I've had a few people ask me how to comment on posts, so here's a quick note on that.
To comment on any post, simply click on the title (Verse X, for example), then scroll to the bottom of the page and write whatever you like in the comment box. Hit post comment, and it should appear with the original text. Hope this helps!
Signing off in Cleveland, Miss A.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Verse XV
ya rabs mdzangs spyod dpon dang 'bangs
phan tshun legs tshogs gong du spel
rgya mtsho che dang chu bo rnams
res mos tshul gyis grogs su 'gyur
phan tshun legs tshogs gong du spel
rgya mtsho che dang chu bo rnams
res mos tshul gyis grogs su 'gyur
Verse XIV
dar chen gru gzings rgya mtsho'i rgyan
sprin bral zla ba nam mkha'i rgyan
mkhas pa'i skye bo bstan pa'i rgyan
ru 'dren dpa' bo dpung gi rgyan
Note:
ru 'dren ni
sde 'dren pa
sprin bral zla ba nam mkha'i rgyan
mkhas pa'i skye bo bstan pa'i rgyan
ru 'dren dpa' bo dpung gi rgyan
Note:
ru 'dren ni
sde 'dren pa
Verse XII
bya ba nyams kyis mi lcogs na
gzhan gyis rbad kyang byar mi rung
rkyal mi shes na gzhan dag gis
bskul yang chu nang ci phyir mchong
An action is impossible to do, even if completed by others, if one has no ability to cope through experience. Although urged on by others, if one does not know how to swim, why jump into the water?
Alternatives:
. . . if one has no ability to cope through developmental practice.
Textual Notes:
In my version of the text there is a note included about nyams kyis mi lcogs - 'dir stobs kyis mi nus pa, or "no power through strength." Before this can be properly integrated, the word lcogs needs to be clarified. It's primary definition is "pronunciation," then "to be able to cope" or "to handle." So it's a word which, for a native speaker, seems to have a major association with speaking and being able to pronounce words properly. Taken with the verse itself this makes sense since experience is a consequence of doing an action much like speech is a consequence of saying a word - the two are inseparable from each other. It's a principle so obvious it's almost difficult to grasp (for me at least), and I think the subtlety lies in knowing that lcogs refers to how someone says a word - to proper pronunciation. In other words, a person might know what a word means, might have even heard it said before, but if they're not able to pronounce it themselves the process of learning is not complete. Take that forward into our metaphor, and we see that a person might technically know what swimming is, might even have seen another person swimming, but if they've never done it themselves they'll drown the first time they jump into deep water. So what does this mean in light of the note? I think it's simply stating the obvious again - if you don't have any muscles how could you lift something heavy? That's why I've included the alternate version where nyams is translated as "developmental practice." More on that in the cultural note. And again, taken in the context of the previous few verses which are all about the merits of gradual practice, this makes a lot of sense.
Another minor textual note pertains to rbad and bskul. Most contributors to the THDL dictionary translate rbad as "completely." I think it's clear that in the verse it is functioning as a verb and not an adverb, but more important is its relation to bskul in the metaphor. Only IW tentatively poses "to urge/send" as an alternate translation for rbad, which is more in keeping with the verse. However again I think the two are complementary, and that being urged on by others is tantamount to seeing others complete an action successfully - that is, a person can say a word correctly, urge you to say it like they did, and yet if it's never been formulated by your own mouth before it can be difficult to get it right.
Cultural Notes:
What is nyams exactly? It's most common translation is simply "experience," but it can also be "vision," "developmental practice," or even "experiential sign of the development of practice (in terms of meditative moods)." The most important part of this word is that it indicates something ephemeral (because nyams pa means "to get weaker," etc.).
In "Genre, Authorship, and Transmission" Janet Gyatso refers to nyams as "meditative absorption" and describes how visions appear as a sign of the completion of a meditative state. This was in the context of tertons and the tradition of treasure finding in Tibet. Just briefly, a terton is a person who is either a reincarnation of an important historical figure/deity, or a person in close, direct contact with important historical figures/deities. From this they are able to discover texts, objects, etc. that were hidden a long time ago. In "Genre, Authorship, and Transmission" she's talking specifically about meeting with deities through visions induced during meditation. Long story short, without these experiences (states of meditative absorption in which tertons meet with a deity) treasures could not be recovered. I doubt that Gung Thang is speaking of this practice specifically, but I think it's a great example of the general principle behind the verse.
Janet Gyatso, "Genre, Authorship, and Transmission in Visionary Buddhism: The Literary Traditions of Thang-stong rGyal-po", in Steven D. Goodman and Ronald M. Davidson (eds.) Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation (SUNY 1992)
Signing off in Cleveland, Miss A.
gzhan gyis rbad kyang byar mi rung
rkyal mi shes na gzhan dag gis
bskul yang chu nang ci phyir mchong
An action is impossible to do, even if completed by others, if one has no ability to cope through experience. Although urged on by others, if one does not know how to swim, why jump into the water?
Alternatives:
. . . if one has no ability to cope through developmental practice.
Textual Notes:
In my version of the text there is a note included about nyams kyis mi lcogs - 'dir stobs kyis mi nus pa, or "no power through strength." Before this can be properly integrated, the word lcogs needs to be clarified. It's primary definition is "pronunciation," then "to be able to cope" or "to handle." So it's a word which, for a native speaker, seems to have a major association with speaking and being able to pronounce words properly. Taken with the verse itself this makes sense since experience is a consequence of doing an action much like speech is a consequence of saying a word - the two are inseparable from each other. It's a principle so obvious it's almost difficult to grasp (for me at least), and I think the subtlety lies in knowing that lcogs refers to how someone says a word - to proper pronunciation. In other words, a person might know what a word means, might have even heard it said before, but if they're not able to pronounce it themselves the process of learning is not complete. Take that forward into our metaphor, and we see that a person might technically know what swimming is, might even have seen another person swimming, but if they've never done it themselves they'll drown the first time they jump into deep water. So what does this mean in light of the note? I think it's simply stating the obvious again - if you don't have any muscles how could you lift something heavy? That's why I've included the alternate version where nyams is translated as "developmental practice." More on that in the cultural note. And again, taken in the context of the previous few verses which are all about the merits of gradual practice, this makes a lot of sense.
