Translating the Words of the Buddha - Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche’s message

A translation of the Tibetan part of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche’s message to the Khyentse Foundation Translation Conference - Translating the Words of the Buddha, March, 2009.


Tashi delek to all of you present here.

Incomparable protectors of the Buddhadharma and sentient beings, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, Jigmey Khyentse Rinpoche, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Doobum Rinpoche, and other incarnated lamas here;
Precious khenpos whose nature is abundant in the wealth of the three trainings, masters of explaining the statements and insights;
Translators, who have arrived from every direction out of deep trust in and appreciation for the Buddha’s teachings – formerly known as “bilinguals” but these days there are many who are well versed in even four or up to eights languages;
Especially I send my warmest greetings to all of you for regarding this conference as important and making the effort to participate.

I regard this conference, motivated out of the wish to benefit the Buddhadharma and sentient beings as of extreme importance. Already I offered you a brief letter translated into English. But since Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche phoned me and asked that I give speech, there are a few more words to add.
First, as I reflected on the letter I sent, perhaps I was too presumptuous and bold. Nevertheless, we are at a time when the Buddhadharma hangs by a thin thread.
It was the outcome of the combined and noble efforts of the Tibetan kings, ministers and great lamas, and also the common people, that in the this world as a whole, but in the snowy ranges of Tibet in particular, that the great Kangyur containing our gracious Buddha’s words, was translated from Sanskrit and other languages into Tibetan, and consists of more than one hundred large volumes. The authentic treatises explaining their intent and meaning fill more than two hundred volumes. These translated collections still exist.
Not only are they available, but they were translated from Sanskrit and other Indian scriptures without distortion, with precise attention to detail, so as to ensure the highest possible degree of quality.
The existence of the Buddha’s Words in this world is thanks to the former Dharma kings, the panditas, translators and people. I feel deep gratitude for their kindness.

At the occasion of this conference, I reflect on what our most important wealth is—for Buddhists in general and especially for Tibetan Buddhist. It comes down the Dharma spoken by our gracious Buddha. I believe we all share this understanding. There is no need for me to elaborate on this, no more than raising a lamp while the sun has risen, as a Tibetan saying goes.
We see these days a growing interest in the Buddhadharma in all parts of the world. And the source of the Buddhist teachings, everywhere, is the words personally spoken by the Buddha.
These spoken words were recorded and preserved in various languages—Pali and Sanskrit, Chinese, and many others. But for the most part, the largest amount is in Tibetan. We have the general vehicles, the paramita vehicle, and especially the vajra vehicle of Secret Mantra consisting of the four sections of tantra. The Dharma preserved in the Tibetan language is the most complete and of a consistent high quality.
Not only were this great body of scriptures translated, but the lineages of empowerment, of reading transmission, and of explanation, together with the pith instructions, are still alive and being given.
In the past there have been an untold number of accomplished and learned masters, and many live this very day.

I mentioned that we live in a time when the Buddhadharma hangs by a thin thread. Many of these masters also fled when I left Tibet and most of them are no longer. Imagine how it would be if Khunu Lama was still alive! Or Deshung Rinpoche, Bomta Khen Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodro! Likewise, how would it be if our lord of refuge Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche were still among us! Or Kyabje Tri Rinpoche who recently passed on. These and many other masters, both learned and realized, are no longer alive. When thinking of this I feel a deep loss and sadness.
It is for these reasons I feel strongly that we must commence the task of translating the great Kangyur as soon as possible. First of all into English and then into the other languages. This is of utmost importance. I believe that all of you at this conference share this wish.

To our great fortune, the Dalai Lama is still alive and well. Below him we have the throne holding masters of the four major schools. We have authentic masters well versed in all the importance topics, both sutra and tantra. They can resolve our questions. They can advice. It is therefore important to translate as soon as possible.
For the translation tasks, first make a solid plan and agree on it. There is a need for patrons to provide the means living and the equipment—the paper and ink of today. And also the page layout and book design.

Please understand that this task is to translate the wealth we share in common. There is no need for “them” and “us”. We should therefore all make effort. Since we all work to assist the Buddhadharma and sentient beings—and there is no greater way to serve than this translation work. We should all fill our hearts with courage and appreciation for this task.
Foremost are you, the Rinpoches, the translators from around the globe., and the benefactors who assist you. Many of you have arrived for this conference.
I believe that you have already shared ideas, discussion and advice, and probably have a certain level of success. This fills me with tremendous joy and I rejoice from the core of my heart.
Now, don’t procrastinate for months and years. As soon as you begin, the carry through so you complete the task of planning and agreement as soon as you can. Then bring news of the outcome to the Dalai Lama and the main throne holders of the four schools, and request them to give further advice.

Here in Nepal, we have a translation committee with just a few translators, and even though I am an unimportant person, we will contribute out of pure motivation. We will sincerely cooperate in translating the Words of the Buddha, giving this work high priority.
I know that we are all involved in our various projects. Here we are in the middle of translating the 13 Major Treatises, and many others. While continuing with these on the side, we now shift our focus to the Kangyur, the Great Translated Words of the Conqueror.

