Comments on: Truth Unfolding–new translation of Genjo Koan http://www.numenware.com/article/548 Religion. Brain. Dogen. Language. Japan. Fri, 16 May 2008 13:45:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Jim Eubanks http://www.numenware.com/article/548#comment-959 Jim Eubanks Sun, 04 Mar 2007 23:37:13 +0000 http://www.numenware.com/article/548#comment-959 The translation is doing something a non-Ameircan may not understand: attempting to reach the American <span class="caps">MIND</span>. Translating from Japanese to English is much more than a change in vocabulary or poetic beat, it is a change in centuries of accumulated thought and culture as well. Thank you for your work, Bob. No saddness here, only three bows to you. The translation is doing something a non-Ameircan may not understand: attempting to reach the American MIND. Translating from Japanese to English is much more than a change in vocabulary or poetic beat, it is a change in centuries of accumulated thought and culture as well. Thank you for your work, Bob. No saddness here, only three bows to you.

]]> By: Aaron Mendez http://www.numenware.com/article/548#comment-620 Aaron Mendez Thu, 07 Dec 2006 19:05:43 +0000 http://www.numenware.com/article/548#comment-620 Kimura-san, As the former Soto monk that you are, I am surprised by the narrowness and excessive discrimination of your response. Show us <span class="caps">YOUR</span> Genjo Koan, then. Kimura-san,
As the former Soto monk that you are, I am surprised by the narrowness and excessive discrimination of your response. Show us YOUR Genjo Koan, then.

]]> By: Yasuhiko Kimura http://www.numenware.com/article/548#comment-568 Yasuhiko Kimura Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:02:13 +0000 http://www.numenware.com/article/548#comment-568 Dear Bob, There is a reason why Dogen wrote the way he did and why he used the kind of highly specialized language that he used. Shobogenzo is considered to be a great literary treasure in Japan because it is one of the most beautifully written literary pieces beyond its philosophic and spiritual profundity. Knowing a little bit about you, I suppose you are aware that by using plain English without much concern for beauty you have significantly reduced or even destroyed the value of the original. The matrix of meaning is conveyed not only by what he writes but also by what he does not write, and a translation worthy of its name must convey, or at least make an attempt at conveying, what is not explicitly written. People need to climb up to Dogen, never the other way round. This is the reason that with all due respect I would not call your work a translation. It is your interpretation of the content expressed in plain English. People are free to do whatever they are moved to do, but I am saddened by the lack of quality and respect shown by many so-called translations of ancient Buddhist texts. I write this letter with sadness because I personally like you and because you show a degree of understanding higher than some who are much more famous and “influential” than you. However, the title “Unfolding Truth” is not bad. Sincerely, Yasuhiko Yasuhiko Genku Kimura Founder and Chairman Vision In Action Genku@<span class="caps">VIA</span>-VisionInAction.org www.<span class="caps">VIA</span>-VisionInAction.org Dear Bob,

There is a reason why Dogen wrote the way he did and why he used the kind of highly specialized language that he used. Shobogenzo is considered to be a great literary treasure in Japan because it is one of the most beautifully written literary pieces beyond its philosophic and spiritual profundity.

Knowing a little bit about you, I suppose you are aware that by using plain English without much concern for beauty you have significantly reduced or even destroyed the value of the original. The matrix of meaning is conveyed not only by what he writes but also by what he does not write, and a translation worthy of its name must convey, or at least make an attempt at conveying, what is not explicitly written. People need to climb up to Dogen, never the other way round.

This is the reason that with all due respect I would not call your work a translation. It is your interpretation of the content expressed in plain English.

People are free to do whatever they are moved to do, but I am saddened by the lack of quality and respect shown by many so-called translations of ancient Buddhist texts. I write this letter with sadness because I personally like you and because you show a degree of understanding higher than some who are much more famous and “influential” than you.

However, the title “Unfolding Truth” is not bad.

Sincerely,

Yasuhiko

Yasuhiko Genku Kimura
Founder and Chairman
Vision In Action
Genku@VIA-VisionInAction.org
http://www.VIA-VisionInAction.org

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