Another minor textual note pertains to rbad and bskul. Most contributors to the THDL dictionary translate rbad as "completely." I think it's clear that in the verse it is functioning as a verb and not an adverb, but more important is its relation to bskul in the metaphor. Only IW tentatively poses "to urge/send" as an alternate translation for rbad, which is more in keeping with the verse. However again I think the two are complementary, and that being urged on by others is tantamount to seeing others complete an action successfully - that is, a person can say a word correctly, urge you to say it like they did, and yet if it's never been formulated by your own mouth before it can be difficult to get it right.
Cultural Notes:
What is nyams exactly? It's most common translation is simply "experience," but it can also be "vision," "developmental practice," or even "experiential sign of the development of practice (in terms of meditative moods)." The most important part of this word is that it indicates something ephemeral (because nyams pa means "to get weaker," etc.).
In "Genre, Authorship, and Transmission" Janet Gyatso refers to nyams as "meditative absorption" and describes how visions appear as a sign of the completion of a meditative state. This was in the context of tertons and the tradition of treasure finding in Tibet. Just briefly, a terton is a person who is either a reincarnation of an important historical figure/deity, or a person in close, direct contact with important historical figures/deities. From this they are able to discover texts, objects, etc. that were hidden a long time ago. In "Genre, Authorship, and Transmission" she's talking specifically about meeting with deities through visions induced during meditation. Long story short, without these experiences (states of meditative absorption in which tertons meet with a deity) treasures could not be recovered. I doubt that Gung Thang is speaking of this practice specifically, but I think it's a great example of the general principle behind the verse.
Janet Gyatso, "Genre, Authorship, and Transmission in Visionary Buddhism: The Literary Traditions of Thang-stong rGyal-po", in Steven D. Goodman and Ronald M. Davidson (eds.) Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation (SUNY 1992)
Signing off in Cleveland, Miss A.
Verse XI
bya ba chen po yun gyis bsgrub
ngang thung 'bad pas mthar mi phyin
rlung chen dal yang ring 'gro la
rba rlabs drag kyang cher mi 'gro
A great deed will not come to pass by a rash effort, but is accomplished over a long period of time. Although powerful, a wave will not go very far; but a wave will go a long way even if the great wind is slow.
Textual Notes:
It seems that rba rlabs should be implied in the 3rd line in order for it to make any sense, and that is reflected in my translation. The sense I get from reading it is that a powerful wave crashes, while a small wave moved by a slow but powerful wind goes a long way. This is a much clearer rendition, but it is so far from a direct translation that I have to ask myself whether or not it's appropriate to use. I think I can pinpoint the issue in using the verb "to crash" in English where it is absent in Tibetan.
Signing off in Cleveland, Miss A.
ngang thung 'bad pas mthar mi phyin
rlung chen dal yang ring 'gro la
rba rlabs drag kyang cher mi 'gro
A great deed will not come to pass by a rash effort, but is accomplished over a long period of time. Although powerful, a wave will not go very far; but a wave will go a long way even if the great wind is slow.
Textual Notes:
It seems that rba rlabs should be implied in the 3rd line in order for it to make any sense, and that is reflected in my translation. The sense I get from reading it is that a powerful wave crashes, while a small wave moved by a slow but powerful wind goes a long way. This is a much clearer rendition, but it is so far from a direct translation that I have to ask myself whether or not it's appropriate to use. I think I can pinpoint the issue in using the verb "to crash" in English where it is absent in Tibetan.
Signing off in Cleveland, Miss A.
Verse X
rgyun chags brtson pa ma btang bar
bags kyis bsgrubs na ci yang 'grub
chu bo dal gyis 'bab pa yis
yangs pa'i sa chen bskor nas 'gro
What can be accomplished if in gradual practice continuous effort is not applied? Just so, the slowly flowing river proceeds having covered vast, great grounds.
Textual Notes:
chu bo dal kyis 'bab pa is the Tibetan name for the river Ganges, and it literally means "flowing slowly." I translate it directly because the descriptive quality of the name is what gives it meaning in the metaphor.
sa chen has both a literal and a symbolic meaning. It is literally great ground, and together with yangs pa - vast - it is illustrative of long distances. In religious contexts, sa chen means "high level of spirituality," and this is the symbolic meaning which is nearly lost in translation. Using the word "ground" in English is suggestive of the spiritual grounds which one can achieve through meditation, but this particular terminology is not as obvious a play on words as it is in Tibetan.
Cultural Notes:
Spiritual grounds are the levels reached through mediation and practice. In Sanskrit, these are referred to as bhumis. Traditionally there are 10 bhumis, but in different schools of Tibetan Buddhism there can be many more. To listen to a lecture series by Gyume Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tenzin about grounds and paths, visit this website: http://www.thubtenchodron.org/OtherArticlesAudio/paths_and_grounds_of_the_bodhisattva.htm
Signing off in San Francisco, Miss A.
bags kyis bsgrubs na ci yang 'grub
chu bo dal gyis 'bab pa yis
yangs pa'i sa chen bskor nas 'gro
What can be accomplished if in gradual practice continuous effort is not applied? Just so, the slowly flowing river proceeds having covered vast, great grounds.
