Primary Source Texts are texts used by a given religion, the way the Bible is used in Christianity or the Qur'an in Islam - an "insider's text" The purpose of this assignment is to expose you to the written sources related to at least one religion - a text you have never read closely before: Through this exposure it is expected that you will find...: some surprising similarities to the teachings of texts from your own religion (if you have one) some interesting and universal insights to life as expressed in other religions a reflection of the basic teachings and values of the religion related to the text you are reading Read and reflect on one of the following: The Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism) (18 chapters) I recommend Mascaro (translator) (Penguin books) Dhammapada (Buddhism) (26 chapters) I recommend Mascaro (translator) (Penguin books) Tao Te Ching (Taoism) (81 "chapters") I recommend the Feng & English translation Compare and contrast any two of the four Gospels in any version of the Christian Bible Limitation: if you are already well versed in any of the above texts, please choose one of the others for this assignment. In this case (unlike the field research) a Christian may choose to make a close reading of the Gospels, as few Christians really have a good idea of the actual content of these texts from directly reading and studying them themselves (however, if you have made a close study of the Gospels, then you should choose a different text). You may use any version of these primary source texts. These books are not available in the campus bookstore as they are available in many good general bookstores (Borders, Barnes & Noble), libraries, and online through Amazon. You can also find some full-text versions to read online. You may use any edition you prefer, just be sure it is: a translation and not a paraphrase not an edited version (number of chapters for each are indicated above) and that you can clearly distinguish between the actual text and any additional editorial commentary or interpretation the version you choose may contain (You need not read any introductory, editorial material or commentary though you may choose to for greater comprehension. I suggest you read the actual primary source material prior to reading any background material.)  You can also find these (and countless other) primary source texts online at: The Internet Sacred Texts Archive and elsewhere. To decide which text you might want to read, I suggest giving each a quick scan, perhaps open to any random page or two and read a bit to see what your first impression might be and if you'd like to read more. If you know of some other sacred text that you'd like to read for this assignment, let me know what you have in mind and I'll let you know if that will suffice. The above noted texts are relatively short and manageable (why I do not ask you to read the entire Bible). None of these texts represent all the sacred text of any given religion but they are the most significant and do embody the essence of the religion each is associated with. Write and submit:  This part of the project is not a research paper. You should use first person pronouns (I, me, my, etc.) to reflect your thoughts on the text you have read. What you write here should be more than a mere summary of the content of the text. As you read note any interesting passages and comment/reflect on these as well as the text as a whole: Why did you choose this text to read? What was your level of familiarity with it before now? Reflect on several specific passages as well as on the text as a whole - any or all of the following: Offer your own analysis of several specific passages from the text (especially as you see them relating to aspects of the religion associated with the text) What are your favorite passages: these may be a single verse or passage, or an entire chapter. Discuss in a few sentences to a paragraph what you liked about each passage (why you found it inspiring or thought provoking?) What passages puzzled you? Why? What guesses can you make as to what they might mean? (perhaps some of the websites you look at can clue you in) What eternal and universal "truths" did you find in this text and how can you see these relating to your own life and/or our own culture? Note any similarities to a sacred text from your own religion If you choose to read the Gospels, pay special attention to the differences in the two Gospels and note your observations and comments regarding these differences. Then: Explore related websites to learn more about the text you are reading (background information, not simply an online version of the text itself). Begin with the site I recommend, below (just for the one text you are reading) and then find other online sources to explore: On the Bible: From Jesus to Christ (A PBS Frontline series) The Gita: Bhagavad Gita for Schools Tao Te Ching: About the Tao  or from TheBigView: (background information and context) Dhammapada: (OK, I was not able to find anything with significant background info but there are lots of sites with the actual text contents and a little bit of information. Let’s see what you can find on your own as far as background information is concerned) Do not allow these background resources influence your own perception of the text Read and reflect on the text first, prior to exploring and reading any background information (you may review the text again, after learning more about it) Locate and use at least one additional website beyond the one I note above. Please do not use Wikipedia or any other general encyclopedia. Your web sources should be either academic in nature or from an “insider’s” perspective (a website dedicated to the religion related to the text if not exclusively dedicated to the text in question). As you explore these sites keep a record of the sites you find most valuable (include these in a “works cited” page – site title and complete URL) and provide a summary paragraph regarding the material you reviewed at these sites and why you found it valuable (an annotated “webliography”). Include with your reflections, your commentary on the websites you used as well as any other background information you may have read in the text or other book(s). What did you learn about the text from secondary sources? (include proper citation) Grading based on: Clear familiarity with text contents (quote specific passages as you comment on them, giving proper citation format for a sacred text - i.e. chapter and verse rather than page number) Personal response to the text and its contents (general as well as specific selected passages) (quality reflections and observations: depth of thought, originality, insight, etc.)  Interaction with secondary sources: inclusion of commentary on at least two valuable web resources (including the one I recommend, above – exception for the Dhammapada where one site you find on your own will suffice) (properly cited) (a “valuable” site would have several pages of information about the text in question, similar to those I recommend - not merely an online version of the text) (merely citing these sources is not enough - you need to be explicit with regard to how you used these sources)