UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA
Notification No. CSR/ 11 /19
of the
It is notified for information of all concerned that as per resolution
syndicate in its meeting held on 27.02-20L9 (vide Item No'15) subsequently
confirmed by the syndicate dated 28-03.2019 (Vide Item No'01) some
amendments have been made in the existing c.s.R. (Notification No.csR/95/18
Buddhist Studies under this
dated 10.11.201g) for the M.A. course of study in
University, as laid down in the accompanying pamphlet'
onwards'
The above shall be effective from the academic session20lg-20
SENATE HOUSE
fl*r{:
(Debabrata Manna)
KOLKAT A.7OOO73 Deputy Registrar (Acting)
The 26th April, 2019
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DEPARTMENT OF BUDDHIST STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA
KOLKATA
Rules, Regulations and Syllabus of
M.A. Course of Studies in Buddhist Studies
(CC= Core course 800 + DSE=Discipline Specific Elective
course -100 + GE= Generic Elective Course -100)
Duration of Each Semester: 6 (six) months in two years.
No. of seats: 40 (forty) including Reservation
Time: 5 (five) days in a week (Monday – Friday) from 10:30 p.m. to 04:30 p.m. (six classes)
Venue: Room No 42 A, 3rd Floor, Asutosh Building, Asutosh Siksha Prangan, 87/1, college
Street, Kolkata – 700 073)
Objective: This course offers a comparative as well as holistic approach to Buddhism taking
into account different social, cultural, historical, philosophical and ethical aspects. Apart
from this, the Syllabus of the said course has been framed so that it may benefit the
students appearing at UGC NET Examinations (Code No 60) and also WBCS Examination in
Pali as well.
Eligibility: Since the said course is inter-disciplinary in character the Honors students of
Humanities group (Ancient Indian History and Culture, Archaeology, Bengali, Comparative
Indian Language and Literature, Economics, Education, English, French, German, Hindi,
History, Islamic History, Museology, Pali, Philosophy, Sanskrit, Sociology, Tibetan), Science
and Commerce Group can take admission. Moreover, the students who complete their P.G.
Diploma course in Buddhist Studies and other M. A. in relevant subjects (above mentioned
subjects only) may be offered an opportunity to take admission in M. A. in Buddhist Studies
as there is no scope for learning Buddhist Studies in B.A. (Hons.) in West Bengal. For the
said course there will be no age bar.
Course Curriculum:
M. A. Course in Buddhist Studies
Total Marks: 1000 (One Thousand) Marks
Core Course – 800 (Eight hundred) Marks
Discipline Specific Elective Course- 100 (One Hundred) Marks
Generic Elective Course- 100 (One Hundred) Marks
In the 1st Semester there will be a compulsory project based on field work. (10 marks)
Department of Buddhist Studies
Duration of Each Semester – 6 (Six) months in 2 (Two) years
Students for the M.A. in Buddhist Studies Department have to complete two Discipline
Specific Elective Courses in semester 1st and semester IInd with four Core Courses. In
semester IIIrd and IVth student of the Department can opt any two Generic Elective courses
respectively from other department. Each course contains 50 Marks.
(Department offers for the students of other departments two Generic Elective Course in
IIIrd and IVth semester. Each course contains total 50 Marks, including 10 Marks Internal
Assessment (IA). Total Generic Elective Course: 100 (One hundred) Marks.
General Information
1. For any selection or admission to the course, the candidate shall, within the date
fixed by the University, deposit the necessary fees (admissions fees, tuition fees etc.)
prescribed for the purpose. If a candidate fails to deposit the fees within stipulated
date, his/ her selection or shall be liable to be cancelled. Such a candidate shall not
be admitted unless a fresh order is made or any extension of date of payment of
requisite fees is granted by the University.
2. Reservation criteria are as per C.U. rules and West Bengal Government Reservation
policy of 2013.
3. Admission to the course of Buddhist Studies shall only be for the First Semester.
4. A candidate admitted to the course of Buddhist Studies shall be enrolled as a student
of the University of Calcutta.