Textual Notes:
chu bo dal kyis 'bab pa is the Tibetan name for the river Ganges, and it literally means "flowing slowly." I translate it directly because the descriptive quality of the name is what gives it meaning in the metaphor.
sa chen has both a literal and a symbolic meaning. It is literally great ground, and together with yangs pa - vast - it is illustrative of long distances. In religious contexts, sa chen means "high level of spirituality," and this is the symbolic meaning which is nearly lost in translation. Using the word "ground" in English is suggestive of the spiritual grounds which one can achieve through meditation, but this particular terminology is not as obvious a play on words as it is in Tibetan.
Cultural Notes:
Spiritual grounds are the levels reached through mediation and practice. In Sanskrit, these are referred to as bhumis. Traditionally there are 10 bhumis, but in different schools of Tibetan Buddhism there can be many more. To listen to a lecture series by Gyume Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tenzin about grounds and paths, visit this website: http://www.thubtenchodron.org/OtherArticlesAudio/paths_and_grounds_of_the_bodhisattva.htm
Signing off in San Francisco, Miss A.
Some Changes
In the hope that independent translators and students from the Tse Chen Ling Center for Buddhist Studies (visit their website at http://www.tsechenling.org/) will soon be contributing to the blog I've decided to post as many verses as possible without accompanying translation or commentary. That way people can choose which verse they'd like to work on without having to wait for me. Within the month the entire poem will be available here.
To navigate, use the dates at the bottom of the page to move backward and forward through the verses. Click on the arrows to see a list of all posts from previous dates.
There are also a number of notes included in my copy of the poem that are important to both readers and translators. I will include the important ones in Wylie transliteration in the primary post with the verse. Hopefully these changes will make this project more user friendly. As always, I welcome any suggestions you might have because this is my first ever attempt at blogging. Thanks!
Signing off in San Francisco, Miss A.
To navigate, use the dates at the bottom of the page to move backward and forward through the verses. Click on the arrows to see a list of all posts from previous dates.
There are also a number of notes included in my copy of the poem that are important to both readers and translators. I will include the important ones in Wylie transliteration in the primary post with the verse. Hopefully these changes will make this project more user friendly. As always, I welcome any suggestions you might have because this is my first ever attempt at blogging. Thanks!
Signing off in San Francisco, Miss A.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Verse IX
dka' spyad khur du 'khyer nus na
bya ba gang yang dka' ba med
chu yi nang du zhugs pa der
char gyis lhag par gnod mi 'gyur
If one is capable of carrying a heavy burden, then whatever the task, it will not be difficult. Indeed, no more harm will come from the pouring rain to one who enters into the water.
Alternatives:
. . . Indeed, more harm will not come from the pouring rain to one who has already entered into the water.
Textual Notes:
The primary translation is simpler, but the second one is more true to the original Tibetan grammar. Unfortunately the addition of "already" to the alternative keeps it from being a true direct translation, but I feel it's necessary for the full meaning. Any second opinions?
Cultural Notes:
It's important to remember that this poem should not be read piecemeal (although that's an inescapable aspect of my presentation of it here) and that all the verses are integrated with eath other in some way. This verse is a good example, because it ties in nicely with Verse V. In both he is refering to the practice of stabilizing meditative absorption and immersing oneself in understanding - the Ocean of Dharma/Samsara.
Signing off in Chengdu, Miss A.
bya ba gang yang dka' ba med
chu yi nang du zhugs pa der
char gyis lhag par gnod mi 'gyur
If one is capable of carrying a heavy burden, then whatever the task, it will not be difficult. Indeed, no more harm will come from the pouring rain to one who enters into the water.
Alternatives:
. . . Indeed, more harm will not come from the pouring rain to one who has already entered into the water.
Textual Notes:
The primary translation is simpler, but the second one is more true to the original Tibetan grammar. Unfortunately the addition of "already" to the alternative keeps it from being a true direct translation, but I feel it's necessary for the full meaning. Any second opinions?
Cultural Notes:
It's important to remember that this poem should not be read piecemeal (although that's an inescapable aspect of my presentation of it here) and that all the verses are integrated with eath other in some way. This verse is a good example, because it ties in nicely with Verse V. In both he is refering to the practice of stabilizing meditative absorption and immersing oneself in understanding - the Ocean of Dharma/Samsara.
Signing off in Chengdu, Miss A.
Verse VIII
yon tan dang por slob dka' la
shes bzhin med na nyams pa sla
chu thigs bsags pas 'gengs dka' yang
bo na cig car nyid du 'dzad
It is easy to degenerate in skill if one has no attentiveness at the start of a difficult study. Similarly, although it is difficult to fill a pot by accumulating drops of water, the pot is as soon exhausted if it boils over all at once.
Textual Notes:
This verse is elegant and simple to translate into English. But again, the subjects are implied in the Tibetan whereas I make them explicit in English.
Cultural Notes:
In Western culture "boiling over" usually has a good connotation, at least intellectually speaking. It means there is an overflowing of ideas, and that the wellspring of inspiration is in good working order. What Gung Thang is talking about here we usually refer to as "burning out," and I think the converse imagery of water and fire is interesting. The next few verses also have something to do with this problem.
Signing off in Chengdu, Miss A.
shes bzhin med na nyams pa sla
chu thigs bsags pas 'gengs dka' yang
bo na cig car nyid du 'dzad
It is easy to degenerate in skill if one has no attentiveness at the start of a difficult study. Similarly, although it is difficult to fill a pot by accumulating drops of water, the pot is as soon exhausted if it boils over all at once.
Textual Notes:
This verse is elegant and simple to translate into English. But again, the subjects are implied in the Tibetan whereas I make them explicit in English.
Cultural Notes:
In Western culture "boiling over" usually has a good connotation, at least intellectually speaking. It means there is an overflowing of ideas, and that the wellspring of inspiration is in good working order. What Gung Thang is talking about here we usually refer to as "burning out," and I think the converse imagery of water and fire is interesting. The next few verses also have something to do with this problem.
