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Contents

1. Previous translations of Pali canon and its commentary

2. How to chose a topic in translation study

3. Annotated translation with critical study

3.1 A critical study part

3.2 An annotated translation part

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What does means Translation?

Translation is an activity that aims at conveying meaning or meanings of a given linguistic discourse from one language to another.

E.g. Pali to Myanmar,

Pali to Sinhala
Pali to English, etc…

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Why Do We Translate Pali into English?

Some translate because they are interested in Pali as a language.
Some translate because they wish other, not capable of reading the original Pali texts, to have a chance of knowing something about them and their meanings.
Others translate because they have read translations of Pali texts and are not satisfied with what they have read, but believe that they think they can do better than their predecessors.

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The Founder of Pali Text Society

T.W. Rhys Davids

1842-1922

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The PTS Translations of Pali Canon

Vinaya-piṭaka

Vinaya-piṭaka (The Book of the Discipline) by I.B. Horner

Sutta-piṭaka

Dīgha-nikāya, Majjhima-nikāya, Saṃyutta-nikāya , Aṅguttara-nikāya and Khuddaka-nikāya

Abhidhamma-piṭaka

Dhammasaṅgaṇī, Vibhaṅga, Dhātukathā, Puggalapaññatti,

Kathāvatthu , Yamaka, Paṭṭhāna

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Kuddaka-nīkāya Pali

Khuddakapāṭha,
Dhammapada
Udāna,
Itivuttaka
Suttanipāta
Vimānavatthu, Petavatthu
Theragāthā, Therīgāthā
Jātaka,
Buddhavaṃsa
Nettipakārana, Peṭakopadesa
Cariyāpiṭaka, Milinda
Niddesa, apādāna

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THE PAI COMMENTARIES (AṬṬHAKATHĀ)

Vinaya-piṭaka

Bāhiranidāna-vaṇṇanā
Paṭhamapārājikā -vaṇṇanā

Sutta-piṭaka

Brahmajala-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Samaññaphala-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Mahanidan-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Mahaparinibbāna-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Sampasādaniya-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Mulapariyaya-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Bhayabherava-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Sammādiṭṭhi-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Satipatthāna-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Vitakkasanthana-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Mahāgopālaka-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Sangarava-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Ānāpānassati-sutta-aṭṭhakathā
Mahāsuññata-sutta-aṭṭhakathā

Abhidhammā-piṭaka

Atthasālinī

Vibhaṅga -aṭṭhakathā Kathāvatthu -aṭṭhakathā

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Kuddaka-nīkāya-aṭṭhakathā

Khuddakapāṭha-aṭṭhakathā
Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā
Udāna-aṭṭhakathā
Itivuttaka-aṭṭhakathā
Suttanipāta-aṭṭhakathā
Vimānavatthu-aṭṭhakathā
Petavatthu-aṭṭhakathā
Therīgāthā-aṭṭhakathā
Jātaka-aṭṭhakathā
Buddhavaṃsa-aṭṭhakathā
Theragāthā, Niddesa, apadana and Cariyāpiṭaka -aṭṭhakathā

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Bhikkhu Bodhi and other scholars’ New Translations

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General Consideration in Pali Translation

Translation from one language into another basically depends upon five factors:

Read good Pali dictionaries and grammars
Select a Pali text which he/she whishes to translate
Understand the meaning of the text
Follow the grammar if you make translation
Make a good interpretation

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Two Kinds of Pali Texts

Canonical texts

E.g. Pali canons, its commentaries and sub-commentaries

Non-canonical texts

E.g. Dīpavaṃsa, Mahāvaṃsa, etc.

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How to Chose a Topic in Translation

Topic area should be between 70 and 90 pages and interesting to do a translation and a critical study.

E.g. Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, Paṭhamapārājika, etc.

If the topic has narrow area, you can do your research with other relevant areas.

E.g. Singālovāda Sutta, Dighajāṇu Sutta and Dhammika Sutta

You can also chose section of Vinaya or Sutta.