5. Admission to the course entitles a student to attend lectures and others academic
arrangements made for them by the Department.
6. Students in this course shall have to pursue a regular course of study extending
over four semesters in Two-year period.
7. The university authority reserves the power to Condon deficiency up to 10% of
attendance of candidate only for consent reasons and such candidates will have to
pay appropriate fine.
8. The last date of receipt of Application and the course fees shall be fixed year by the
university for each year.
9. The Examination will be held at the end of each Semester.
10. The Examination fees and other related fees for M.A. Examinations under Semester
System shall be as prescribed by the university authority year to year.
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Department of Buddhist Studies
11. A candidate shall be declared to have passed the M.A. course if he/ she secures at
least 40% marks in aggregate in final Examination. If any candidate fails to secure
40% in aggregate he/ she will have to take fresh admission to the course.
12. A candidate can appear at a maximum number of three consecutive years and three
chances for each semester to clear a particular course, failing which he/ she shall be
dropped from the rolls of the University.
13. If a student is dropped from the university roll because of failure to clear a
particular course, he/she may apply for readmission at the beginning of the next
academic session along with the fresh application.
14. Each successful candidate will receive the M.A. Certificate stating the year of
passing, Grade and quality descriptor in which he/she is placed.
15. Credit points shall be allotted as per the norms set by the office of the Controller of
Examination.
16. Evaluation Procedure :
Two year M. A. course in Buddhist Studies in four Semester System
Existing Total Marks – 1000 (to be converted into Credit points)
There will be double papers setters and a single examiner for each paper appointed
on the recommendation of the Board of Studies of the Department.
For each of the semester and examination, there shall be a Board of Moderator and
Board of Examiner.
Duration of Examination for theoretical course will be 3 (three) hours
(The format of Diploma/Certificate stated in separate page.)
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Department of Buddhist Studies
University of Calcutta
Department of Buddhist Studies
Master of Buddhist Studies
Syllabus
SEMESTER I
Four Core Course+ Discipline Specific Elective Course
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
I 40+10 (IA)
A General Pre Buddhist India
Survey of
History of Unit II- (Marks 10)
Buddhism Advent, Growth and Spread of Buddhism in India
in India
Unit III- (Marks 10)
Buddhist Councils- 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Unit IV- (Marks 10)
Buddhist Sects and View Points (Sarvāstivāda,
Sautrānatika, Vaibhāsika, Mādhyamika, Yogācāra)
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
II Pāli as a MIA 40+10 (IA)
Outline of Origin and Homeland of Pāli
Early Characteristics of Pāli
Buddhist Unit- II- (Marks 10))
Literature Classification of the Buddhavacana
The Study of Pāli Tipiṭaka
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Development of the Pāli Commentarial Literature and
Pāli Commentators: Buddhadatta, Buddhaghosa, and
Dhammapāla
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Non-Canonical and Non Commentarial Pāli literature up
to the Modern period: Milindapañho, Nettippakaraṇa,
Petakopadesa, Vaṃsa Literature, Pāli Prosody, Rhetoric,
Kāvya Literature, Mahābuddhavatthu.