Signing off in Chengdu, Miss A.
Verses VI & VII
gzur gnas rig par ldan pa des
gzhan gyi yon tan len par byed
spang ljongs gtsang ma'i dal 'gro ma
lhung lhung zer zhing me tog 'thu
ngan pas phyogs mtha' bskor na yang
skyon gyi rigs rnams sdud par byed
ngam grog sa ral can gyi chus
'dam gyi snyigs ma 'dren dang mtshungs
The clean meadow river Deldroma says lhung lhung while gathering flowers, just as those endowed with wisdom, seeking nothing in any direction, receive the virtues of others.
Like water pulling muddy impurities of torn earth from the gorge, so one who is evil collects all kinds of imperfections when seeking the limit in all directions.
Textual Notes:
I have these two verses together because the terms and imagery mirror one another almost perfectly. Keep in mind that the first verse is passive and the second verse is active.
Verse VI Verse VII
gzur gnas phyogs mtha' bskor
(phyogs res med pa)
These two require some examination. First, some literal translations: gzur gnas is "abiding at the end," phyogs res med pa (included in a note) is "nothing in any direction," and phyogs mtha' bskor is "wandering to the limits of all directions."
The note makes clear that the two phyogs are being compared - one which abides, gnas (passive) and one which wanders, bskor (active). Instead of using two different verbs, I decided to use a positive and negative statement and one verb (to seek) in order to make the juxtaposition more clear in English.
Verse VI Verse VII
rig par ldan pa des ngan pas
These are the subjects in both verses. rig par ldan pa des is literally "by those endowed with wisdom" and ngan pas is "by the one who is evil." As usual with Tibetan to English translations the subject, implied in Tibetan, needs to be made explicit in English.
Verse VI Verse VII
gzhan gyi yon tan skyon gyi rigs rnams
virtues of others all kinds of imperfections
Verse VI Verse VII
len par byed sdud par byed
The verbs selected are very telling - len means "to study, receive, accept." In other words, it has a very passive connotation. sdud, on the other hand, is much more active and means "to collect, assemble, steal away." This reflects the not seeking/seeking paradigm already established in the first line: one who is seeking nothing receives the virtues of others, while the one who is seeking the limits collects all kinds of imperfections.
Verse VI Verse VII
spang ljongs ngam grog
Now begins the simile and we have two settings: a meadow and a gorge respectively.
Verse VI Verse VII
gtsang ma sa ral can
The adjectives: just as the subject in the first two lines was first wise then evil, so the subjects in the next two are first clean (gtsang ma) and then imbued with torn earth (sa ral can).
Verse VI Verse VII
del
These are the subjects described by the previous adjectives. The first is the name of a river and the second is water. The absence of an agentive sa at the end ofdel
Verse VI Verse VII
me tog ‘dam gyi snyigs
Flowers, or me tog, symbolize the virtues of others while muddy impurities, or ‘dam gyi snyigs, symbolize all kinds of imperfections.
Verse VI Verse VII
‘thu ‘dren
Finally the verbs – just as len was a more passive version of sdud, here ‘thu is meant to be a more passive version of ‘dren. In keeping with this I translate ‘thu as “to gather” instead of “to pick.” Remember thatdel
Cultural Notes:
In Tibetan, lhung lhung (pronounced “lhoong lhoong”) is an onomatopoeia for the sound of a babbling brook.
Signing off inChengdu
gzhan gyi yon tan len par byed
spang ljongs gtsang ma'i dal 'gro ma
lhung lhung zer zhing me tog 'thu
ngan pas phyogs mtha' bskor na yang
skyon gyi rigs rnams sdud par byed
ngam grog sa ral can gyi chus
'dam gyi snyigs ma 'dren dang mtshungs
The clean meadow river Deldroma says lhung lhung while gathering flowers, just as those endowed with wisdom, seeking nothing in any direction, receive the virtues of others.
Like water pulling muddy impurities of torn earth from the gorge, so one who is evil collects all kinds of imperfections when seeking the limit in all directions.
Textual Notes:
I have these two verses together because the terms and imagery mirror one another almost perfectly. Keep in mind that the first verse is passive and the second verse is active.
Verse VI Verse VII
gzur gnas phyogs mtha' bskor
(phyogs res med pa)
These two require some examination. First, some literal translations: gzur gnas is "abiding at the end," phyogs res med pa (included in a note) is "nothing in any direction," and phyogs mtha' bskor is "wandering to the limits of all directions."
The note makes clear that the two phyogs are being compared - one which abides, gnas (passive) and one which wanders, bskor (active). Instead of using two different verbs, I decided to use a positive and negative statement and one verb (to seek) in order to make the juxtaposition more clear in English.
Verse VI Verse VII
rig par ldan pa des ngan pas
These are the subjects in both verses. rig par ldan pa des is literally "by those endowed with wisdom" and ngan pas is "by the one who is evil." As usual with Tibetan to English translations the subject, implied in Tibetan, needs to be made explicit in English.
Verse VI Verse VII
gzhan gyi yon tan skyon gyi rigs rnams
virtues of others all kinds of imperfections
Verse VI Verse VII
len par byed sdud par byed
The verbs selected are very telling - len means "to study, receive, accept." In other words, it has a very passive connotation. sdud, on the other hand, is much more active and means "to collect, assemble, steal away." This reflects the not seeking/seeking paradigm already established in the first line: one who is seeking nothing receives the virtues of others, while the one who is seeking the limits collects all kinds of imperfections.
Verse VI Verse VII
spang ljongs ngam grog
Now begins the simile and we have two settings: a meadow and a gorge respectively.
Verse VI Verse VII
gtsang ma sa ral can
The adjectives: just as the subject in the first two lines was first wise then evil, so the subjects in the next two are first clean (gtsang ma) and then imbued with torn earth (sa ral can).
