Translation
Contents:
Translation has become a priority in the preservation of the integrity of Tibetan culture and the Buddhist tradition, as well as in making this unique tradition accessible in the West. In particular, translation of the most important scriptural ‘root’ texts together with detailed commentaries on them by venerated masters has become a prime focus. The detailed textbooks can be used by Buddhist teachers as the basis of traditional study courses, and also provide individual readers with sufficient material to convey the true meaning of the texts.
Dedication to accuracy & clarity
Inspired by the non sectarian tradition, the Translation Group’s goal is to make available, in the greatest number of languages possible, the essence and the depth of the texts studied and practised within the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Among the huge numbers of important texts to be translated, Padmakara has started by focusing on those recommended by great Tibetan masters such as Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, and Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
The Padmakara Translation Group strives to maintain, in all its work, the greatest possible accuracy and fidelity to the source text being translated, while at the same time aiming at a clear, readable text in the target language. Detailed study and research is an essential part of each translation, however long it may take; while to convey the meaning properly, fluent and stylistically well-formed writing is no less important. Since 1980, more than 50 book-length texts, as well as a large number of practice manuals, have been translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Finnish, Russian, and other languages.
Urgent work while the right conditions last
The living, oral tradition is the essential component in the transmission of the correct meaning of each text from one generation to the next. Without the explanations of masters holding its specific oral tradition, a text could not be translated in such a way that its authentic meaning is conveyed. Padmakara’s translators set great store by their facility of access to lamas and scholars with the necessary oral transmission for each individual text, starting with Padmakara’s directors and including a number of other masters who make regular visits or can be consulted wherever they are.
But there are fewer and fewer masters nowadays who have received the detailed teachings in a complete and authentic way, and those that remain are less and less available. While such contact is still possible, and while there are translators with the necessary experience and resources to devote their time to this slow and difficult work, it is crucial that as much work as possible is done. In a generation’s time, it is by no means certain that there will be any masters left who can explain the meaning of these texts from an authentic transmission of the tradition.
Padmakara’s own output might appear to be a long list of works, and when these are joined by the hundreds of translated texts that have been completed by many other groups and individuals, one could conclude that an impressive amount of work has been achieved. But all the texts translated until now are no more than a tiny fraction of the whole body of Tibetan literature. Of the core texts of the Kangyur and Tangyur collections, a very small proportion indeed has been translated—for the two collections together comprise 325 enormous volumes, each containing a large number of what would be book-length texts if published in Western book format. And even these two major collections represent probably less than five percent of all the classic texts in Tibetan put together.
For many years, Padmakara’s translators volunteered their work, in whatever spare time they had left from earning at least a basic subsistence wage. More time away from the texts was taken up by administrative tasks within Padmakara’s publishing activity, for which they were also responsible. Progress on translation projects was frustratingly slow. More recently, thanks to the generous support of the Tsadra Foundation and other private sponsors, some of them have been able to receive regular sponsorship, enabling them to work full-time, while funding for a salaried administrative staff has spared them most of their administrative responsibilities. This has brought a substantial improvement in the time taken to complete major projects. However, other translators are still without sponsorship; and, of particular concern for the future, Padmakara cannot at present offer prospective trainee translators the conditions that would make a medium-term apprenticeship viable.
For more on these issues, see Background: The history of Padmakara, How you can help: Sponsoring translations and Scholarships for trainee translators.
Translations currently in progress »
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