Translating Sadhanas and Rituals

2022-10-30T22:47:03-06:00

Discussing the translation of the genre of sadhana and ritual materials, presenters consider particular challenges and rewards. Stephen Gethin talks about accuracy and precision as they relate to sadhana readership and considers the demand for chantability of the ritual texts in English. Anne Klein follows this by considering the somatic and cognitive experience of practice, melody as transmission, and the possible trade-offs in the process. Larry Mermelstein speaks about specific choices in translation that elicit somatic experience during the practice of sadhana and ritual.

Translating Abhidharma Materials

Marcus Perman2022-10-30T22:47:58-06:00

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.