Major Translations Forthcoming
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Major Translations Forthcoming
New Year’s Kalavinka Press Announcement
Three First-Ever[1] Translations by Bhikshu Dharmamitra
Completed on Lunar New Year’s Day, 2014:
The Greatly Expansive Buddha’s Floral Adornment Sutra
Mahāvaipulya Buddha Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Śikṣānanda’s 699 ce. edition).
T279 - 大方廣佛華嚴經 - 實叉難陀譯
(39 chapters in 80 fascicles – 3000 pages)
The Ten Grounds Sutra
Daśabhūmika Sūtra (Kumārajīva’s circa 400 ce edition.)
T286 -十住經 - 鳩摩羅什譯
(Ten Chapters in 4 fascicles – 275 pages)
Nagarjuna’s Commentarial Treatise on the Ten Grounds Sutra
Daśabhūmika Vibhāṣā Śāstra
T1521 - 十住毘婆沙論 -鳩摩羅什譯
(35 chapters in 17 fascicles – 700 pages.)
The Avatamsaka Sutra translation was finished at 12:01 am, January 31st, Lunar New Year’s Day, 2014, at West Seattle’s Kalavinka Translation Aranya,
by Bhikshu Dharmamitra, a.k.a. Bhikshu Heng Shou (釋恆授).
Kalavinka Press is planning to publish all 3 of these texts in the Fall, 2014.
(BDK-Numata will also issue an edition of Dharmamitra’s translation of the Avataṃsaka Sutra.)
Although this three-text project was begun in 2004 at Turtle Mountain’s Prajna Translation Aranya, it was interrupted by publication of ten other books, a liver cancer operation, a liver transplant, etc., only to be begun again, 6 months post-transplant, in late 2010.
Bhikshu Dharmamitra is one of very first American disciples of the late Ven. Master Hsuan Hua (since 1968).
He was also one of the group of three American monks who were the very first Americans to ever take full bhikshu ordination in the Chinese Buddhist tradition (Hai Hui Monastery, Chilung, Taiwan, Nov., 1969). He is the author of approximately 25 translations of Chinese Buddhist Canonical Texts, most of which originated from Sanskrit.
[1] Although Thomas Cleary claims to have translated the Avatamsaka Sutra, he did not in fact do so.(For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.)
Three First-Ever[1] Translations by Bhikshu Dharmamitra
Completed on Lunar New Year’s Day, 2014:
The Greatly Expansive Buddha’s Floral Adornment Sutra
Mahāvaipulya Buddha Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Śikṣānanda’s 699 ce. edition).
T279 - 大方廣佛華嚴經 - 實叉難陀譯
(39 chapters in 80 fascicles – 3000 pages)
The Ten Grounds Sutra
Daśabhūmika Sūtra (Kumārajīva’s circa 400 ce edition.)
T286 -十住經 - 鳩摩羅什譯
(Ten Chapters in 4 fascicles – 275 pages)
Nagarjuna’s Commentarial Treatise on the Ten Grounds Sutra
Daśabhūmika Vibhāṣā Śāstra
T1521 - 十住毘婆沙論 -鳩摩羅什譯
(35 chapters in 17 fascicles – 700 pages.)
The Avatamsaka Sutra translation was finished at 12:01 am, January 31st, Lunar New Year’s Day, 2014, at West Seattle’s Kalavinka Translation Aranya,
by Bhikshu Dharmamitra, a.k.a. Bhikshu Heng Shou (釋恆授).
Kalavinka Press is planning to publish all 3 of these texts in the Fall, 2014.
(BDK-Numata will also issue an edition of Dharmamitra’s translation of the Avataṃsaka Sutra.)
Although this three-text project was begun in 2004 at Turtle Mountain’s Prajna Translation Aranya, it was interrupted by publication of ten other books, a liver cancer operation, a liver transplant, etc., only to be begun again, 6 months post-transplant, in late 2010.