We must also consider how to divide up the various parts of the Kangyur. It may be easier to translate some, while the tantras may be more complex. We should especially work together on the most difficult and consult the various masters who are still available. This will make the translations firm and dependable for future generations. I know this may sound a little too audacious, but I have a great wish to have some of the tantras translated. Our translators presently go through the same curriculum as the monks in our shedra and try their best to be well educated.
I would also suggest that we receive advice from all the masters of the various traditions. When it comes to accomplish an important goal, we must, as the Tibetan saying goes, agree on a common plan. This is no small task, and to ensure success, everyone should be consulted, be allowed to reflect, so that we all agree on one goal and a single strategy.

Let’s give our innermost to the Three Jewels, completely, so that we have an auspicious beginning, middle and end. To ensure that, the main foundation is harmony, mutual cooperation and the understanding that we share the same goal.

We Tibetans regard all the thousands of volumes of scriptures written by the learned and realized masters of Tibet, as the heart in our chests, the eyes in our heads, as wishfulfilling jewels. Why? They are the Buddhadharma.
Trijang Rinpoche once told me that he was involved in the work of making a catalogue of the books in the Potala Library, as ordered by the 13th Dalai Lama. I was in Lhasa at the time, as was the Ta Lama. “There are thousands upon thousands of books,” he exclaimed, “there is surely no end to this job.” It took many months to complete it. I believe these books are still there. These were books only written by Tibetan masters.
There were many others written by the Indian masters, and they form the basis for the Tengyur. But the foundation for them all is the Kangyur, the Translated Words.
We regard these Words as the most important validator. A valid text has to accord with the Buddha’s words, the statements of the noble masters, evident facts, and our guru’s instructions. We all know these three or four ways of validating. So the first, the Buddha’s Word, is extremely important.

Please discuss which parts of the Kangyur are most important and how to translate them, and among them, how to translate the tantras. When translating, discuss the need to receive empowerment, reading transmission and oral instructions.
Discuss how to translate the Vinaya. Would it be better to have ordained sangha members make the translations?
In other words, I feel all of this requires a lot of advice, reflection and discussion.
I am neither personally capable or daring enough to outline the best strategy. Yesterday I received the phone call from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and also had some words with Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. And they asked me to add some spoken words to the bold letter I previously sent. They expressed their delight at my pretentiousness. I know I am an unimportant person, honestly. But still, I feel strongly that unless we begin this most vital undertaking, it will be extremely difficult to accomplish in the future. That’s for sure.
So please don’t delay for months and years! Agree on a plan as soon as you can. That’s what I wanted to say.

Headed by you Rinpoches, I offer tashi delek to you. May your lives be firm and may your activities expand, so that the Buddhadharma may shine like broad daylight.
I pray that the Kangyur may be translated as the primary goal and in the future also the Tengyur will follow. And then the major works of the Tibetan masters, like for instance the writings of the early Kadampa spiritual teachers. Khenchen Apey Rinpoche recently told me, “The Kadampa writings are completely connected with the major scriptures.” That is one reason to give them a high priority.
Among the Nyingma masters, Longchen Rabjam was an outstanding siddha and his works and incredible. Khunu Rinpoche told me, “there are people who question whether his writings are connected with the major scriptures, such as Madhyamika, Pramana or Abhidharma.” These days, we receive some of his writings on these topics.
Let’s pay attention not only to the teachings from the Tibetan masters of all lineages, without partisanism, but also to the writings existent in Pali, Sanskrit and Chinese. We should translate original scriptures if they which do not exist in Tibetan, for instance the bye drag shes mdzod chen mo, which seems to have been omitted. The great 13th and also the 14th Dalai Lama gave it special attention.

You all know that the Kangyur is presently the Buddha’s primary representative, in both body, speech and mind. Foremost, one must listen and learn, reflect and practice. It is said that before these, ethical conduct is important, so at least one needs to be a Buddhist layperson who has accepted the Three Jewels. Second is to hear the Dharma. Third to gain certainty through reflection, and finally to assimilate the meaning through training. That is vital.

Now this insignificant person was forced to and succeeded in speaking many presumptuous words. Please be tolerant.

Great Yogini

Buddhist photographer James Gritz has a marvelous blog which i highly recommend. It is also well worth checking out his photo gallery too as it contains some great photos from Nangchen including Dechen Ling, the nuns at Gebchak, the late Adeu Rinpoche and even Tsoknyi Rinpoche. Here is a taste:

We crowded into the small dark room and sat shoulder to shoulder. The ceiling was covered with years of soot so thick that black stalactites had formed. My eyes teared from the fumes of incense and the yak dung smoke leaking from a crude wood stove. In the dark corner, light spilled from the doorway illuminating an ancient face, deeply etched from the harsh Tibetan life at 14,000 feet. There, leaning back in her meditation box was Sherab Zangmo spinning her prayer wheel.

When Sherab Zangmo was a young nun, during a dark retreat (a Dzogchen practice of staying in total darkness for 49 days and nights), she had a vision of Yeshe Sogyal, Padmasambhava’s principle consort.

