Examine and compare the different understandings of the Buddha in Mahayana and Theravada Custom Paper

Topic: This paper requires you to critically engage central concepts and/or issues related to those religions covered in class. Due to the introductory nature of this course, this is a large topic, but you are still required to present an organized, focused argument. Your paper must address the chosen topic, using at least four academic sources to support your discussion.

Sources: With your chosen topic, you can start collecting your sources. While course material may provide general information for your paper, you will need to consult additional primary and/or secondary sources relative to your topic. You are required to include at least four academic sources beyond course materials in your bibliography.
Note that the use of non-peer reviewed internet sources is prohibited. You will be penalized 10% of your final essay grade for every unapproved website that appears in your bibliography. This includes sources such as Wikipedia. As an academic student, you must understand the value of sources that have been subjected to a critical, peer-reviewed evaluation process. As a general guideline, select sources that have academic publishers (such as a University press), and that are no more than ten or twenty years old. (There are always exception to this of course)

Thesis: The thesis is possibly the most difficult element in essay writing. Think of the thesis as the “steering wheel” of your paper. It is stated in your introduction, and should tell your reader three important things:
1) What issue you wish to address. This identifies the central thread of your discussion.
2) How you intend to address it. Tell your reader how you plan to tackle your issue, and relevant sources you may be using.
3) Why it is important. Answer the “so what”? question. What do we learn? What is its relevance?
The thesis is perhaps the most critical component of your essay. It explains up front the “what,” “how,” and “why.” If your paper lacks a clear thesis, your discussion becomes unfocused and disorganized, and perhaps even irrelevant. Understand that developing a thesis is a process of reading and writing. It takes time to develop, and it may change as you write your paper.

“This paper will compare the early understandings of karma in Jainism and Buddhism [this is the “what”] by examining the teachings of Mahavira (sixth century b.c.e.) and Shakyamuni Buddha (sixth–fifth century b.c.e.) [this is the “how”]. This will reveal key differences concerning the early Buddhist and Jain understandings of cosmology and the human condition.” [this is the “why”]
Note that it is common for your thesis to change as you work out your ideas in full—so don’t worry if this is the case! If anything, the revision of your thesis means that your paper is improving.

Citations & All quotations and paraphrasing must be referenced. Plagiarism—even if
Bibliography: unintentional—is a serious academic offence. It is your responsibility to know University policies on academic dishonesty. Though citations and the bibliography should pose little difficulty, many students are unfamiliar with proper formatting. Since this is a course in Religious Studies, we will be using the Chicago Style.

Common bibliographic errors:
? Do not number the entries.
? Single-space entries, with one space in between entries.
? Arrange titles alphabetically according to the author or editor’s last name.
• Indent the second line (hanging indent), not the first.
Essay Checklist (common issues in undergraduate papers):
• The basics: ? 1 inch margins ? stapled in upper-left corner (no plastic or fancy folders)
? 12 point font • don’t separate paragraphs using an extra space
? double-spaced ? page numbers
• left justification • properly formatting bibliography in Chicago style
• Use Canadian spelling: centre (not center), favour (not favor), etc.
• Common mistake: its vs. it’s; their vs. there vs. they’re. Don’t solely rely on your spell-checker.
Avoid contractions, abbreviations, slang, colloquialisms, or pejorative terms.
• Don’t separate paragraphs using an extra space. Your word processor (e.g., Microsoft Word) may automatically insert a space between paragraphs. Disable this function.

• Foreign words, with the exception of proper nouns, are italicized (e.g., moksha, samsara, not Moksha, Samsara). Do not italicize proper nouns (e.g., Krishna, Mahayana, not Krishna, Mahayana).
• Use gender inclusive language (e.g., “humanity,” not “mankind”).
• Be precise with your language. Always tell your reader the “when, where and who.” Identity key time periods, dates, figures, geography, and events.
• The titles of monographs, periodicals, primary works, and other such texts are italicized (e.g., The Analects, or The Dao de jing).
? Don’t begin your essay with grand, sweeping statements (e.g., “Throughout the history of time, Buddhism has played an important role in Asian society.”) Get to the point quickly!
• Show, don’t tell. You must backup your statements with facts, otherwise they don’t carry much weight.
? The use of diacritics (e.g., a, s) is encouraged, though not necessary. You can write Siva as Shiva or
Siva, Mahayana as Mahayana, Shinto as Shinto, etc. When in doubt, follow the textbook’s
example.
• While not required, I also encourage you to double-side your paper. Let’s reduce the amount of paper we use by 50%.
Penalties: In addition to the issues noted above, your paper will be penalized for the following major problems:
1) No bibliography and zero in-text citations Grade of 0%; plagiarism charges may be initiated
2) Zero in-text citations (even with bibliography) Grade of 0%
3) Use of unauthorized internet sources Penalty of 10% per internet source
4) Improper bibliographic format Penalty of 5%
5) Improper citation format Penalty of 5%
6) Under four critical academic sources Penalty of 10% per missing source