Bhikshu Dharmamitra is one of very first American disciples of the late Ven. Master Hsuan Hua (since 1968).
He was also one of the group of three American monks who were the very first Americans to ever take full bhikshu ordination in the Chinese Buddhist tradition (Hai Hui Monastery, Chilung, Taiwan, Nov., 1969). He is the author of approximately 25 translations of Chinese Buddhist Canonical Texts, most of which originated from Sanskrit.
[1] Although Thomas Cleary claims to have translated the Avatamsaka Sutra, he did not in fact do so.(For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.)
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Thanks Will. (I also just received this notification.)
This is really amazing, an incredible contribution to the Mahayana Dharma in the English language.
~~Huifeng
This is really amazing, an incredible contribution to the Mahayana Dharma in the English language.
~~Huifeng
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Dharmamitra:
Some may think the Ten Grounds Sutra translation of Dharmamitra is not the first, because Rulu & BTTS have done them. Dharmamitra uses Kumarajiva's version, not Śikṣānanda's which Rulu used. BTTS only published the first 3 or 4 grounds, so it was incomplete.
Did no reviewer notice this infidelity to Śikṣānanda back when Cleary first published this text?For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.
Some may think the Ten Grounds Sutra translation of Dharmamitra is not the first, because Rulu & BTTS have done them. Dharmamitra uses Kumarajiva's version, not Śikṣānanda's which Rulu used. BTTS only published the first 3 or 4 grounds, so it was incomplete.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Who would be the reviewer with enough time to go through the whole "translation", comparing it to the Chinese? The few times I've had people quote the English looking for the Chinese, I had serious difficulties finding the Chinese (and usually this sort of "find the Chinese sutra from English translation" game is something I can do without too much difficulty). Sometimes, the differences were very stark and surprising. Then I gave up using the English...Will wrote:Dharmamitra:Did no reviewer notice this infidelity to Śikṣānanda back when Cleary first published this text?For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.
Some may think the Ten Grounds Sutra translation of Dharmamitra is not the first, because Rulu & BTTS have done them. Dharmamitra uses Kumarajiva's version, not Śikṣānanda's which Rulu used. BTTS only published the first 3 or 4 grounds, so it was incomplete.
Before such a translation, the only people familiar enough with such a text would know Chinese, and so not need the English. And anyone who needs the English probably can't read the Chinese.
~~Huifeng
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
First Venerable, the entire sutra need not have been read; secondly, what sort of a 'review' of a translation would it be, if the reviewers knew only one of the languages? Surely some scholar who knew both languages would have dipped into a chapter or two and noticed oddities.
But perhaps when the first of the three volumes came out there was no one competent or interested enough to check.
But perhaps when the first of the three volumes came out there was no one competent or interested enough to check.
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Will wrote:Dharmamitra:Did no reviewer notice this infidelity to Śikṣānanda back when Cleary first published this text?For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.
Some may think the Ten Grounds Sutra translation of Dharmamitra is not the first, because Rulu & BTTS have done them. Dharmamitra uses Kumarajiva's version, not Śikṣānanda's which Rulu used. BTTS only published the first 3 or 4 grounds, so it was incomplete.
I usually read 2 different english translations of a sutra to make sure the content and meaning is essentially the same......
..I bought clearys translation now I feel like I got ripped off.
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
This is fantastic news, thanks OP! Looking forward to the new Avataṃsaka material in particular.
Recommended reading material of recent interest:
写経 仏典を訓読してみませんか
http://gallerynyoze.web.fc2.com/syakyo.html
写経 仏典を訓読してみませんか
http://gallerynyoze.web.fc2.com/syakyo.html
Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
What JOY this is in this world of dust!
May the merit of this grant the Dharma translator Bhikshu Heng Shou 釋恆授 wellbeing and a long life.
May many sentient beings be liberated by this!
May the merit of this grant the Dharma translator Bhikshu Heng Shou 釋恆授 wellbeing and a long life.