“Three times she offered me mudras (hand gestures) and then she became Tsang Yang Gyamtso (the student of the first Tsoknyi Rinpoche who started Getchak Nunnery). He came to rest on top of my head and then he dissolved into my body, speech and mind. We became one. I cried and cried. That moment I had a direct experience of the nature of my mind. I have had many experiences, good and bad, but my mind has remained stable, neither good nor bad.”

read on...

A Tribute to Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Thanks to Adam and the folks over at Remembering the Masters for this marvelous video commemorating Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.

Buddhism In The West by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Buddhism In The West

by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

My thoughts on Buddhism in the West have actually changed over the years. At this point I feel very positive and optimistic; not that I was skeptical or doubtful in the past, but one becomes more sure over time. There seems to be greater possibility for the roots of buddhism to be established in the West. I have become much more certain of this from personal experience—certain to a certain degree. ...

Read more of this article on the Dharmadhrishti Journal website.

Dzongsar Khyentse, Chokyi Nyima and Sangye Nyenpa, Rinpoches, at Nagi, 1978

This photo was taken at Nagi Gompa in 1978 during a break when Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse conferred the empowerments for the Three Sections of the Great Perfection and Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche gave the One Hundred Cho empowerments.
It is easy to recognize Dzongsar Khyentse, Chokyi Nyima and Sangye Nyenpa, Rinpoches.

Brilliant Moon: The Autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse

The biography of one of the most important Buddhist masters to leave Tibet in the 1950s. Highly recommended.

Through lively anecdotes and stories this highly revered Buddhist meditation master and scholar tells about his life of study, retreat, and teaching. The formative events of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s life, and those insights and experiences that caused him to mature into the warm, brilliant, and highly realized meditation master and teacher he was, are deeply inspiring. The details of his early life and spiritual training reveal an authentic and human view of Tibetan culture, as well as the hardships endured by the Tibetans who fled their country and reestablished their tradition in exile.

The first part of this volume includes Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s early life story, told in his own words. The second half of the book comprises recollections by Khyentse Rinpoche’s wife; his grandson and spiritual heir, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche; Tenga Rinpoche; Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche; Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche; Kenpo Pema Sherab; the Queen Mother of Bhutan; Trulshik Rinpche; and Pewar Tulku.

Brilliant Moon: The Autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse
Ani Jinba Palmo, translator and compiler
Michael Tweed, editor
Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Buddhist meditation SummerCamp in Denmark

News from Gomde Denmark, a retreat center established by the oldest son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche:

We are happy to announce that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche will be sharing five sets of teachings at his retreat center in Denmark.

You may have friends who you would love to meet Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and be inspired through his wonderful teachings.

You can forward this email with the link to a small brochure card as widely as possible. You can also print it out, in color at best, and post it on an appropriate notice board. That will insure that many other people can receive the benefits of Rinpoche's deep instructions.

The sets of teachings are given in at progressively deeper levels, so if you come to Buddhist teachings for the first time, we suggest that you attend the first sets.


http://www.gomdedk.dk/Resources/GomdeSC2009infocard.tif 2mb


You can find more details on http://gomdedk.dk/Eng/SummerCamp2009program_eng.htm

Warm wishes,

Your hosts for SummerCamp 2009,
Rangjung Yeshe Gomde
http://www.gomde.dk

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's advice to teenagers

Excerpts from the audio file at Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

On growing up too fast

So, today I have something to tell you, that is especially for the teenagers, especially. I don't know whether you realize this, this is really important. It's ... important is not the right word. I don't know what to say. I'm trying to fish for a word.

There is something so incredible about being young. I made a mistake by trying to grow up fast, and I'm sure there are a lot of other people who have made the same mistake. Please for your own sake, do not grow up fast, because you can never rewind and play back. Once you play, that's it!

But this is easier said than done, no? ... a whole society, books, television, movies ... all trying to make you grow up. And you yourself, as a human being ... human nature is competing: "Who will grow up fastest?" I'm sure you even tell yourselves sometimes, "Grow up! C'mon!" ... not the right thing to do.

On discipline and depression

OK. One last word. Now, I hate to use the word discipline. The trouble is this is the one thing that you don't want to hear, discipline ... But even to make a cappuccino, you need a discipline ... you need a discipline, of course. Skateboarding, all these things, they all need discipline. In our modern society, one of the biggest problems is depression, really really feeling down and depressed, and people turning to drugs and alcohol and all of that. If you really look into the root of the depression, it is because of lack of discipline.

Discipline is so important ... And when I say discipline I'm talking about something so simple, huh? I'm not talking about like getting up in the morning, 5 o'clock ... you know, like things like that ... You make your own discipline, such as, I don't know ... something like, "I will not go to Starbucks on Wednesdays." Really, if you took that kind of vow, something as simple as this, in the future, the ratio of visits to your shrink will be definitely reduced. Even as simple as not going to Starbucks on Wednesday. I'm serious. I'm serious ... If you can manage ... if you do that one year, good! Very good. You have learned the art of controlling yourself.

If you want to be brave (you know, maybe you think, not going to Starbucks on Wednesdays would be too simple for you) then take a vow: Next six months, whoever it is, you will not yell at them. That's a difficult one, huh? That's a difficult one ... But it will give you amazing, amazing power. Because ... you all want to be indestructible, don't you? Well, if you want to be indestructible, why volunteer yourself, to become an easy target? So, you can become very brave and take that kind of vow also.

