REL 101 Exam Topics B
If you will not be here on the exam
date to take the exam, you must make prior arrangements at least one week
before. You must receive prior permission for absence as well as to take the
exam separately. Only exceptional cases will be allowed.
The exam will be multiple choice, and as covered in the syllabus, will
count 10% of your grade. There is only one right answer perquestion. If
there appears to be more than one right answer, pick the best answer.
If you have any questions about the exam or the topics included in the
exam, please ask me. You can come in during office hours, make
anappointment or send me email. I will not be overly picky about dates and
names. However, you should know major figures and thinkers covered in the
course so far and the major ideas associated with them:
Ancient Chinese Mythology and Confucius
- Sage Kings - Who were they, and what did they do?
- Confucius and the Duke of Zhou (Chou)
- Key Terms: li (rites and rituals), yi (righteousness),
ren (jen)(benevolence and humanity), hsiao (filial
piety)
Confucius' orchestral vision of society - at least 5 aspects of this
metaphor
- Fingarette - What do these mean: "Secular as Sacred," "Human
Community as Holy Rite," "Way without a Crossroad," "A Confucian
Metaphor - The Holy Vessel"
Laozi (Lao Tzu)
- The Story of how the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) was
written
- Laozi's ideal of society and government
- Laozi's view of the relationship between intellectual knowledge
and contentment
Zhuangzi
- The Story of how the Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) was compiled
- Who was Zhuangzi - lifestyle, family, contradictions in his story
- The relation between perspectivalism, illusion, and oneness in
Zhuangzi's view of language, truth, and reality
- The social and philosophical significance of figures like Cook
Ding (Ting) and Woodworker Qing (Ch'ing)
- The difference between Laozi and Zhuangzi's view of society,
whether to return to nature or live in the world but not be of it.
Bodhidharma and the founding of Chan/Zen Buddhism
- The encounter with Emperor Wu
- Dialogue with four disciples and transmitting the Seal of the
Dharma to Huike (Hui-k'o)
- Possible Daoist and Confucian influences
The Origins of Japanese Religion
- The Unification of Japan and the Role of Religion: Confucian,
Taoist, Buddhist, Shinto (Kami)
- Reason for bringing in Buddhism
The Myth-Histories of the Kojiki (Chronicle of Ancient
Affairs) and Nihon Shoki (First Chronicle of Japan)
- Why were these written?
- What is the story of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu disappearing into
the cave?
- What is the Hollow-Centered Balance Model proposed by Kawai?
Zen Master Dogen
- Why did Dogen go to China?
- What are his practices of Sitting-only and Practice-as-Awakening?