May many sentient beings be liberated by this!
Life is great and death has to be just as great as life.
- Mike Tyson
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- Noam Chomsky
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People not only don't know what's happening to them, they don't even know that they don't know.
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- dzogchungpa
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Why would Cleary have done that?Will wrote:Although Thomas Cleary claims to have translated the Avatamsaka Sutra, he did not in fact do so.(For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.)
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Alex Wayman & his wife blended differing translations of the Srimala Sutra, but they at least told the reader. So it is not uncommon to mix different translations, but it is at least sloppy scholarship to have no notes or preface explaining that fact.dzogchungpa wrote:Why would Cleary have done that?Will wrote:Although Thomas Cleary claims to have translated the Avatamsaka Sutra, he did not in fact do so.(For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.)
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
The Chinese Avatamsaka Sutra is a giant compendium of numerous sutras that circulated independently. And it was translated, as a whole text, twice. And the Dharmadhatu chapter (actually, the Gandhavyuha-sutra) was translated a third time. So, all of this material matches up fairly closely, but there are variations based on the Chinese translators' choices and the evolution of the original texts over time. I am guessing what he was doing was choosing to translate sections based on his preferences. I know that when I check his translation of the Gandhavyuha, I noticed he was actually translating Prajna's translation. And, yes, to do this without making the methodology explicit is not good practice. It is not unprecedented to do this. Conze did something very similar to produce his English text of the Large Prajnaparamita Sutra.dzogchungpa wrote:Why would Cleary have done that?Will wrote:Although Thomas Cleary claims to have translated the Avatamsaka Sutra, he did not in fact do so.(For immense parts of the text, Cleary cuts out the Avataṃsaka text, grafts in other texts, and and otherwise violates in a host of ways the sanctity of the Śikṣānanda translation from Sanskrit.)
Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
It really is amazing work.Huifeng wrote:Thanks Will. (I also just received this notification.)
This is really amazing, an incredible contribution to the Mahayana Dharma in the English language.
~~Huifeng
Now all we need are Mahayana Buddhists to read it.
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Does anyone have information about the future availability of the Avatamsaka translation for purchase?
ETA "Avatamsaka" -- CA
ETA "Avatamsaka" -- CA
Chris Seishi Amirault
"If you have realized it, speak quickly; words are wondrous & unspeakable." Chuanzi.
Benevolent Street Zen Facebook page
Boundless Way Temple website
"If you have realized it, speak quickly; words are wondrous & unspeakable." Chuanzi.
Benevolent Street Zen Facebook page
Boundless Way Temple website
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Nothing very precise yet; perhaps late this year or next.Pedestrian wrote:Does anyone have information about the future availability of the Avatamsaka translation for purchase?
ETA "Avatamsaka" -- CA
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
You could try contacting bhikshu dharmamitra. I think i have his email somewhere. pm me if you like.Pedestrian wrote:Does anyone have information about the future availability of the Avatamsaka translation for purchase?
ETA "Avatamsaka" -- CA
"Even if my body should be burnt to death in the fires of hell
I would endure it for myriad lifetimes
As your companion in practice"
--- Gandavyuha Sutra
I would endure it for myriad lifetimes
As your companion in practice"
--- Gandavyuha Sutra
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Bhikshu Dharmamitra is at [email protected] says his Kalavinka Press website
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Even though the draft of the Avatamsaka Sutra is done, but much more work needs to be done, for both the BDK and Kalavinka Press versions; not to mention the other future translations.
Thus the request for help from an Adobe Indesign person - also money is needed. To contact Ven Dharmamitra use [email protected]
Thus the request for help from an Adobe Indesign person - also money is needed. To contact Ven Dharmamitra use [email protected]
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
Is this still on track? Any updates?
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Re: Major Translations Forthcoming
See this new thread:Caodemarte wrote:Is this still on track? Any updates?
http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=19242
May all seek, find & follow the Path of Buddhas.