Category Archives: translation

05Apr/21

Reviewing the Translation: Buddhist Sacred Text Translation – Chinese to English How To Series 3

translation, translation theory, Uncategorized, , , ,
1. Read over your work for the second, third, or more times. However, immediately after you finish translating may not be most helpful. Give it a day to a week, and after more meditating, before you re-read your draft translation. You will have changes you will want to make.
22Mar/21

Drafting the Translation: Buddhist Sacred Text Translation – Chinese to English How To Series 2

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2. Get ready to be creative and focused. For the first draft, be ready to be a writer more than anything else. Don’t stop. Keep going. When you encounter a hurdle, enter the Chinese, add your questions, comments, and/or alternative translations. Come back to these later though -- during the review and editing stages.
12Feb/17

A Word of Caution before You Access Vinaya Texts for Ordained Monks and Nuns

Buddhist teachings, buddhist text, translation, , , , , , ,
In the vinaya, or code of discipline, section of the Buddhist canon, texts on precepts for ordained monks and nuns are only for them to access. In those texts, the Buddha specifically requested that anyone who has not accepted the several hundred bhikṣu and bhikṣuṇī precepts to leave the area.…
23Jun/14

Chinese-English Buddhist Translation Theory Proposed

abe, bible, Buddhism Buddhist teachings sutra scripture, canon, Chinese, English, nida, sacred text, translation, translation studies, translation theory
The Dynamic Possibilities Theory One Possibility As a result of pondering sacred text translation discourses east and west, four aspects of Buddhist philosophical views of language and texts, I have developed one possible theory for the translation of Buddhist sacred texts from Chinese to English. I balance American Bible Society…
09Jun/14

Eight Qualities of Buddhist Translators

buddhism, Buddhist canon, Chinese, English, holy, sacred text, scripture, sutra, translation, translation studies, translation theory
Have been introducing features of translation approaches by Chinese Buddhist translators from the second to tenth centuries in China. Presentations in Canada and Thailand thus far have been well received.  Cancong’s advocacy for Buddhist translators’ inner cultivation is a special feature that sacred text translators east and west may be interested in.…
23May/14

Dedication to A Scripture: To the Avatamsaka Sutra

Avatamsaka, buddhism, Buddhist canon, Chengguan, Chinese, flower garland, Flower Ornament Scripture, Huayan, Mahayana, philosophy, sacred text, translation
On Venerating the Avatamsaka Sutra Excerpted from Admonitions for Monastics By Meditation Master Wensui of Suizhou’s Dahong Mountain Homage to my master teacher Vairochana, the Kindly Venerated One of the Flower Treasury.  You proclaim the golden text and the jeweled verses, unfolding scrolls of sutras kept in book sachets. Objects for…
02May/14

A Small Part of Translating Totality in Parts

Avatamsaka, buddhism, Buddhist canon, Chengguan, Chinese, flower garland, Flower Ornament Scripture, Huayan, Mahayana, philosophy, sacred text, translation
The following is an excerpt from Translating Totality in Parts: Chengguan’s Commentaries and Subcommentaries to the Avatamsaka Sutra by Guo Cheen. Published by University Press of America. Book launch on May 9, 2014. Please purchase and review the book on Amazon.com that day! Book review:   “Guo Cheen has made…
14Mar/11

Ancient Wisdom Needed for Contemporary Spirituality

buddhist text, contemporary spirituality, elephant jornal, great wisdom shastra, scandals, shakyamuni buddha, sixth patriarch, translation, wisdom, , , , , , , , ,
More harrowing tales of sex scandals, money laundering, power struggles and coercive threats. . . Apparently Buddhism in the West is no different than any other faith tradition. No matter how developed, an organizational structure comes to embody some aspect of unhealthy cultic dynamics— and the denial of such dynamics, or a lack of awareness of them, is one of the most common indicators of this disease.