Verse VI Verse VII
These are the subjects described by the previous adjectives. The first is the name of a river and the second is water. The absence of an agentive sa at the end of
Verse VI Verse VII
me tog ‘dam gyi snyigs
Flowers, or me tog, symbolize the virtues of others while muddy impurities, or ‘dam gyi snyigs, symbolize all kinds of imperfections.
Verse VI Verse VII
‘thu ‘dren
Finally the verbs – just as len was a more passive version of sdud, here ‘thu is meant to be a more passive version of ‘dren. In keeping with this I translate ‘thu as “to gather” instead of “to pick.” Remember that
Cultural Notes:
In Tibetan, lhung lhung (pronounced “lhoong lhoong”) is an onomatopoeia for the sound of a babbling brook.
Signing off in
Monday, March 21, 2011
Verse V
chu phran brgal bar mi nus des
rgya mtsho rkyal gyis ga la chod
ya rabs lugs kyang mi shes na
chos kyi de nyid ji ltar rtogs
If one is powerless to cross a small river, how can one hope to swim through the ocean? Although of a well-respected tradition, how can one understand the essential nature of Dharma without realization?
Alternatives:
By that inability to cross a small river, how could the ocean be passed (cut) through by swimming?
Textual Notes:
There are so many complexities in this verse. The most striking difference between the primary and the original is the inclusion of the ergative/agentive (des) in translation. In English it is a very awkward statement, yet it emphasizes the instrumental action of the crossing rather than the subject who is crossing (implied in the primary translation).
As with previous verses it should be clear now that the two parts (example and simile) will sometimes mirror one another, but oftentimes they will complement each other instead. By this I mean that information in one will be missing in the other and vice versa, but taken together the full (and sometimes paradoxical) meaning can be found. This verse is a good example because of the construction mi + verb + na/des. Why use des in one context and na in the other? I think these two constructions are complementary; that is, the first two lines emphasize the instrumental (des) while the second two emphasize contextual probability (na), but since the constructions complement each other the reader should recognize that both functions apply equally to both parts. The primary translation loses this subtlety in favor of clarity and flow because I choose to have the verses mirror each other instead of complement each other (replacing des with na).
I was wondering why this subtlety really matters, and it seems to me that it has to do with the relationship between understanding, realization, and knowledge (explained below in Cultural Notes). In the second two lines Gung Thang includes a subject (ya rabs lugs) in order to distinguish between knowledge (comes from belonging to a tradition), realization, and understanding. This delineation is important for his argument and there is no getting around it, but within the extremely technical of Buddhist doctrine it is always problematic to have a subject. Let me clarify - if we take the instrumental function of the first two lines (in which there is no stated subject) and apply it to the second two lines, we find that it is the realization itself rather than the one who realizes which leads to understanding (remember it is the crossing rather than the one who crosses in the first two lines). This is relevant on a number of levels because it diminishes the subject. According to Buddhism, a moment of realization is almost always synonymous with achieving no-self (and lasting understanding is synonymous with maintaining that realization of no-self). So it is more doctrinally acurate to speak of the action of realization, not one who realizes since technically, in the moment itself, there should be no subject at all.
To wrap up this convoluted matter, let's just say that the literary implications of des and na are interchangable, as is the inclusion/exclusion of a subject.
Next I want to point out that rtogs literally means "to grasp fully," which I translate as "to understand" in order to highlight the well-known relationship between understanding and realization. I chose to translate shes as "to realize" for the same reasons, but it is also important to note the relationship between nus and shes as they occupy the same position in the mi + verb + des/na construction. nus means "power" or "ability," and another translation for shes (among many) is "can" or "to be able." This helps stress the function of realization (again, see below for a more detailed explanation) as a means to reach understanding - it empowers a person, much like an initiation. This underlying meaning combined with the implied agentive (via complementarity) cements the idea that it is the realization itself which is instrumental in reaching understanding.
Cultural Notes:
The relationship between knowledge, realization, and understanding is a key part of understanding not only this verse but many others to come. Knowledge, here implicated by the ya rabs lugs, will never lead to true understanding. There is a second step - realization - which is, like I said, similar to an initiation. Realization happens in a moment, and understanding comes from the stabilization of that moment.
In other words, realization is irrelevant to action, while understanding is the practical application of that state of mind to daily activities. It's the difference between looking at water (knowledge), putting a foot in (realization), and being able to swim (understanding).
And since we're on the topic of water, it's worthwhile to explore the symbolic significance of "ocean" or rgya mtsho. In Verse I the ocean symbolized the ocean of Dharma. Here, however, the ocean symbolizes the ocean of Samsara (the cycle of rebirth and suffering). How can an ocean symbolize two completely different concepts? Well, it's a common technique in Buddhism to use a paradox - in this case a symbolic paradox - in order to demonstrate the unity of two seemingly polar opposites. In these two verses the Dharma and Samsara are identified as the same thing.
Signing off in Chengdu, Miss A.
rgya mtsho rkyal gyis ga la chod
ya rabs lugs kyang mi shes na
chos kyi de nyid ji ltar rtogs
If one is powerless to cross a small river, how can one hope to swim through the ocean? Although of a well-respected tradition, how can one understand the essential nature of Dharma without realization?
Alternatives:
By that inability to cross a small river, how could the ocean be passed (cut) through by swimming?
Textual Notes:
There are so many complexities in this verse. The most striking difference between the primary and the original is the inclusion of the ergative/agentive (des) in translation. In English it is a very awkward statement, yet it emphasizes the instrumental action of the crossing rather than the subject who is crossing (implied in the primary translation).
