Hongaku Institute for Buddhist Studies
Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Studies

The Hongaku Institute of Buddhist Studies (HIBS) is an accredited Institute of Higher Education with offices in Glorieta, New Mexico. We offer a Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Studies – Pali Cannon.  These four course certificate programs (a total of 12 credits) comprise the core course of studies for the respective master’s certificate programs described below.  Students who complete a Graduate Certificate program have to option of applying these credits to one of the HIBS’s Master in Buddhist Studies certificate program.

The course requirements for the graduate certificates are:

Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Studies

·      HIBS 600 History of Buddhism

·      HIBS 610 Foundations of Theravada Buddhism

·      HIBS 612 Foundations of Mahayana Buddhism

·      HIBS 614 Foundations of Vajrayana Buddhism, or

·      HIBS 616 Foundations of Shin and Pure Land Buddhism

Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Studies – Pali Cannon
 
·      HIBS 601 History of Theravada Buddhism

·      HIBS 611 Introduction to the Buddha's Teachings

·      HIBS 612 Foundations of Mahayana Buddhism or

·      HIBS 614 Foundations of Vajrayana Buddhism

·      HIBS 626 The Four Noble Truths


Master’s Certificates in Buddhist Studies

The Hongaku Institute of Buddhist Studies currently offers a 30 credit Master’s Certificate in Buddhist Studies and a 30 credit Master’s Certificate in Buddhist Studies – Pali Cannon.  Students who have completed a graduate certificate program may apply credit previously earned towards a master’s certificate and will only be required to complete the remaining 18 credits.

The course requirements for the master’s certificate are:


Master’s Certificate in Buddhist Studies

·      HIBS 601 Foundations of History of Buddhism

·      HIBS 610 Foundations of Theravada Buddhism

·      HIBS 612 Foundations of Mahayana Buddhism

·      HIBS 614 Foundations of Vajrayana Buddhism

·      HIBS 616 Foundations of Shin and Pure Land Buddhism

·      HIBS 620 Overview of Buddhist Meditation

·      HIBS 630 Overview of Buddhist Psychology

·      HIBS 640 Overview of Buddhist Ethics

·      HIBS 650 Overview of Buddhist Ceremony and Ritual

·      HIBS 690 Overview of Buddhism in America


Master’s Certificate in Buddhist Studies – Pali Cannon

·      HIBS 603 History of Theravada Buddhism

·      HIBS 611 Introduction to the Buddha's Teachings

·      HIBS 612 Foundations of Mahayana Buddhism or

·      HIBS 614 Foundations of Vajrayana Buddhism

·      HIBS 626 The Four Noble Truths

·      HIBS 627 The Five Aggregates

·      HIBS 628 Factors of Enlightenment

·      HIBS 635 Kamma and the Ending of Kamma

·      HIBS 621 Buddhist Meditation in Original Buddhism

·      HIBS 631 Overview of Theravada Buddhist Psychology

·      HIBS 631 Topics in the Abhidhamma


Doctor of Philosophy Certificate in Buddhist Studies

            The Doctor of Buddhist Studies (DBS) program at the HIBS is designed to prepare teachers and scholars in the area of Buddhist studies.  The program requires a minimum of ten graduate courses or doctoral seminars, the successful completing of qualifying examinations, and the completion of a doctoral dissertation or a portfolio of at least four published papers in the students field.

Students enrolling in the DBS program at HIBS are expected to have completed a master’s certificate program in Buddhist studies.  Students without the expected background may be required to take additional courses.

Each student entering the DBS program will select, in consultation with the Director of the Hongaku Institute of Buddhist Studies (HIBS) an Academic Advisor at the time of enrollment in the program. The Advisor must be a faculty member of the HIBS. The Advisor is responsible for overseeing the student's program of coursework, timing of preliminary examinations, and so on. The Advisor can be changed at any time with the agreement of the student, the student's Advisor, and the Director.  The Advisor is replaced by the "Dissertation Committee" once candidacy is achieved.