Saṅghādisesakaṇḍ, Pācittiyakaṇḍa or Ekakanipāta Vaṇṇanā

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Textual Research�

Translating Buddhist canons and exegetical works can be ‘Textual Research’ in the Buddhist studies.
Mere translating texts cannot be a research.
To be a good Textual research, translation should be together with general introduction or critical study and annotation.

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Some dissertations consist of two parts:
Part I: General Introduction or Critical Study,
Part II: Annotated Translation.
“An Annotated Translation of the Paṭhamapārājika of the Samantapāsādika together with a General Introduction” by Dr. Vaṇṇsīri, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
“Buddhology in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta and its Commentary with an Annotated Translation of Buddhaghosa’s Commentary” by An Yan-Gyu, University of Oxford.
“An Annotated Translation of Commentary on Ekaka Nipāta Vaṇṇanā of Mp from Rūpa Vagga Vaṇṇanā to Ekapuggala Vagga Vaṇṇanā together with a Critical Introduction” by Dr. Kevala, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.

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“A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation of Paritta Ṭīkā together with General Introduction" by Dr. Nandāsāra, University of Peradeniy, Sri Lanka.
“Sampasādanīyasuttavaṇṇanā: An Annotated Translation and A Critical Study” by Dr. Jnan Nanda, The University of Hong Kong.
“The Bhayabheravasuttavaṇṇanā of the Majjhima-nikāya: An annotated translation and study” by Dr. Sree Dharma Rakkhit Sraman, The University of Hong Kong.
“Commentary on the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta of the Dīgha-Nikāya: An Annotated Translation with a Critical Study” by Dr. Vilāsa (Wilartha), University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.

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General Introduction (Critical Study) Part

General Introduction must consist of the basic items of research:

literature review,
research problem,
aim of research,
scope of research,
research methodology
critical study of some controversial issues pertaining to the text which is translated.

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Critical Study Part: �An annotated translation of the Paṭhama Pārājikakaṇḍa of the samantapāsādikā together with a general introduction

1. Introduction
2. Controversy on the Real Penalty of the Pārājika offence
3. Some Problematic Theories on the Pārājika
4. On the Samantapāsādikā as a Whole

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Commentary on the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna sutta of the Dīgha-nikāya: an annotated translation with a critical study

1. Introduction
2. The Sumaṅgalavilāsinī
3. Analysis of the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna-suttta Vaṇṇanā and Divergent Interpretation
4. The controversial issues related to Mindfulness Meditation

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An annotated translation of the Tatiya Pārājikakaṇḍa of the samantapāsādikā together with a critical introduction

1. Introduction
2. Analysis of the Tatiyapārājika Vaṇṇanā
3. The Act of Suicide in third Pārājika and its Commentary
4. The Act of Euthanasia in third Pārājika and its Commentary

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Annotated Translation Part

For Annotated Translation, the researcher has to translate the text, (comparing the different editions which are available at the present such as PTS edition, Burmese edition, Sinhala edition, Thai and Devānāgarī edition), giving annotations:
Word by word translation
Myanmar translations (Bhāsātīkā, Ma Ū etc,.)
Sense of particles, e.g., hi, ca, pana.
textual criticism
emendations of the words
grammatical explanations
contextual explanations
sub-commentarial explanations at the footnote or endnote.

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Translation Section

Saṃvaro sīlanti ettha pañcavidhena saṃvaro veditabbo pātimokkhasaṃvaro, satisaṃvaro, ñāṇasaṃvaro, khantisaṃvaro, vīriyasaṃvaroti. (VismA. I 7)
Virtue as restraint should be understood here as restraint in five ways: restraint by the rules of the community (patimokkha), restraint by mindfulness, restraint by knowledge, restraint by patience, and restraint by energy . (The Path of Purification by Bhikkkhu Ñānamoli, 11)

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Our translation style

dulladdhaṃ vata meti kussalānubhāvena laddhampi idaṃ manussatthṃ dulladdhaṃ vata me. (VinA. II 399)
dulladdhaṃ vata me [I have surely ill-gained] means that although I have received the state of men on account of good action, indeed, I have surely ill-gained.