As with previous verses it should be clear now that the two parts (example and simile) will sometimes mirror one another, but oftentimes they will complement each other instead. By this I mean that information in one will be missing in the other and vice versa, but taken together the full (and sometimes paradoxical) meaning can be found. This verse is a good example because of the construction mi + verb + na/des. Why use des in one context and na in the other? I think these two constructions are complementary; that is, the first two lines emphasize the instrumental (des) while the second two emphasize contextual probability (na), but since the constructions complement each other the reader should recognize that both functions apply equally to both parts. The primary translation loses this subtlety in favor of clarity and flow because I choose to have the verses mirror each other instead of complement each other (replacing des with na).
I was wondering why this subtlety really matters, and it seems to me that it has to do with the relationship between understanding, realization, and knowledge (explained below in Cultural Notes). In the second two lines Gung Thang includes a subject (ya rabs lugs) in order to distinguish between knowledge (comes from belonging to a tradition), realization, and understanding. This delineation is important for his argument and there is no getting around it, but within the extremely technical of Buddhist doctrine it is always problematic to have a subject. Let me clarify - if we take the instrumental function of the first two lines (in which there is no stated subject) and apply it to the second two lines, we find that it is the realization itself rather than the one who realizes which leads to understanding (remember it is the crossing rather than the one who crosses in the first two lines). This is relevant on a number of levels because it diminishes the subject. According to Buddhism, a moment of realization is almost always synonymous with achieving no-self (and lasting understanding is synonymous with maintaining that realization of no-self). So it is more doctrinally acurate to speak of the action of realization, not one who realizes since technically, in the moment itself, there should be no subject at all.
To wrap up this convoluted matter, let's just say that the literary implications of des and na are interchangable, as is the inclusion/exclusion of a subject.
Next I want to point out that rtogs literally means "to grasp fully," which I translate as "to understand" in order to highlight the well-known relationship between understanding and realization. I chose to translate shes as "to realize" for the same reasons, but it is also important to note the relationship between nus and shes as they occupy the same position in the mi + verb + des/na construction. nus means "power" or "ability," and another translation for shes (among many) is "can" or "to be able." This helps stress the function of realization (again, see below for a more detailed explanation) as a means to reach understanding - it empowers a person, much like an initiation. This underlying meaning combined with the implied agentive (via complementarity) cements the idea that it is the realization itself which is instrumental in reaching understanding.
Cultural Notes:
The relationship between knowledge, realization, and understanding is a key part of understanding not only this verse but many others to come. Knowledge, here implicated by the ya rabs lugs, will never lead to true understanding. There is a second step - realization - which is, like I said, similar to an initiation. Realization happens in a moment, and understanding comes from the stabilization of that moment.
In other words, realization is irrelevant to action, while understanding is the practical application of that state of mind to daily activities. It's the difference between looking at water (knowledge), putting a foot in (realization), and being able to swim (understanding).
And since we're on the topic of water, it's worthwhile to explore the symbolic significance of "ocean" or rgya mtsho. In Verse I the ocean symbolized the ocean of Dharma. Here, however, the ocean symbolizes the ocean of Samsara (the cycle of rebirth and suffering). How can an ocean symbolize two completely different concepts? Well, it's a common technique in Buddhism to use a paradox - in this case a symbolic paradox - in order to demonstrate the unity of two seemingly polar opposites. In these two verses the Dharma and Samsara are identified as the same thing.
Signing off in Chengdu, Miss A.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Verse IV
Photo courtesy of "Scenes From A Multiverse" by Jonathan Rosenberg, check it out!
lugs gnyis blang dor shes pa yis
gnas skabs mthar thug don 'grub ste
brtag pa kun la mkhas pa yis
ded dpon rgya mtshor zhugs pa bzhin
The scholar, in examining everything, enters into the ocean (of Dharma) according to the captain (Bodhisattva). So knowledge, in navigating secular and religious discourse, establishes meaning [according to] ultimate and conventional truth.
Textual Notes:
blang dor is literally "adoption and rejection," but I take the liberty of translationg it as "navigation" because it flows better and because it fits with the simile. I don't think it detracts from the original because navigation means to adopt one direction while rejecting the other, so the inherent meaning is not lost but consolidated.
gnas skabs is literally "abiding in the moment" and mthar thug is literally "meeting at the end." I've interpreted this to mean ultimate (mthar thug) and conventional (gnas skabs) truth - a common distinction made in Buddhist doctrine (this concept is explained more fully in the Cultural Notes section, which might be worth checking before continuing). This contributes to the overall meaning of the verse because it can be adapted to the simile of a captain on the open sea: a captain sails according to the final destination (mthar thug) as well as where he is at the moment (gnas skabs). Also, before continuing, note the mirror image of the first two lines with the second two lines. So gnas skabs mthar thug and ded dpon are synonymous - this adds another layer of meaning because the word ded dpon is a complicated word: ded comes from 'ded pa which literally means "pursuer" or "driver" and connotes a Bodhisattva. dpon comes from tshong dpon which means "merchant." Together the word has a literal (merchant) and a symbolic (Bodhisattva) meaning. In other words, when drawn parallel to gnas skabs mthar thug the merchant can be read as the conventional truth while the Bodhisattva is the ultimate truth. Drawing out this metaphor further, the ocean becomes the
Again, due to the symmetry of this particular verse I’ve included two “according to” statements even though there’s only one written down in Tibetan. Specifically, I think the “according to" I added in the example (in brackets) is inferred via the simile - because of the bzhin in the simile, I infer a bzhin in the example.
The bzhin itself, however, is problematic because of its placement. It is hard to explain why it is not located after the subject I assume it is modifying – that is, the captain. Why does the line not read ded dpon bzhin rgya mtshor zhugs pa? In fact, the line as it is makes more sense (out of context) translated as “like entering into the ocean . . .” Because of the context I find it highly unlikely, but if this translation is actually the case, then the meaning supplied in my current translation would be fundamentally altered. This worries me, and therefore I am especially interested in alternate translations of this verse.
