142245 UE A Manual of Indo-Tibetan Translation (2021W)

The translation of Buddhist texts from Sanskrit and other languages into Tibetan was a heavily regulated endeavor. Committees of Indian and Tibetan experts were formed that acted under the support as well as the control of the Tibetan court. These attempts are reflected in a number of documents that provide guidelines for regulating and standardizing translation processes.
Among these, the so-called Sgra sbyor bam gnyis (“The Two Volumes on Textual Composition”) is of special significance since it not only lays out concrete rules for translation (in its first part), but also illustrates in a set of 413 selected key terms (in its second part), how the application of these principles justifies the choice of a certain translation.
In this class, we will first focus on the earlier part in order to gain an understanding of the historical context and the theoretical principles that enabled and shaped the translation of Buddhist texts from India to Tibet, and then analyze the relation between directives and actual translation practice in a couple of selected examples from the second part.
The course is relevant to anyone interested in the history and methodology of Indo-Tibetan translation. After a short overview of relevant research, the Tibetan text (in which also some phrases in Sanskrit will occur) will be read and discussed. Depending on what is favored by the participants, the course can be conducted in English or German.