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Department of Buddhist Studies
BDS-CC-III Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Readings in Pali alphabet and euphonic combination, Basic 40+10 (IA)
Buddhist categories of nouns and verbs
Pali Gram-
mar (Eleme- Unit- II- (Marks 10)
ntary) Gender and cases
Unit-III- (Marks 10)
Declension of nouns and verbs
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Reading and comprehension methods and
techniques
BDS-CC-IV Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Select Cūllavagga: Bhikkhunikkhandhaka - 40+10 (IA)
Buddhist Paṭhamabhāṇavāra-Mahāpajāpatigotamīvatthu
Texts in Pali Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Dīghanikāya: MahāparinibbānaSutta:
Tathāgatapacchimavācā (VRI II.115)
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Paṭṭhāna (24 Paccayas)
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Pali Nīti Literature: Lokanīti (Paṇḍitakaṇḍa,
Itthikaṇḍa)
BDS-DSE- I Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Buddhist Buddhist Pilgrimages Sites in India- Kapilavastu, 40+10 (IA)
Pilgrimage Bodhagaya, Sarnath, Kusinagar
Sites and
Tourism Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Tourism- A Humanistic Quest for Learning
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Travel Routes, Conveyance and measures for
Buddhist Pilgrims
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Project (Field Work)
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Department of Buddhist Studies
Semester II
BDS-CC- V Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Credit- 4
Transition Origin and Development of Mahāyāna Buddhist Marks
of Thought 40+10
Buddhism: Unit- II- (Marks 10) (IA)
Mahāyāna Introduction to Early Mahāyāna Texts and
Teachers
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Mahāvastuavadāna (Mṛgadāyavasthu)
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Reading Sanskrit Mahāyāna Texts: Asṭasahasrika
Prajñāpāramitā (Ch. XVII)
BDS-CC- VI Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Buddhist Origin of Buddhist Art & Architecture, Stupa – 40+10 (IA)
Artand Development through ages - Art & architecture of
Architectu the stupas – Bharhut, Sanchi, Amaravati,
re Sanghol.
Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Rock- cut art & architecture in Western India –
Chaityagriha and Vihara
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Origin of the Buddha image- Gandhara and Math-
ura. Gupta and later developments. Terracotta, st-
one, bronze and stucco images with special refer-
ence to Bengal School of Art
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Paintings: Ajanta, Bagh, Alchi.
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
VII Contemporary Shramink Traditions during the 40+10 (IA)
Buddhism advent of the Buddhism
and Other
Shramink Unit- II- (Marks 15)
Traditions Buddhist and Jain ideology: Comparative Study
(The Dhamma Theory of Buddhist and Jain, Refu-
tation of Soul Theory in Buddhism and Accep-
tance of Soul in Jainism, Ideas of Rebirth in Budd-
hism and Jainism, Karmavāda, Theory of Lib-
eration)
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Department of Buddhist Studies
Unit- III- (Marks 15)
Buddhist and Jain Ethical Concept (Sīla, Samādhi,
Paññā, Brahmavihāra, Five Vratas, Six Substance-
s, Seven Fundamentals, Triratna)
BDS-CC- Unit- I- (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
VIII Introduction to Buddhism in Sri Lanka, 40+10 (IA)
Buddhism Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos,
Outside Vietnam
India
Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Buddhism in Central Asia and China
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Buddhism in Tibet and Mongalia
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Buddhism in Korea and Japan
BDS-DSE- Unit- I and II- (Marks 20) Full Marks Credit- 4
II The Buddha’s biography; beginnings of his 40+10 (IA)
Buddha apotheosis; ‘great man’ (mahāpurisa); ‘great
Concept: compassion’ (mahākaruṇā); ‘four confidences’
Buddha (catu-vesārajja).
and
Bodhisattva Unit- III- (Marks 10)
in the The Bodhisatta Ideal, an integral part of the
Buddhist Buddha-concept in Buddhism,
Tradition
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
‘Perfections’ (pāramitā), ‘aspirations’ (abhinīhāra),
‘18 impossible states of birth for a bodhisatta’
(aṭṭhārasa-abhabbaṭṭhāna).