On failure

Question: If we were take a vow, for six months never to yell at somebody, how would you be ... you know, sort of approach a possible inevitable failure, or how should you approach this ...

Khyentse Rinpoche: Ah, failure is good. Failure is good. You have to fail many times. Take a vow again. Take a vow again ... To shape the human character a lot of things have to go wrong, you know. You shouldn't be afraid [of failure].

Gerry's narration of Tulku Urgyen's enthronement

http://gprindiville.blogspot.com/2009/03/enthronement-of-tulku-urgyen-yangsi.html

Samten Gyatso's transmission of the New Treasures

It had been the plan of the translators to include the more dense information on the transmission lineages, which didn't make it into the final version, some "other place". This blog seems to be the most appropriate place. So I and Michael will be begin to post some of the missing pieces here.
In this piece Tulku Urgyen tells about how Samten Gyatso, his main guru, passed on the New Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa to various other masters.

It is thanks to Samten Gyatso that the Chokling Tersar was spread far and wide, because neither Tsikey Chokling nor Uncle Tersey ever transmitted it in full. Of that generation only Neten Chokling did so, but only once. That is why Tsewang Norbu pointed them out at Riwoche.

Basically, the transmission of the Chokling Tersar that all the great lamas of those days received came through Samten Gyatso. He gave the Chokling Tersar three times in Central Tibet. Many great lamas received the transmission then, including the omniscient 15th Karmapa, the great Drukchen, Taklung Tsetrul and the three masters with the title Jamgön who resided at Jang Taklung. Later on, he went back to Kham and at the request of Nangchen Tsoknyi, the guru of the king of Nangchen, Samten Gyatso offered the complete Chokling Tersar transmission at Nangchen Tsechu Monastery. At Namgyal Tse monastery in Surmang, at the sponsorship and request of Surmang Tentrul, many lamas received the Tersar transmission, including Tentrul himself, Surmang Garwang, Dzigar Kongtrul and others; all together there were eighteen major masters among the gathering of 300 lamas. After this, Samten Gyatso proceeded to Derge where he offered the great Situ parts of the Tersar, including the Tukdrub cycle. At another point, when the son of the 15th Karmapa, the reincarnation of the great Kongtrul, visited the seat of Chokgyur Lingpa, Samten Gyatso gave him several transmissions, most notably the empowerment for Tukdrub Barchey Kunsel. These were the major transmissions Samten Gyatso gave, but, of course, he bestowed empowerments upon an untold number of lesser known lamas and practitioners.

At one time, Samten Gyatso was invited to Palpung Monastery, one of the chief monasteries in the Derge kingdom, which was headed by Situ Wangchok Gyalpo, the predecessor of the present-day Situ Rinpoche. He transmitted part of the Chokling Tersar to Situ Wangchok Gyalpo and was therefore counted as one of Situ’s gurus.

Dzongsar Khyentse, the reincarnation of the great Khyentse, came to Samten Gyatso’s mountain top hermitage of Dzong-go Ling. There Dzongsar Khyentse requested the transmission of the sections of the Chokling Tersar composed by the 15th Karmapa, Khakyab Dorje, which he had not received.

Photo: Palpung monastery in Kham, 1998.

Dancing horses at the Gomde Denmark buddha-fields

Something very unusual just happened at Gomde retreat center in Denmark. Two of the free-roaming horses were seen in an hour long elaborate dance. "I couldn't believe my own eyes," exclaimed Vetenarian Hans Jorgensen, who owns the neighboring farm and is also a dance teacher. "It looked exactly like the steps in Argentinian tango, but with a few sexy refinements. And they didn't learn it from me. Perhaps there's something about that past-life you Buddhist ha've been talking about."

Chants for the Meditation Session

Often Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche would let people gather around him in the evening and begin the meditation session with a short set of traditional chants passed down from his own gurus. These chants have been continued by his four lama sons on their teaching tours around the world.

Here is a version by Sascha and Nanna, two Danish girls:
http://songs-from-sacred-islands.blogspot.com/2009/03/chants-for-meditation-session-saschas.html

Documentary about Tulku Urgyen and his enthronement

The Boeddhistische Omroep Stichting in Holland shows a very nice documentary with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's four lama sons, the parents of the reincarnation, and some of his older Western students. Click here.

http://player.omroep.nl/?aflID=9159951

Photo by Olav Nyhus.

Parinirvana of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

A message from Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche

Dear Precious Sangha,

We just heard the news that our lineage master, His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu (Penor) Rinpoche, has reached his parinirvana on March 27th, 2009 at 3:30 pm (Karnataka, South India Time) or 3:00 am Pacific Time USA.

H. H. Penor Rinpoche was born in 1932 and was recognized by Khenpo Ngawang Palzang and the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche as the Third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, the Eleventh Throneholder of Palyul Monastery and throughout his 77 years completed many vast and profound Dharma activities. From 1992 to 2003, H.H. Penor Rinpoche served as the Supreme Head of the Nyingma School. He is one of the great Dzogchen Lineage Masters for us.

