Arnoud wrote: ↑Thu Mar 15, 2018 12:18 pm
Thank you very much Malcolm. Truly extraordinary. How long did it take you to translate the whole text? Must have been a few days.
BTW, if anyone has lack of funds but has the requirements to read this text, please let me know. I will pay for three sets and shipping for those who can't afford it. It would be best if that was in the US as shipping overseas gets very expensive but let me know and I can see what I can do.
The initial draft of the Rangdrol took about three months, finished in Dec 2011, and subsequently, five drafts.
The initial draft of the Rangshar took about 6-7 months, that was completed in October 2012. It subsequently went through six drafts.
Then, after a hiatus where we worked on Buddhahood (originally translated over three months in the fall of 2012) to tighten up our lexicon, we returned to editing the Rangshar and Rangdrol which we envisioned publishing together.
After Wisdom agreed to publish this work, frankly due to the success of Buddhahood, I spent six months researching and writing essays to support the text, only 25 percent of which actually made it into these two volumes. In addition, the work altogether went through five rounds of editing with one of Wisdom's senior editors, Laura Cunningham. Wisdom had an expert in Sanskrit, Rory Lindsey, review all of the Sanskrit terms in the text for proper diacritics and accuracy, and it was proofread by Emily Bower, who used to be an editor at Shambhala but now works freelance. Right now it is being indexed, and all final changes will be implemented in April. So, from start to finish, this project will have taken eight years. Amazing. When I began to translate these two texts, I had no idea it would wind up this way.
We commissioned Tashi Mannox to do calligraphy for the two volumes. We also commissioned an original line image for Bhagavan Pawo Zhonnu Tobden, the teacher of both tantras, drawn according to how he is depicted in the Vima Nyinthig's Great Chronicle by a thangka painter, Urgyen Gyalpo, who lives and works in Toronto. The cover design was done by Gopa Campbell. The interior book design also is based on Gopa Campbell's original interior design for Buddhahood, but was executed by Wisdom's inhouse designer, Lyndsay D'Andrea.
Tulku Dakpa RInpoche and Jean Luc Achard (a leading western authority on Dzogchen) kindly wrote forwards for the book. In addition, Sangye Khandro has expressed amazing kindness in giving her support to our efforts, and there are a couple of other translators who have kindly agreed to lend their support, but until they actually send us their blurbs, they should remain anonymous for now. Credit is also due to the original sponsors of the Rangdrol.
It is really amazing how many hands touched this book to bring it to completion. It has my name on it, but in reality it was a huge team effort. We owe a great debt to Daniel Aitken for his vision in seeing the possibility of bringing our work to the reading public.
At present Team Zangthal is working on volumes three, four, and five of the series. Volume three has been submitted, the Without Syllables and its commentary. We are editing drafts of volume four, the Blazing Lamp and its commentary, and I have begun work on volume five, the Six Dimensions and its commentary. (And all of this does not count all the other translation work I have been involved with over the past 7 years.)
Arnoud, your offer is very generous, thank you.
M