Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

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You prefer traductions of Thanissaro Bhikkhu or Bhikkhu Bodhi ?

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
17
38%
Bhikkhu Bodhi
28
62%
 
Total votes: 45

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DAWN
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Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by DAWN »

There is some difference between translations of these two Venerables Bhikkhus.

So I would like to ask you, which translations of Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu or Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi you prefer, and why?

:reading:
Last edited by DAWN on Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by tiltbillings »

I edited your English to make this a bit clearer, but let me ask you, in order to clarify what you are asking:

Is this your question: Whose translation do you prefer, Ven Thanisarro's or Ven Bodhi's? Is this the question you are asking?
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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DAWN
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by DAWN »

tiltbillings wrote:I edited your English to make this a bit clearer, but let me ask you, in order to clarify what you are asking:

Is this your question: Whose translation do you prefer, Ven Thanisarro's or Ven Bodhi's? Is this the question you are asking?
Thanks you for edition.

I would like ask why some one prefere traduction of one or another, why there is difference between traductions etc.

If this topic is sensible, or create division in sangha, please delete it.

With regards
Sabbe dhamma anatta
We are not concurents...
I'am sorry for my english
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tiltbillings
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by tiltbillings »

DAWN wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:I edited your English to make this a bit clearer, but let me ask you, in order to clarify what you are asking:

Is this your question: Whose translation do you prefer, Ven Thanisarro's or Ven Bodhi's? Is this the question you are asking?
Thanks you for edition.

I would like ask why some one prefere traduction of one or another, why there is difference between traductions etc.

If this topic is sensible, or create division in sangha, please delete it.

With regards
It is a reasonable question to ask and it should get a good conversation going. traduction seems to be French. Translation is the English.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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DAWN
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by DAWN »

tiltbillings wrote: It is a reasonable question to ask and it should get a good conversation going. traduction seems to be French. Translation is the English.
Yes i'ts more french than english, i'am sorry :?

To start a discution, i my opinion, traduction of Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi is more litteraly than those of Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu who can sometimes make some personal interprtation, or give his opinion on one or other sutta.

IMHO
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

I've always felt like Thanissaro gets to the heart of the scholarly meaning, but sometime he does so at the expense of flow and readability. I prefer Bodhi for a nice balance of scholarly rigor and clear, precise language.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
Buckwheat
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by Buckwheat »

LonesomeYogurt wrote:I've always felt like Thanissaro gets to the heart of the scholarly meaning, but sometime he does so at the expense of flow and readability.
I think that's a fair statement. There were some lines in the Dhammapada that did not make any sense to me until I read Thanissaro Bhikkhu's translations of them. But then I went back to reading the first version because they had a more poetic ring to them.
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DAWN
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by DAWN »

Buckwheat wrote: that did not make any sense to me until I read Thanissaro Bhikkhu's translations
Me too, and i dont know if this misunderstanding is something subjective, or more general. Sometimes, when i read a paper vertion of SN by Ven Bodhi and when i would like to quote some sutta or words of the Buddha, every time, the words that chose Ven Thanissaro, are very differents, and it's chage a lot the comprehention, so i have to write the translation of Ven Bodhi near those of Ven Thanissaro.

But anyway, i dont think that is somethink bad, because it's usefull to have a differents points of wiev on the same onject, word, of concept.
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Hanzze
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Re: Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by Hanzze »

I guess there is a good point inside. The longer and usuallier a word is used, the stronger the perception coming with it will be. One can abserve that well in Buddhist countries, where many pali words are addopted into the language and used in daily life.
Using such words to loosen perceptions is nearly impossible. As used ordinary (not very aware) they are not proper understood but just phrase of personal expressions. Generally deperception does not mean, that there is no perception needed to walk on on the path, but it is needed to have the proper perception for the precent counciousness.

Understanding the meaning of words means to discover their meanings, one for one self and one as it is meant by the teller.

From my impression, Ven. Bodhi feeds easierly people with common perceptions, or let me say a broader level of common intelectuallity, while Ven. Thanissaro seems to try to break through a common understanding of words (which is already established in Buddhist community).
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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ground
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Re: Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by ground »

Both are equally good because together they show that the meaning of the suttas is not predetermined. :sage:
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Hanzze
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Re: Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by Hanzze »

"Objectivly" maybe yes, "Subjectivly" how could there be any equal condition?
not predetermined
In regard of perseption (here word) yes. In regard of the meaning, this statement would be strange or an link to doubt (which is a appearence of personallity).
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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ground
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Re: Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by ground »

Hanzze wrote:"Objectivly" maybe yes, "Subjectivly" how could there be any equal condition?
It is when words and meanings arising from these do not make a difference after having seen that consciousness arises from sankhara and ignorance.
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Hanzze
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Re: Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by Hanzze »

*smile* ...and still there is doubt
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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ground
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Re: Which translation do you prefer: V Thanissaro or V Bodhi's ?

Post by ground »

Hanzze wrote:*smile* ...and still there is doubt
If it is great doubt that refers to the aggregates of which consciousness is one then this may be conducive for seeing.
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Re: Ven Thanissaro or Ven Bodhi's translation you prefer?

Post by Cittasanto »

LonesomeYogurt wrote:I've always felt like Thanissaro gets to the heart of the scholarly meaning[.... ...]Bodhi for a nice balance of scholarly rigor and clear, precise language.
This is true, however I feel some of Tanissaros choices for word - word renderings to be better, and Bodhi sides with the commentaries more.
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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