Translating Abhidharma Materials

2022-10-30T22:47:58-06:00

Is Abhidharma just a collection of dry, boring lists? Presenters in this workshop comment on the need for Abhidharma literature as the basis of both morality and advanced meditation practice when bringing Tibetan Buddhism to a Western setting. Art Engle presents the need for a viable English translation from original source texts of the Abhidharmakośakārikā and Abhidharmasamuccaya. Ian Coghlan discusses terms, grammar, and syntax related to meditative states and the subtlety involved in creating satisfactory, standard English terms for this material. Gyurme Dorje presents short passages from Abhidharmakośa and traces the illusion of terminology and taxonomy through Tibetan traditions.