Rendition Techniques in the Chinese Translation of three Sanskit Buddist Scriptures [Paperback]

Shu-Fen Chen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 20, 2004

In past studies, most scholars did not pay attention to numerous facts such as who translated the Sanskrit Buddhist terms, when the translations were made, where those monks came from, or what dialects they spoke, etc. In fact, chronology and nationality did play important roles in regard to the translators' choices of different rendition strategies. The three Buddhist Sanskrit scriptures examined in this study are the Diamond Sutra, the Heart Sutra, and the Sukhavati Sutra. Traditional recognized categories are not enough to deal with borrowings from Buddhist Sanskrit texts, and a much wider range of different rendition techniques are employed

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Hardinge Simpole Limited (February 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843820706
• ISBN-13: 978-1843820703
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,531,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chinese Translation Techniques of the Ancient Buddhist Scholars, February 11, 2010

By 

Isabelle Mandolinist (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rendition Techniques in the Chinese Translation of three Sanskit Buddist Scriptures (Paperback)

This highly organized technical study explains in relatively plain English the methods whereby the ancient Buddhist translators rendered the Sanskrit sutras into Chinese. The author has analyzed their major translation techniques in light of the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese language and its dissimilarity to Sanskrit.
Three classic sutras are the focus of this work: The Vajra, the short Amitabha, and the Heart Sutras. Included are many charts which cross-reference and list the various translation methods, terms, and translators, and these also serve as extremely useful glossaries of almost all the Sanskrit and/or Chinese Buddhist words in these three sutras.
This will be a valuable reference book not only for Sanskrit scholars, but also for anyone studying the Chinese versions of the Buddhist sutras.