ITW110  THE BHAGAVADGITA: CAN VIOLENCE BE AN OBLIGATION? (A.Y. 2024/2025)

• Accademic Unit

  Gregorian Centre for Interreligious Studies

• Course

  Diploma in Interreligious Studies

Objectives: This workshop will bring into light the significance and importance of the metaphorical fight between two families, Pndavas and Kauravas, who represent good and evil. The question “can violence be an obligation?” will be posed in the light of the spiritual journey, which is actually the context of the religious text Bhagavadgītā, one of the sacred books of Hinduism, in the framework of a dialogue with Christianity. The whole discussion also aims to introduce to the students some aspects of the spiritual and philosophical understanding of Hinduism, its way of life and the tension between himsa and ahimsa and, finally, the ethical implications.

Learning outcomes:
a) knowledge of the text of Bhagavadgītā (deep and reflexive reading)
b) knowledge of some commentaries of the BG
c) critical and argued analysis of the main concepts (ethical, theological);
d) ability in a hermeneutical approach to a sacred text of Hinduism
e) ability to correlate the themes and issues presented during the course and summarize the topic to the class

Contents: Hermeneutical approach to the text. Presentation and reading of the eighteen chapters of Bhagavadgītā with the support of some commentaries of different philosophical schools. The meaning of yoga and the three means of inner liberation: karma (action) jñāna (wisdom) bhakti (love and devotion). Aspects of dialogue with Christianity.

Methodology: This subject is studied as a workshop, which follows the pedagogy of information and reflection given by the professor and the students respectively. The students are expected to have a weekly personal reflection as an ongoing learning process and to share it in the class (presentations through slides and other material)

Means of Evaluation: Each student will be evaluated on his or her weekly active participation and reflection and a final research paper of about 1,500 words with a separate bibliography.

• Information
• Teachers
• Lesson schedule/Room
• Bibliography

Information

• Semestre: 1° Semestre
• ECTS: 2

Teachers

Ambrogio BONGIOVANNI

Lesson schedule/Room

Semester	Day	From	To	Room	Floor	Building	Notes
1° Semestre	Martedì	15.00	15.45	TBD	0		Si tiene dal 26 novembre 2024 al 14 gennaio 2025
1° Semestre	Martedì	16.00	16.45	TBD	0		Si tiene dal 26 novembre 2024 al 14 gennaio 2025

Bibliography

• J. MUSCARÒ (Translated by) The Bhagavad Gita, Penguin Books, Middlesex, England, 1962 (1976); S. RADHAKRISHNAN, The Bhagavadgī tā with an Introductory Essay, Sanskrit Text, English Translation and Notes, Allen & Unwin, London 1948; C. RIZZI, Bhagavadgī tā: Il Canto del Glorioso Signore. Edizioni Studio Domenicano, Bologna 2006; M.K. GANDHI, The Bhagavadgī tā : a commentary by Mahatma Gandhi, Lotus, New Delhi 2008; Gandhi commenta la Bhagavad Gita. Una grande opera spiegata da un grande maestro, Edizioni Mediterranee, Roma 2012; A.M. ESNOUL, Bhagavadgī tā, Adelphi Edizioni, Milano 1994.