This may come as sad news to some because it seems that he has left this world, but actually he is never separate from us. He always lives in the heart of our faith. According to Dzogchen Tantras, when a great enlightened teacher passes into parinirvana students have an extraordinary moment to receive blessings from this teacher by making supplications and offerings, as well as making profound personal commitments and aspirations. This is an especially powerful time to request teachings and blessings while praying that more emanations of this master manifest in this world to benefit all beings.

Therefore, I request all International Dzogchen Sanghas to gather their local communities together and do the following practices and ceremonies:

1. Offer Flowers, Lights, and Water: In front of a photo of H.H. Penor Rinpoche, offer beautiful flowers, luminous lights, and clear, clean water.

2. Offer Tsok Pujas (Feast Offerings): Specifically you can do the Rigdzin Dupa or Yumka Tsok, or simply recite the concise feast offering from The Buddha Path.

3. Recite Guru Padmasambhava Mantra: Recite the following mantra 100,000 times or as much as possible:

Om Ah Hung Badzra Guru Padma Siddhi Hung

4. Read and discuss H.H. Penor Rinpoche’s amazing Life Story.

5. Request teachings and blessings: Pray to H.H. Penor Rinpoche for your personal answers, blessings, and empowerment.

6. Make Profound and Sincere Commitments: Make a commitment to do positive things such as teach Dharma and practice, while committing not to do negative things. You can say, “Please Your Holiness Penor Rinpoche, bless me. For the true happiness of all beings, I hearby commit that I will do good things such as ...[your positive activities] and avoid doing bad things such as...[your negative activities]. Please holy enlightened master Penor Rinpoche, please bless me that I may accomplish my aspirations for the true happiness of all beings.”

Right after the parinirvana of great enlightened beings, whatever virtuous aspirations and commitments you make will swiftly be fulfilled.

7. Make Aspirations Pray:
“May I keep His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s advice and teachings in the depth of my heart.
May I sincerely follow the Dzogchen path of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.
May I fulfill the great aspirations of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.
May I faithfully recognize that Penor Rinpoche is always in my heart.”

By the power of Penor Rinpoche’s aspirations, may the Dzogchen Lineage increase and may the world have peace and happiness forever.

This message is from Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche’s longing faith and devotion.

Penor Rinpoche’s Biography and Other Links:

Biography: Here is a biography about Pema Norbu Rinpoche.

Gather friends and watch Movies and Videos about Penor Rinopoche: There are many videos available online that reveal his amazing activities. The Compassionate World is an hour-long documentary that wonderfully illustrates his amazing dharma activities.
It is found in full at: onlinedharmaclassics.org

There is also an official YouTube channel devoted to Penor Rinpoche:
http://www.youtube.com/palyul

Supplications for the Long Life of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s Reincarnation

Composed by Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche

Om soti, ngagla wangyur orgyen tendzin gyi
Jigdrel dorjei khamsu tenpa dang
Minub gyaltsen mishik dorje tar
Labchen dzetrin choktar gyegyur chig

om svasti
Sovereign of speech upholding Uddiyana’s teachings
May your life be firm as vajra nature’s fearlessness,
Invincible like diamond, fly your never-waning banner,
Filling all directions with your vast activity.

Photo by Olav Nyhus

Mingyur Rinpoche Gets Wired

"Translating the Words of the Buddha" - very important news

"Translating the Words of the Buddha"
Khyentse Foundation
Translation Conference 2009

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s Keynote Address:
“Translating the Words of the Buddhadharma for
Hearing, Contemplation and Meditation”

Monday, 16 March 2009, 09.00


Whenever people have asked me about the purpose of this conference, I’ve found myself saying something rather vague and evasive. I do understand that conferences are usually expected to follow a specific agenda; the problem is there’s so much we need to talk about, that I’ve found it extremely difficult to pinpoint where to start. At the same time, it’s precisely because there’s so much to talk about that this conference is being held.

One of the first Tibetan translation conferences ever, happened about twenty years ago as a result of the efforts of Dobum Rinpoche. More recently a very successful "Conference of Translators" hosted by Light of Berotsana, was held in Colorado, which included discussions about founding a translator’s guild, which I found extremely encouraging. I’d like to see many more of this kind of conference in the future.

For now, though, we need to set the agenda for this conference, and rather than limiting ourselves to examining and discussing all the short-term projects and issues we’re currently facing as individuals, I’d like us to take a much broader view. I’d like to suggest that, over the next few days, we start the process of mapping out exactly what needs to be done during our lifetimes and beyond, in order to ensure the preservation of the Tibetan Buddhist sacred texts. Basically, our agenda is to write the agenda for an ongoing translation conference; a conference that never closes because all the attendees continue to consult and work together in pursuit of a common goal.

For decades now, a few individual lamas and translators like yourselves, have been putting a great deal of effort into translating Tibetan Buddhist dharma texts into various languages. What’s more, you’ve been doing it in spite of the almost total lack of support translation work receives, and always under the pressure of needing to produce material quickly. Actually, it’s quite amazing what’s been achieved—and yet, you have almost always worked alone.