The concept of ultimate and conventional truths is tied in with the well known saying "form is emptiness and emptiness is form." But what does this actually mean? At its simplest, ultimate truth is objective truth and conventional truth is subjective truth. The ultimate truth is objective and empty because of the absence of self, and conventional truth is subjective and takes form because of the presence of self. So a normal person, because they are still attached to an 'I,' will be aware only of their conventional (subjective) reality - that of forms. An enlightened person, like a Bodhisattva, who has abandoned the 'I' will be aware of the ultimate (objective) reality - that of emptiness. The two are dependent upon one another – subjectivity is the illusion of objectivity and form is the illusion of emptiness, and neither objective truth nor emptiness exists independent of subjective truth or form. That would be like saying the moon exists without making a reflection in the water . . .
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Verse III
dri bzang bsgos pa'i chu gtsang de
mchod yon zhabs bsil bsang gtor sogs
gang du byas kyang legs pa ltar
legs bshad gtam ni kun la mdzes
That pure water infused with sweet perfume sprinkled as an offering of pure bathing water for the feet is, in this way, like goodness: although performed in a particular instance, words of elegant speech are powerful everywhere.
(As in, if you sprinkle sweet smelling water on a man's foot, wherever he walks the perfumed water will spread).
Alternatives:
That pure water which is infused with sweet perfume sprinkled as an offering of pure bathing water for the sole of the foot is, in this way, like goodness: although performed in a particular instance, words of elegant speech are powerful everywhere.
Textual Notes:
Not exactly a pun, mchod yon is an interesting choice of words because it has two meanings: one is "patron-priest relationship," and the other "drinking water." I translate it as "water" because that makes the most literal sense. It is important to note, however, that even though the second meaning doesn't make sense in context, I feel the word choice was purposeful - water is made as an offering and patron-priest relationships are based on a system of mutual offerings; in fact, mchod and yon both mean offering (although yon is usually used to denote an offering as a reward, which is indeed why this conjunction is used for patron-priest relationships). Unfortunately these layers of interrelated meanings are impossible to retain once translated into English.
Cultural Notes:
The patron-priest relationship was a common arrangement in Tibetan Buddhism in which a lama would give spiritual guidance and power to a leader in return for financial and political support.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
mchod yon zhabs bsil bsang gtor sogs
gang du byas kyang legs pa ltar
legs bshad gtam ni kun la mdzes
That pure water infused with sweet perfume sprinkled as an offering of pure bathing water for the feet is, in this way, like goodness: although performed in a particular instance, words of elegant speech are powerful everywhere.
(As in, if you sprinkle sweet smelling water on a man's foot, wherever he walks the perfumed water will spread).
Alternatives:
That pure water which is infused with sweet perfume sprinkled as an offering of pure bathing water for the sole of the foot is, in this way, like goodness: although performed in a particular instance, words of elegant speech are powerful everywhere.
Textual Notes:
Not exactly a pun, mchod yon is an interesting choice of words because it has two meanings: one is "patron-priest relationship," and the other "drinking water." I translate it as "water" because that makes the most literal sense. It is important to note, however, that even though the second meaning doesn't make sense in context, I feel the word choice was purposeful - water is made as an offering and patron-priest relationships are based on a system of mutual offerings; in fact, mchod and yon both mean offering (although yon is usually used to denote an offering as a reward, which is indeed why this conjunction is used for patron-priest relationships). Unfortunately these layers of interrelated meanings are impossible to retain once translated into English.
Cultural Notes:
The patron-priest relationship was a common arrangement in Tibetan Buddhism in which a lama would give spiritual guidance and power to a leader in return for financial and political support.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Verse II
rnyog bral dwangs pa'i chu rgyun gyis
lus can gdung ba zhi byed ltar
legs bshad gsar pa'i bdud rtsi yis
blo ldan skye bo dbugs dbyung bya
Just as the clear flowing river, free of contamination, pacifies the thirst of embodied beings, so the elixir of unsullied and elegant speech shall breathe relief into sentient beings.
Alternatives:
Just as the clear flowing river, free of contamination, pacifies the yet unfulfilled desires of embodied beings, so the immortal elixir of unsullied, elegant speech shall breathe relief into sentient beings endowed with conceptual mind.
Textual Notes:
I like the flow of the short version, but the long version is more of a direct translation (I’m always a fan of direct translations). So what’s lost in the short version? 1) the juxtaposition of lus can and blo ldan – the physical and metaphysical respectively and 2) the more intricate meaning of gdung ba which is spelled out in the alternate version.
Cultural Notes:
I translate bdud rtsi as either elixir or immortal elixir, but that glances over the root words which hold a lot of imagery key to this verse. bdud means demon; more specifically, the demon Mara who dwells in samsara and tries to prevent the Buddha from attaining enlightenment. Just like in the picture above, images of the wheel of life in Tibet
Also notice that the author is going through each word from the title and giving a little explanation using simile; for example, the first verse talks about the waves, or rlabs phreng, and now in the second verse he talks about elegant speech.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Verse I
mkhyen pa’i gting mtha’ mi mngon zhing
thugs rje’i yid bzhin nor gyis gtams
mdzad pa’i rlabs phreng g.yo ba can
thub dbang chos kyi rgya mtsho rgyal
The wish-fulfilling jewel of compassion permeates the endless depths of unfathomable wisdom, just as the rippling waves of the Buddha’s enlightened actions prevail over the ocean of Dharma
Alternatives:
. . . just as the Buddha, endowed with the rippling waves of enlightened action, prevails over the ocean of Dharma
. . . just as the Buddha prevails over the ocean of Dharma
Textual Notes:
I translated gtams as “to permeate,” but in a note the word is equated with gang ba and bcol, both of which mean to fill up or deposit. So permeate could be replaced with “fills up,” and I also like the verb “to plumb.”