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Textual Critism in the Footnote

Therein (tattha) indicates the phrase ‘jhāna citta’
Add pana after putthujjanānaṃ (Sp II 397) with other editions.
Omit vā after vajjīnaṃ (Sp I 207)
yena vggumudānadīti vaggumatā lokassa puññasammatānadī. Sopi kira “taṃ papaṃ ttha pavāhessāmī”ti saññāya gato, nadiyā ānubhāvena appamattakampi pāpaṃ pahīnaṃ nāma natthi. (Sp II400)
This sentence ‘nadiyā ānubhāvena appamattakampi pāpaṃ pahīnaṃ nāma natthi’ should be before the ahudeva kukkuccanti (Sp II 399-400) with Be II 6. Because the commentator’s exposition of Vaggumudā river has not finished yet. Hence, this sentence should be the exposition of yena vggumudānadīti.

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Emendation of the word ālulati and to āluḷeti

Emend ālulati (Sv III 745) to āluḷeti with Sv Be II 337. Although both can be found in the Pali, the verb āluḷati is formed with the prefix ā + the root √luḷ (to be confused) + suffix a and the ending 3^rd per, sg. ti, and āluḷeti is formed with the prefix ā + the root √luḷ (to be confused) + the causal suffix ṇe and the ending 3^rd per, sg. ti [PED 98; DPL 27; PED IV-I 390-391]. In this context the causative verb āluḷeti is proper because the elder was confused by the question of ‘whether the way of satipaṭṭhāna is the preliminary path or supramundane path.

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Emendation of the word naṭako/naṭagano

For naṭako (Sv I I I 742) and naṭagaṇo (Ce I 206). Herein, the term naṭka is a primary derivative of the root √naṭ (to dance or sing) + Nom., sg. In the sense of a dance [PED 312, PMD XI 367]; on the other hand, naṭagaṇa is a combination of nat (naṭ + a) ‘so’ (he or that group), and verbs ‘vicarate’ (wanders) and ‘gato’ (departed), both ‘naṭako’ and naṭagaṇo are suitable as the subject of this context.

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Contextual explanations of the word ekāyana

Ekāyano ayaṃ bhikkhave maggoti ettha ekamaggo ayaṃ bhikkhave maggo na dvedhāpathabhūtoti evamattho.
The commentator interprets the word ekāyano as ekamaggo. Hence, in this context, we have to understand that the word ekāyano is a numeral compound (digu-samāsa) or a special type of adjectival compound (kammadhāraya-samāsa) of eka + ayayana: in this compound, the term ayana is not in the sense of ‘going’, but indeed it is a name of ‘the path’ (magga) or ayana and magga are synonyms.

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Sub-commentary explanation

so ca nesaṃ asubhāsucipaṭikkūlabhāvo vaṇṇatopi saṇṭhānatopi….
Sp-ṭ says that vaṇṇato means ‘for on seeing the colour of a head hair in a bowl of cooked rice, people are disgusted and say, “This has got hairs in it take it away.’ So, they are distasteful in colour (Sp-ṭ II 173).

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Glossary of the term “yojanā”

The term yojanā: Bhikkhu Ñāṇmoli and Bodhi translate yojanā as a league (Trs. Ñāṇamoli Khp-a 174; Trs. Bodh M 703). If the word ‘yojana’ was put into equivalent term ‘a league’ in English, the distance of a yojana would be considered as about 4000 metres (about 3 miles) according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Its distance textually understood by scholars is equal to 4 gāvutas. One gāvuta is a little less than 2 miles in accordance with the definition in PTS Pali-English Dictionary.

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Remark:

The researcher must not change any words parting to the original text without giving any notes.

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