As we consider what will need to be done for the sake of the future of the Buddhadharma, I think it’ll become clear that we have to aim a little higher than merely translating the odd book here and there. In fact, I believe that the only way for us to achieve the enormous task we face, is by finding ways of working together—not only the translators, but also the sponsors, the teachers and, of course, the students, who are the real beneficiaries of your work. Over the years, such collaborations have been rare, and it’s an aspiration of mine that we’ll be working together far more closely in the future.

Of course, this tendency towards working alone may have something to do with the habits of Tibetan lamas. Generally speaking, working in a group isn’t common amongst Tibetans, and particularly amongst the lamas.

Why go through all the pain and agony of working with other people when you don’t have to? After all, two human beings trying to work together always slows a process down and is often frustrating. And for quite a number of projects, it simply isn’t necessary. So, as long as the tasks we undertake are small enough to be completed by just one person, or one school, or one particular lineage, being individualistic isn’t a problem.

Unfortunately, though, there are projects that, by their very nature—for example, their enormous size or complexity—simply cannot be achieved by individuals or even small groups of translators. And I believe that translating a large portion of the Buddhadharma—by which I mean all the texts that were brought from India to Tibet more than a millennium ago—from Tibetan into modern languages, is such a project.

Although I can see that there’s so much that needs to be discussed, I myself am not a translator. In fact, I’ve never even translated one page of text, let alone an entire book! Yet, for some peculiar reason, I find myself associated with this Translation Conference—mostly, I think, owing to the involvement of Khyentse Foundation. And I imagine that this situation is a little worrying for some of you real translators, since enthusiastic amateurs tend to be rather naïve about the art of translation. Most naïve of all, of course, are the Tibetan lamas, like myself.

So, out of this naïve and inexperienced head of mine, I have come up with some areas of discussion that I would like to propose for this conference.
They are:
• To identify the challenges faced by those translating Tibetan Buddhist texts into modern languages, for example how to train future generations of translators, and how to attract the very necessary attention of the Rinpoches;
• To examine the financial and infrastructural support available for translation work—or should I say the lack of it; and also
• For all of us to be aware of where we are right now in this process of translating the Tibetan texts for the modern world, and to think about where we would like to be in 2109 which also involves heightening our awareness of just how urgent and precarious the situation has become.

When this conference was first announced, many people responded positively and were very encouraging. But, understandably, a few were apprehensive, wondering things like, “Is this another of those Tibetan conferences where everyone is expected to be polite and agree about everything?” or “Is this another of those pointless conferences where a bunch of hard-headed translators dig their heels in, and insist on doing things their way, regardless of what anyone else says?” Some translators have even declared, quite openly, that they, “Only work alone”, and simply, “Don’t believe in ‘conferences’.”

I’ve also heard that some mischievous people have been speculating that the purpose of this conference is to ensure the translation of the Kangyur, and nothing else; and that translations of texts that are needed more immediately, will be shelved completely. I would be surprised, though, if this rumour had really worried any of you. A thousand years ago the great Dharma Kings and Patrons had absolute, dictatorial power and great wealth, and were able to direct a scholar to drop everything and focus entirely on one project—like the translation of the Kangyur. But those days are long gone, and such a thing certainly couldn’t happen today—unfortunately.

Anyway, in spite of the many dilemmas translators face there is one thing of which I am absolutely certain: we must translate.

You’ll probably think I’m exaggerating, but I feel it’s entirely possible that the survival of Tibetan Buddhism could depend on its translation into other languages.

Personally, I find it hard to fathom the attitude of those Tibetan lamas who expect those who want to study and practice the Buddhadharma, first to perfect the Tibetan language. I can see that right now it’s important for some people learn Tibetan, but how necessary will it really be in a hundred years time? Fundamentally, the Buddhadharma and Tibetan culture are two different things, and just because someone is interested in Buddhadharma doesn’t mean that he or she aspires to be a Tibetologist.

Whenever Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche spoke of the gratitude Tibetans should feel for the great Dharma patron, King Trison Deutsen, he would say that, even if we Tibetans covered our entire world with solid gold and offered it to the King, it wouldn’t be enough to repay even a fraction of what we owe him for his extraordinary kindness—and he wasn’t referring to King Trison Deutsen’s social or political triumphs. It is believed that the project awarded the highest level of funding in King Trison Deutsen’s national budget was that of completing the task of translating the Word of the Buddha into Tibetan.

Enormous as the financial investment was, money was not the only price the Tibetans paid. Hundreds of the devoted students who attempted the journey to India to receive teachings and gather Buddhists texts, died from the terrible heat, strange food and virulent diseases they encountered on the Indian plains. Yet, in spite of the tremendous human sacrifice and unimaginable cost borne by the crown, this single undertaking may well be the one truly phenomenal Tibetan accomplishment.

One reason for prioritizing translation work is that we must, of course, continue to make available sacred Buddhist texts for the benefit of those non-Tibetans who wish to study and practice Buddhadharma. However, this is not the only reason for us to put all our energy into producing well-translated texts.

The Buddhist heritage and culture that permeated Tibetan life for more than a thousand years, has all but disappeared in India, its country of origin. Basically, the great Lotsawas who translated the Buddhist texts into Tibetan—where Buddhism continued to flourish for a millennium—effectively rescued the Buddhadharma from premature extinction. As a result, today, what had been virtually lost in India can now be found in Tibet—and what’s more is becoming available again in India.

