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 ocean of Dharma.  As such the two ultimate truths, which I feel are implied via the structure of the poem, are included in parentheses.  

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.  

Cultural Notes:

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.

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.

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 almost always depict the wheel clutched in the jaws and limbs of Mara.  An elixir against Mara, this bdud rtsi, is literally equated to the words (elegant speech – legs bshad) spoken in Tibetan Buddhist texts – including this poem. 

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.

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, endowed with the rippling waves of enlightened action.

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.

Introduction

What are the Similes of Trees and Water?

A collection of simple four line verses with seven syllables each, Similes of Trees and Water is a Tibetan text written in the 18^th 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?

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.
 

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.

*****

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.