The course requirements for the doctoral certificate are:

·      HIBS 670 Doctoral Seminar in Buddhist Readings – 9 credit hour minimum

·      HIBS 672 Doctoral Seminar in Buddhist Studies – 9 credit hour minimum

·      Graduate Electives – 12 credit hour minimum taken from any graduate-level courses including additional course work in HIBS 670 or HIBS 672

·      HIBS 680 Doctoral Examination –6 credit hour minimum

·      HIBS 690 Dissertation – 12 credit hour minimum

·      Minimum of 45 graduate credit hours beyond the master’s certificate

Course Descriptions

HIBS 600 Foundation of History of Buddhism (3) This course covers the life of the historical Buddha and the growth of Buddhist important Buddhist traditions. The traditions addressed in this course include, but may not be limited to, Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. This course is required for ordination.

HIBS 601 History of Theravada Buddhism (3) This course covers the life of the historical Buddha and the growth of Buddhist important Buddhist traditions. The focus of this course is the Theravada tradition. The Mahayana, Vajrayana traditions will also be covered to some extent to place schism in context. This course is required for ordination.

HIBS 610 Theravada Buddhism (3) This course traces the cultural and geographic growth of Theravada Buddhism. This course will define the term Theravada Buddhism, Provide a Sketch of the Buddha's Life based on readings from the Pali Canon, and explore the differences between Theravada Buddhism and Early Buddhism and the Commentarial Interpretation of Theravada. Particular emphasis is placed on reading, understanding and applying the Pali Cannon. This course is required for ordination.

HIBS 611 Introduction to the Buddha's Teachings (3) This course serves as an introduction to the teachings regarding the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. This is not meant to be an exhaustive study but a survey of the fundamental teachings of the Buddha.

HIBS 612 Foundation of Mahayana Buddhism (3) This course traces the historical, cultural and geographic growth of Mahayana Buddhism. Particular emphasis is placed on reading, understanding and applying the Mahayana texts. This course is required for ordination.

HIBS 614 Foundation of Vajrayana Buddhism (3) This course traces the historical, cultural and geographic growth of Vajrayana Buddhism. This course explores the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug schools of Tibet as well as Vajrayana (tantric) Buddhism in general. Particular emphasis is placed on reading, understanding and applying the major texts used in Tibetan Buddhism.

HIBS 616 Foundation of Shin and Pure Land Buddhism (3) This course traces the historical, cultural and geographic growth of Pure Land Buddhism and Shin School of Japan. Particular emphasis is placed on reading, understanding and applying the Pure Land texts.

HIBS 620 Buddhist Meditation (3) This course offers the student the opportunity to explore different Buddhist approaches to meditation, including so-called Insight meditation as well as Jhana practice, Visualization and Zen meditation. Students will be expected to practice a variety of meditation techniques and to keep a mediation journal.

HIBS 621 Buddhist Meditation in Original Buddhism (3) This course offers the student the opportunity to explore different Buddhist approaches to meditation as found in the Pali Canon, including Samatha/Vipassana meditation, Jhana practice, the Forty Objects of Meditation approved by the Buddha himself. Students will be expected to practice a variety of meditation techniques and to keep a mediation journal.

HIBS 626 The Four Noble Truths (3) An introduction to the Four Noble Truths, the basic framework on which all the Buddha's teachings are built.

HIBS 627 The Five Aggregates (3) Readings from the Pali Canon explaining the Five Aggregates (pañcakkhandha), the basis of the Buddha’s psychology.

HIBS 628 Factors of Enlightenment (3) There are seven factors leading to enlightenment. These seven are interdependent and interact with a series of practices that the Buddha guaranteed would bring a person to enlightenment.

HIBS 630 Overview of Buddhist Psychology (3) This course explores several key Mahayana Buddhist psychological notions often found in the Abhidhamma including the basic drives that motivate behavior, perception and cognition, consciousness, personal development and enlightenment, meditation, and behavior change.