As inauspicious as it may sound, when we look at the current situation of Tibet, and the waning enthusiasm amongst Tibetans themselves for their own language and culture, it’s clear that the same kind of virtual obliteration of Buddhist culture could quite easily happen again.

And I believe that, by translating the Tibetan Buddhist texts into modern languages, you may well be saving a vast swathe of Buddhist civilization and culture from global annihilation. The living traditions of Dharma that still exist today—for example, in Japan, China, Thailand and Burma—have only survived because they had the foresight to translate the original sacred Buddhist texts into their own languages.

In addition, as many of you know, those in the Tibetan community still able to speak and understand classical Tibetan are extremely rare. At the rate at which the language is disappearing, 50 years from now there will be almost no Tibetans who can read the words from texts such as the Kangyur and Tengyur and understand their meaning. And very soon it will be too late to do anything about it.

So, for all these reasons, when I learned that Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche aspires to translate the Kangyur into English, I felt tremendously encouraged.

Translating the Kangyur is, of course, a massive and extremely daunting task, and while it’s not the sole purpose of this conference, neither is it a project we can afford to ignore.

As very few Tibetans read or study the Kangyur these days, there are those who wonder if it’s really worth the effort—especially taking into consideration the enormous amount of resources such a translation project would involve. Amongst Tibetans, as you know, the Kangyur is widely used as a merit-making object: monasteries will certainly buy a copy, but will then simply shelve it. If offerings are made the text will be read out loud, but little effort will be invested in understanding the meaning of each word.

While paying homage to the Word of the Buddha is a powerfully meritorious spiritual act, the Tibetan habit of using the Kangyur solely for this purpose is neither to be admired nor emulated: in fact, it’s a big mistake. I’ve noticed that Chinese, Thai and Burmese Buddhists still read the Sutras and contemplate them; the Tibetans rarely do. My concern is that if we decide not to translate these texts, this Tibetan mistake will be both reinforced and perpetuated.

Every religion has an original holy book—for Christians it’s the Bible, and for Moslems it’s the Koran. For Buddhists, our root holy books are the Sutras and they are of vital importance, because what Buddha taught us must always be the final word on any given subject, not what we find in the Shastras—and definitely not what’s to be found in the Tibetan commentaries.

As Buddhadharma is taught more widely in the modern world, where attention to detail and authenticity are so valued, people are going to want to know what Buddha, himself, actually said. The trend today is for teachers, priests, scholars, politicians and fanatics to obscure the original meaning of important texts by interpreting them in a way that supports their own personal agendas—it’s happening in all religions, and sadly, Buddhism is no exception. When problems created by such interpretations arise in the future, our beacon of truth can only be the Words of the Buddha.

If you were to ask someone naïve, like myself, what I think should be translated? If I were given the chance to set our priorities, what would be the top of my list? Without doubt I would have to say that the teachings of the Buddha—the Sutras—should take precedence over the Shastras. Then, as the Shastras written by Indian authors are more authoritative and carry more weight, I would say that they should be translated before those of the Tibetan authors.

The Tibetans have developed the habit of preserving and propagating the work of Tibetan lamas, and seem to have forgotten about the Sutras and Shastras. Painful as it is for me to admit, Tibetans often promote the teachings of their own teachers far more than those of the Buddha—and I have no trouble understanding why Tibetan Buddhism is sometimes described as “Lamaism”. Today, as a result, our vision is quite narrow, and instead of dedicating our limited resources to translating the Words of the Buddha, we pour it into translating the teachings of individual lineage gurus, biographies, their long-life prayers, and prayers for the propagation of the teachings of individual schools.

These are just some of my reasons for believing that translating the Kangyur and Tengyur are projects that, at the very least, we must address and plan for right now. The way I see it, this immense translation effort can only be accomplished if we all join forces. Basically, we have to work together. And, more than anything else, we need to establish an ongoing dialogue and spirit of cooperation and mutual support amongst translators and all those implicated in the art of translation, and start planning for the future—what I’ve already described as an ‘on-going conference’. We need to decide where we want this process to be in 10 years, 25 years, 50 years and 100 years.

If just one person were to try, rather stubbornly, to shift a huge boulder on their own, all that would be achieved is a terrible drain on his energy and time—and most likely the boulder wouldn’t move an inch. The cooperative effort of a dozen people, though, could move the boulder quite easily. By working together as a group to move our own huge and immovable boulder, I believe that, at the very least, we’d be able to work out how to be more efficient, and how to use our resources more wisely.

While we are constantly aware of the urgency of the situation, I should add that we would be deceiving ourselves if we imagined that this generation of translators will see the completion of this project. In Tibet, it took seven generations of Tibetan Kings to accomplish the translation of the texts we have today; and some believe that there are still sutras and shastras that have yet to be translated into Tibetan.

What we must do, however, is lay the foundations, by devising a practical and far-sighted plan to ensure that, eventually, everything that should be translated, will be—and we have to do it now.

The challenge of translating volumes of Tibetan texts the size of mountains is only one aspect of the enormous task we’re faced with; there are others equally daunting that we need to start thinking about. For example, revising and updating existing translations into current, everyday language. It’s an unnerving prospect, I know, but the sacred texts must always be available in a form the present generation can understand.

