This is another in a series of weekly blog posts comparing and contrasting the Sanskrit and Chinese Lotus Sutra translations.
Before leaving Chapter 2, I want to address some differences between Senchu Murano’s English translation of Kumārajīva’s Chinese Lotus Sutra and the English translations of others.
During my 32 Days of the Lotus Sutra practice I’ve used Leon Hurvitz’s translation and admired its academic thoroughness. I’ve puzzled over Gene Reeves’ decision to use Greek and Roman names for Indian mythological creatures. The BDK English Tripiṭaka translation’s use of Sanskrit names for Buddhas made it unusable for my purposes. And I found the “Modern” Rissho Kosei-Kai translation’s effort at gender neutrality distracting.
For me, the Third Edition of Murano’s translation has been my reference point. I started with Murano back in 2015 because it was the translation sold by Nichiren Shu’s Nichiren Buddhist International Center. As I’ve cycled through the Lotus Sutra more than 75 times I’ve become intimately familiar with Murano’s version of the teaching.
Now as I compare and contrast English translations of Kumārajīva’s Chinese Lotus Sutra with H. Kern’s English translation of an 11th century Nepalese Sanskrit document, I want to acknowledge the particular touch Murano applied.
The verses at the conclusion of Chapter 2 serve as a good example.
In Kern’s translation this is rendered:
139. Let this mystery be for thee, Śāriputra, for all disciples of mine, and for the eminent Bodhisattvas, who are to keep this mystery.
140. For the creatures, when at the period of the five depravities, are vile and bad; they are blinded by sensual desires, the fools, and never turn their minds to enlightenment.
141. (Some) beings, having heard this one and sole vehicle manifested by the Jina, will in days to come swerve from it, reject the Sūtra, and go down to hell.
142. But those beings who shall be modest and pure, striving after the supreme and the highest enlightenment, to them shall I unhesitatingly set forth the endless forms of this one and sole vehicle.
143. Such is the mastership of the leaders; that is, their skillfulness. They have spoken in many mysteries; hence it is difficult to understand (them).
144. Therefore try to understand the mystery of the Buddhas, the holy masters of the world; forsake all doubt and uncertainty: you shall become Buddhas; rejoice!
Hurvitz, who used both Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation and a Sanskrit compilation of the Lotus Sutra, offers:
Śāriputra, be it known that
The Buddhas’ dharma is like this:
By resort to myriads of millions of expedient devices
And in accord with what is appropriate for the situation, they preach the dharma;
But they who have not practiced it
Cannot understand this.
All of you, knowing now
That the buddhas, the teachers of the ages,
In accord with what is peculiarly appropriate have recourse to expedient devices,
Need have no more doubts or uncertainties.
Your hearts shall give rise to great joy,
Since you know that you yourselves shall become buddhas.
Reeves simplifies this:
It should be understood, Shariputra,
That the Dharma of the buddhas is like this.
With trillions of skillful means, in accord with what is good
They teach the Dharma.
Those who have not practiced and studied it
Cannot fully understand this.
But all of you,
Knowing that the buddhas,
The teachers of the worlds,
Use skillful means
According to what is appropriate,
Should have no more doubt.
Your hearts should be filled with great joy,
For you know that you too will become buddhas.
Senchu Murano’s translation clarifies and focuses this message:
Śāriputra [and others], know this!
As a rule, the Buddhas expound the Dharma
With billions of expedients as stated above,
According to the capacities of all living beings.Those who do not study the Dharma
Cannot understand it.
You have already realized
The fact that the Buddhas, the World-Teachers, employ expedients,
According to the capacities of all living beings.
Know that, when you remove your doubts,
And when you have great joy,
You will become Buddhas!
The twist here in Murano’s telling is the role of “joy.” Others suggest that the result of understanding will be joy – Your hearts shall give rise to great joy – but for Murano, joy is a prerequisite – “When you have great joy, You will become Buddhas!”
Title Understanding
Another example of Murano’s special touch comes in the choice of the title for Chapter 4.
Leon Hurvitz and Burton Watson offer “Belief and Understanding.” Gene Reeves and the modern Rissho Kosei-Kai translation offer “Faith and Understanding.”
Again, Murano offers an additional layer of meaning by marrying two separate aspects into a dynamic relationship with his choice of the title “Understanding by Faith.”
Interestingly, the only other Nichiren priest to translate Kumārajīva’s Chinese Lotus Sutra into English, Bunno Kato, chose a similar title for Chapter 4, “Faith-discernment.” (See the Introduction to W.E. Soothill’s 1930 “The Lotus of the Wonderful Law or The Lotus Gospel.”)
Next: Śāriputra’s Future