HIBS 631 Overview of Theravada Buddhist Psychology (3) This course explores several key Buddhist psychological notions found in the Abhidhamma including the basic drives that motivate behavior, perception and cognition, consciousness, personal development and enlightenment, meditation, and behavior change. Much emphasis will be placed on the law of Dependent Co-Arising.

HIBS 631 Topics in the Abhidhamma (3) The prime focus of the course is on the dhamma-theory, the cornerstone of the Abhidhamma philosophy. The course introduces students to the teachings of the Abhidhamma on levels of reality and degrees of truth, analysis of mind and matter, theory of cognition, instantaneous being, and conditional relations. The course will be concluded with-an introduction to the expository methodology of the Abhidhamma.

HIBS 635 Kamma and the Ending of Kamma (3)  Prerequisite:  HIBS 626  This course examines both the non-Buddhist view of kamma (karma) and the Buddha’s own teachings. Kamma and its ending is inextricably intertwined with the Second and Third Noble Truth.

HIBS 640 Buddhist Ethics (3) This course explores the concept of ahimsa as a basis for the development of an ethical life. Particular attention is placed on the role of the “Five Precepts” and the “Eight Precepts” as guides for moral conduct. This course is required for ordination.

HIBS 650 Buddhist Ceremony and Ritual (3) This course provides the student with an understanding and appreciation for the rich Buddhist tradition of ceremony and ritual. The student will gain the ability to participate in Buddhist ceremonies and rituals and lead them when appropriate. This course is required for ordination.

HIBS 660 Buddhism in America (3) This course covers the historical growth of Buddhism in America, the influence of Buddhism on American society and the effect of Western thought on the evolution of Buddhist theology and practice. This course will cover both ethnic Buddhism transplanted from Asian society and Americanized Buddhist forms.

HIBS 670 Doctoral Seminar in Buddhist Readings (3) Prerequisite:  Admission to the doctoral program.  The course may be repeated for credit.  The doctoral seminars in Buddhist readings are designed to give the student the opportunity to engage in an in-depth exploration of the literature of a specific Buddhist tradition.  Each seminar will focus on a specific tradition, such as Chinese Buddhist Texts, Indian Buddhist Texts, Tibetan Buddhist Texts, Cambodian Buddhist Texts, or Japanese Buddhist Texts.

HIBS 672 Doctoral Seminar in Buddhist Studies (3) Prerequisite:  Admission to the doctoral program.  The course may be repeated for credit.  The doctoral seminars in Buddhist studies are designed to give the student the opportunity to engage in an in-depth exploration of current or seminal topics in Buddhist studies. 

HIBS 680 Doctoral Examination (6) Prerequisite:  Completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of doctoral coursework and Advisor approval.  Credit for this course is given once the student has successfully passed the doctoral qualifying examination and defended his or her dissertation proposal.

HIBS 690 Dissertation (3) Prerequisite:  Successful completion of HIBS 680.  This course may be repeated for credit.  A student must enroll in this course every term while engage in the dissertation process.  A letter grade of “CP” (continuing progress) will be awarded each term until the dissertation is successfully defended at which time letter grades will be awarded.

HIBS 692 Article Portfolio (3) Prerequisite:  Successful completion of HIBS 680.  This course may be repeated for credit.  A student must enroll in this course every term while engage in the portfolio creation process.  A letter grade of “CP” (continuing progress) will be awarded each term until the dissertation is successfully defended at which time letter grades will be awarded.

Cost: The cost of the certificate program is $100 per credit hour or $300 for each lesson. Below is a breakdown of the specific courses of study.

Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Studies (GCBS) Program costs a total of $1200

Master of Buddhist Studies (MBS) costs $3,000 that includes the $1200 for the prerequisite Graduate Certificate Program.

Doctor of Buddhist Studies (DBS) Program costs $4,500 plus completion of the MBS

The Hongaku Institute for Buddhist Studies is an accredited institute of higher education.