Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad

Overview

Course No. 6380
Explore the lives and legacies of four iconic spiritual figures who shaped world history. This 36-lecture course examines:

• The historical contexts that shaped each teacher’s message
• Core teachings about human nature and spiritual fulfillment
• How their philosophies developed into major world religions
• Comparative analysis of their enduring wisdom

Professor Mark Muesse offers profound insights into how these sages redefined nobility, truth, and the art of living.

Video Lessons

Confucius (Lectures 1-9)

1. A Quartet of Sages (33 min)
   Introduction to comparative study framework
2. Confucius’s China (30 min)
   Zhou dynasty context and intellectual climate
3. Becoming a Sage (32 min)
   Confucius’s early life and education
4. A Gentleman and Scholar (32 min)
   Confucius’s political career and exile
5. Heaven and Earth (31 min)
   Confucian cosmology and metaphysics
6. Doing unto Others (30 min)
   Core ethics of ren and filial piety
7. How to Rule a Kingdom (32 min)
   Confucian political philosophy
8. What a Sage Does (31 min)
   Daily spiritual practices
9. Confucius and Confucianism (30 min)
   Development of Confucian tradition

Buddha (Lectures 10-17)

10. India at Buddha’s Time (33 min)
    Pre-Buddhist religious thought
11. Siddhattha Gotama (31 min)
    Buddha’s birth and royal youth
12. Great Awakenings (32 min)
    Renunciation and enlightenment
13. Knowing the World (33 min)
    Buddhist metaphysics
14. Can’t Get No Satisfaction (31 min)
    Teachings on suffering
15. Farther Shore (33 min)
    Path to liberation
16. How Buddha Taught (33 min)
    Teaching methods
17. Buddha and Buddhism (33 min)
    Spread of Buddhist traditions

Jesus (Lectures 18-25)

18. Jewish/Roman Worlds (32 min)
    Historical context
19. Son of Mary (33 min)
    Birth narratives
20. First 30 Years (28 min)
    Early life mysteries
21. Kingdom of God (32 min)
    Core teachings
22. Back to Future (33 min)
    Spiritual practices
23. Jesus’s Christology (31 min)
    Self-conception
24. Last Days (31 min)
    Crucifixion events
25. How Jesus Became Christ (33 min)
    Development of Christianity

Muhammad (Lectures 26-33)

26. Pre-Islamic Arabia (32 min)
    Cultural background
27. Trustworthy One (32 min)
    Early life
28. I Am a Messenger (32 min)
    Revelation experience
29. Madinah (34 min)
    Community building
30. No God but al-Lah (31 min)
    Islamic theology
31. Ethics of Islam (31 min)
    Moral teachings
32. Greater Jihad (33 min)
    Spiritual disciplines
33. Conquest of Makkah (30 min)
    Final years

Comparative Analysis (Lectures 34-36)

34. Lives Compared (31 min)
    Commonalities in their journeys
35. Teachings Compared (33 min)
    Philosophical intersections
36. Enduring Significance (29 min)
    Lasting impact on humanity