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Department of Buddhist Studies
Semester III
BDS-CC- IX Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Readings in Basic categories of parts of speech 40+10 (IA)
Buddhist Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Sanskrit gender and cases
Grammar
(Elementary)
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Declension of nouns and conjugation of verbs
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Reading and comprehension methods and
techniques
BDS-CC- X Unit- I- (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Select Texts Abhidharmakośa- 1stKoasakārikā 40+10 (IA)
on Buddhist Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Logic and Mūlamadhyamakakārika of Nāgarjuna, Ch- VII
Epistemology
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Sambandhaparīkshā of Dharmakīrti
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Pramāṇasamuccaya (Pratykṣa) and Nyāyabindu
(Anumāna)
BDS-CC- XI Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Select Texts ManjusriMulakalpaSangraha 40+10 (IA)
on Tantric Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Buddhist Madhyamasaṭaka of Mettipā
Thought
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Adyayavajrasaṅgraha
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Caryāpada- Sarahapā And Bhusukpā
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Department of Buddhist Studies
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
XII Concept of Ādi Buddha 40+10 (IA)
Tantric Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Buddhist Pañca Dhyāni Buddha
Icons
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Buddhaśaktis according to Sādhanamālā
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Dhyāni Bodhisattvas
GE (Generic Elective)
BDS-GE- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
I Background of Buddhism 40+10 (IA)
Life and Unit II- (Marks 10)
Teaching Life of the Buddha
of the Unit III- (Marks 10)
Buddha - Teachings of the Buddha- Four Noble Truths,
Majjhimapaṭipadā, Ariya Aṭṭhaṅgika Magga,
Nibbāna
Unit IV- (Marks 10)
Teaching of the Buddha - Paṭiccasamuppāda,
Anicca, Anattā, Dukkha
BDS-GE-II Unit- I- (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
Introduction I- Origin and Development of Buddhist 40+10 (IA)
to Buddhist Literature
Literature
Unit II- (Marks 10)
Pali Literature- Sutta Piṭaka
Unit III- (Marks 10)
Pali Literature- Vinaya and Abhidhamma
Piṭaka
Unit IV- (Marks 10)
Sanskrit and Prakrit Buddhist Literature
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Department of Buddhist Studies
Semester IV
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Decline of Buddhism and its Full Marks Credit- 4
XIII after effect 40+10 (IA)
Decline of Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Buddhism Spread of Sufism in India
and
Contempor
ary Socio-
Cultural Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Movements Contemporary Socio-cultural folk traditions (Baul,
Faqir)
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Advent of Christianity in India and its Impact
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
XIV British Policy for Indian Religions 40+10 (IA)
Buddhist Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Revival in Revival of Buddhism in Independent India
Indian
Sub-
continent Unit- III- (Marks 10)
and Buddhist Studies in the West
Abroad
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Involvement of Academic Institutions in Pali and
Buddhist Studies
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
XV Rabindranath Tagore, Harpasad Shastri, Anagarika 40+10 (IA)
Buddhism Dharmapala, Swami Vivekananda
and the
Role of Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Modern Gandhi’s Ideas about Buddhism, Varnasrama Dhar-
Social ma, Satyagraha
Reformist
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Ambedkar Approach to Buddhism and Neo Buddhist
Movement
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Department of Buddhist Studies
Unit- IV (Marks 10)
Dalai Lama, Acharya Satyanarayana Goenka Life
and works
BDS-CC- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
XVI Introduction to Indian Epigraphy, Origin & 40+10 (IA)
Various Development, related issues, Survey of modern
Scripts research
Relating Unit- II- (Marks 10)
to Origin& Development of Brāhmī and Kharoṣṭhī
Buddhist Script
Texts and Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Epigraphs Study of Select Brahmi Inscriptions: Bhabru, Maski,
Lumbini, Barabar
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
Study of select Kharoṣṭhī inscriptions: Mansehra
Rock Edict 5, Shāhbāzgarhi Rock Edict 1
GE (Generic Elective)
BDS-GE- Unit- I – (Marks 10) Full Marks Credit- 4
III Individual and society from a Buddhist perspective, 40+10 (IA)
Buddhism Causes and conditions of social and individual
and problems according to the teaching of the Buddha
Current
Social Unit- II- (Marks 10)
Problems The Buddhist analysis of individual and social
morality, individual responsibility and social
leadership.
Unit- III- (Marks 10)
Buddhist proposals for the solution of contemporary
social problems: suicide, drug abuse, sexual
misbehavior, war and crime and punishment.
Unit- IV- (Marks 10)
The Buddhist views on nature and its preservation,
education, economy, democracy, human rights, and
women’s liberation.
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