upon different conduits of knowledge other than simple linear-oriented approaches. Our current use of immersive technology is rather basic. The class has a three dimensional exhibitional hall using a technology called "VRML"; each student group is provided a single room to exhibit their final assignment. These rooms have a three dimensional appearance, and include spaces on the walls where pictures and videos can be "hung". The pictures act as "portals" leading to web pages, textual analysis, and slide shows. At the most basic level, this is thus an experiment in students beginning to think holistically about their work, and pursuing their arguments through a variety of forms and media. For example, the simple format of five front images that can be spatially arrayed allow students to think about the structure of their argument, or components, in spatial terms. That in itself is a valuable initial experiment. Section #10: Posting of images in virtual exhibition space dueStudents must activate their VRML exhibition rooms, and put up trial images to learn how to interact with the VRMLs. Section #11: Work plan for human-environmental assignment dueThe 1-2 page work plan is due with short summary and structural design. Section #12: Preliminary exhibition and AssessmentStudents will show the preliminary forms of their projects in section. Section #13: Final discussionsThe final section will consist of concluding discussions and reflections. The final assignment is due seven days from the final class meeting. Resources to draw upon for assignments
GradingGrades will be based upon (i) attendance and participation in section (30%), (ii) diaries (10%), and (iii) performance on the three assignments (60% - 20% per assignment). Thus 60% of your grade will be stem purely from individual work; only 40% of the final grade will relate to collaborative work.
The grading scale in general is as follows: 100-97.5=A+ (98) |