And there are other issues like, who does the best job, the scholar-translator or the practitioner-translator?

When we encounter the more inscrutable passages from the Buddha’s teachings, it is usually to the interpretations of the great practitioners that we turn. If a practitioner-translator is our ideal because he or she has greater emotional authority than a scholar-translator, we should also remember that many of these great practitioners aren’t particularly well-versed in Buddhist philosophy. They even take pride in their lack of worldly knowledge, for example in their literary skills, telling us that they’re glad they didn’t waste their time studying ‘all that intellectual stuff’! And worse still, it is well-known in Tibet that often not only the practitioners, but even the scholars—the Geshes and Khenpos—didn’t know how to write their own names, let alone a whole sentence. So, imagining we can rely on the linguistic expertise of these great beings, may be a little over-optimistic.


We also have the problem of dealing with the excruciating modern phenomenon of ‘political correctness’. Can we really translate arhat as the ‘destroyer of enemies’? Can this literal translation really help students understand its true meaning? Especially these days, when such a phrase could so easily be confused with the language of religious fanaticism. Consequently, not only do scholars play a vital role in the process of translation, but so do the arbiters of social sensitivities; and their roles are at least equally important to that of the practitioner, and definitely not less.

We also need the help and advice of good editors and writers, so that we can ensure the language the text is being translated into is well written. Just because someone can understand Tibetan, doesn’t mean that they can write well in their own language. Take English, for example. As we all know, the way Tibetan is written is very different from English, but I wonder, is using a kind of pidgin-English to reflect the Tibetan style a good solution? Wouldn’t it be better for the native English translators to pay more attention to perfecting their written English style, so that they can represent Tibetan ideas in a way that their readers can understand?

Insignificant as it may sound when compared with what we have yet to achieve, I’ve noticed that few translators have been able to render many prayers and practices from Tibetan into other languages and retain the metre necessary to be able to chant them easily. And so, practitioners inspired by traditional forms of chanting, usually do so in Tibetan. I think we should starting thinking about how we can produce prayers in other languages—particularly those usually practiced in groups—that are written in metre so that students can chant in their own languages.

Although it’s true that we have not been blessed with great Dharma patrons like King Trison Deutsen, all is not lost because modern technology is on our side. The great translator Vairochana, when he needed to find a specific manuscript, had to walk from Tibet to India, and it took him several months. Today, thanks both to modern technology and projects like Gene Smith’s TBRC, it’s possible to download Tibetan texts to your computer, even from somewhere as remote as Bir—if the internet is working, of course.

I believe the process we begin here could now continue online quite easily in an ongoing conference of ideas and mutual support. And we shouldn’t limit who we bring into our conversations. Not only should we be talking to other translators, but also to all those who support the translation process, the teachers, the linguists, the writers, and, of course, the students.

By opening up the lines of communications between ourselves, we could start working out how we can help each other more efficiently.

You know, every time I visit Manhattan Island, I am amazed by the foresight of those Americans who created that part of New York City. They had such vision! The way they planned the layout of the streets and avenues, Central Park, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it’s as if they knew what would be needed in the 20th century, and beyond. This kind of visionary planning is absolutely necessary in order to achieve our goal.

Therefore, I would like to call on all of you here today—the translators, the Rinpoches and the sponsors—to aspire to be as visionary as those great New York City planners. After all, what we are going to do will have a far greater impact on the world than the laying out of a city ever could. We will be making available to people of all nationalities, everything they need to follow the Buddha’s infinite path to liberation, which is the only source of true happiness and enlightenment.

And so I entreat you, please, we must learn to work together. The stakes are high, and, practically speaking, it’s our generation who will shoulder the responsibility for ensuring that the Buddhadharma continues to flourish in this world. We need to make a thorough and effective plan for the future, and we must put it into action.

As a Tibetan, I am amazed when I read texts by the great Lotsawas, like Vairochana and Chogroluyi Gyaltsen, and remember just how much I, personally, owe them. They endured unimaginable hardships to bring the Buddhadharma from India to Tibet. Without their compassionate determination, their devotion and sheer hard work, I would never have been able truly to appreciate the words of the Buddha in my own language.

We are being given the opportunity to emulate those great beings—the translators, scholars, panditas and saints of the past—by taking on the task of translating and making available the Words of the Buddha to as many people in this world as possible, in their own languages, now and for centuries to come.

Copper-Colored Realm of Splendor

We just received news about Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche aspiration for constructing a temple in the shape of Padmasambhava's mansion - the Palace of Lotus Light. Rinpoche is planned to "break ground for the foundation and begin construction of a Zangdok Palri temple at Chapagaon during the second Tibetan month.

Rejoice !!!

More information on http://cglf.org/zangdokpalri.htm

Hell on Earth

The Dalai Lama delivered a blistering speech about conditions in Tibet and Chinese suppression. You can read the speech or watch or listen to it. There is a NYTimes article as well.

And there is also a very good slideshow of the past 50 years of protests in Tibet.

mandala offerings

I just liked this picture from an article in the NYTimes.