The syntax is unclear in the verse and, in my opinion, purposefully so. Notice that can refers to "the Buddha [who is] endowed with rippling waves of enlightened action", but at the same time the Buddha is also the subject prevailing over the ocean. So he is the ocean while he presides over the ocean. This subtlety is lost in translation because it requires awkward maneuvering - as evidenced in the alternates - and even so the meaning is still not clear. Any suggestions on this count would be greatly appreciated.
Cultural Notes:
What is the wish-fulfilling jewel of compassion? This term is frequently used in Tibetan Buddhist texts and is most commonly equated with the mind of the Buddha – or bodhicitta – but it has a long history in both Buddhist and Hindu religions. As such, there are many stories and ideas about the jewel. In Similes of Trees and Water, Gung Thang is most enamored by the idea that the jewel is located in a lake or ocean (of Dharma), usually held by the dragon-king. In keeping with this metaphor, it is also common to read about all the beings who gather at the shore of the lake to be close to the jewel.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Title(s)
chu shing bstan bcos
Similes of Trees and Water
Literally "Commentary on Trees and Water," it is commonly translated as "Similes of Trees and Water" because that title is more functionally accurate.
legs par bshad pa chu dang shing gi bstan bcos brda don dang bcas bzhugs so
gung thang bstan pa'i sgron mes brtsams
Herein collected are the signs, meanings, and commentaries of trees and water elucidated.
Composed by Gung Thang
legs par bshad pa chu'i bstan bcos lugs gnyis rlabs phreng brgya ldan zhes bya ba bzhugs so
Herein contained is "The commentary on water elucidated and endowed with hundreds of successions of waves of the two traditions."
The two traditions, lugs gnyis, were established by the 5th Dalai Lama. They are the religious and secular branches, chos lugs and srid lugs respectively.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Similes of Trees and Water
Literally "Commentary on Trees and Water," it is commonly translated as "Similes of Trees and Water" because that title is more functionally accurate.
legs par bshad pa chu dang shing gi bstan bcos brda don dang bcas bzhugs so
gung thang bstan pa'i sgron mes brtsams
Herein collected are the signs, meanings, and commentaries of trees and water elucidated.
Composed by Gung Thang
legs par bshad pa chu'i bstan bcos lugs gnyis rlabs phreng brgya ldan zhes bya ba bzhugs so
Herein contained is "The commentary on water elucidated and endowed with hundreds of successions of waves of the two traditions."
The two traditions, lugs gnyis, were established by the 5th Dalai Lama. They are the religious and secular branches, chos lugs and srid lugs respectively.
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
Introduction
What are the Similes of Trees and Water?
My main goal is to maintain a live, collaborative translation effort online serving two purposes: 1) to combine the knowledge and skills of multiple translators from around the world in order to have a comprehensive translation of a Tibetan text, and 2) to foster a community of people interested in Tibetan Buddhist poetry, especially a text that has yet to be published in a European language.
So at the moment I wonder what will come of this project. Right now I’m putting out a call for anyone with experience in translating Tibetan, no matter how novice or advanced, to come and glance over the verses I’ve done so far.
As I’ve stressed, I want this to be more than an editing or revision process. This is your chance to expound on all the intricacies and complexities of Tibetan grammar, your chance to help explain the background of Tibetan history and religion, and yes, your chance to vent your frustrations about translating Tibetan (I know I will . . .).
This community should operate as a live workshop for however long it takes to translate this work properly. So come and enjoy! Contribute! This is an awe-inspiring work of literary art, let’s spend some quality time with it!
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
A collection of simple four line verses with seven syllables each, Similes of Trees and Water is a Tibetan text written in the 18th century composed by gung thang bstan pa’i sgron me - or simply Gung Thang. The content is distinctly Buddhist in nature since the entire work is actually a commentary on Tibetan Buddhist teachings. As such there are many allusions to Jataka tales and other legends, and the richest reading comes with a cultural and socioreligious context.
In general every verse works the same way: the first two lines make an assertion which is then demonstrated in the second two lines using a simile of trees or water. In my Textual Notes I will be referring to the assertion as the "example." Occasionally a verse or group of verses will deviate from this structure; and when I do my rough translations sometimes I switch them in order to achieve the best flow.
What is the purpose of this blog?
As a student who has become disillusioned with academia I wanted to start a translation effort that could cross the academic-lay boundary. More than anything, I want people from all different disciplines to be able to read a translation of this beautiful work and come away with as great an understanding as if it had been taught in a college class. In my opinion, too many translations are printed with little to no explanation of the intricate and subtle connotations and nuances found in the original text. This is, more than anything, an experiment to see whether or not a new and different approach to translation might be more effective.
How will I be doing my work?
Most importantly, I will be using Wylie transliteration until I get a Tibetan font up and working on my computer. Also, I use THDL offline translation tool and my preferred dictionary is Rangjung Yeshe.
I will dedicate one post to each verse unless two or more verses work together in such a way that it would be more prudent to post them together. If this project actually takes off and becomes active, then I will open up the verses for a collaborative effort via GoogleDocs. My hope is that when modifications or alternate readings are made, that those can be part of the posts around the original verse.
Since it’s just me right now, I’ll be including all notes in the original posts. But later, if other contributors come to the fore, then we’ll have to come up with other options. I’m open to suggestions on this matter. In the future I want the notes to become a dominant portion of this work.
*****
As I’ve stressed, I want this to be more than an editing or revision process. This is your chance to expound on all the intricacies and complexities of Tibetan grammar, your chance to help explain the background of Tibetan history and religion, and yes, your chance to vent your frustrations about translating Tibetan (I know I will . . .).
This community should operate as a live workshop for however long it takes to translate this work properly. So come and enjoy! Contribute! This is an awe-inspiring work of literary art, let’s spend some quality time with it!
Signing off in Lhasa, Miss A.
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