New Lotus Sutra Book

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Mr. G
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New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by Mr. G »

Has anyone had the chance to read the translation by Hendrik Kern?

The Lotus Sutra: Saddharma Pundarika Sutra or the Lotus of the True Law

Dutch scholar Hendrik Kern offers a rare translation of the Lotus Sutra directly from the Sanskrit. Rather than starting from the Chinese of Kumarajiva, Kern worked principally from a manuscript written on palm leaves in Nepal in 1039. The original was part of the collection of Dr. Daniel Wright at the University Library of Cambridge, England. In the present edition, Sanskrit terms are set with modern diacritical marks.
  • How foolish you are,
    grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention!
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Kyosan
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Re: New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by Kyosan »

Maybe it's a new reprint but it has been available for a long time. I read it many years ago and it is a bit different than the other translations I've seen. It has only 27 chapters instead of 28 but there is some additional material that I didn't see in the other translations. It is available online both in HTML and PDF form. Here is one place you can find it:

http://reluctant-messenger.com/lotus_sutra_01.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Mr. G
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Re: New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by Mr. G »

Thanks Kyosan. I've only read the tranlsations by Reeves, Watson and Kato. There is one from Numata press translated by Kubo and Yuyama I may get to someday.
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    - Vasubandhu
Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Old Lotus Sutra Book

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Kern's was done in 1884 as part of the Sacred Books of the East series. It is still the only full translation from the Sanskrit, I think. I read it long ago and just bought one of the reprints recently; it is on my re-read list. The Sanskrit does vary quite a bit from the Chinese and even has passages that Kumarajiva never translated or never saw.

This one has an appendix showing some of the important sections from the Sanskrit that were not in Kumarajiva's, also Hurvitz's notes mention Sanskrit variations. Hurvitz, Leon (tr.). Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma: The Lotus Sutra
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kongmu
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Re: New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by kongmu »

mr. gordo wrote:...There is one from Numata press translated by Kubo and Yuyama I may get to someday.

For what it is worth, you can download the Kubo and Yuyama translation here for free: https://www.bdkamerica.org/default.aspx?MPID=81" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Numata Center (BDK) has started making a few of their texts available as free .pdf downloads (including the Nishijima/Cross edition of the Shobogenzo.)

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Mr. G
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Re: New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by Mr. G »

kongmu wrote:
mr. gordo wrote:...There is one from Numata press translated by Kubo and Yuyama I may get to someday.

For what it is worth, you can download the Kubo and Yuyama translation here for free: https://www.bdkamerica.org/default.aspx?MPID=81" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Numata Center (BDK) has started making a few of their texts available as free .pdf downloads (including the Nishijima/Cross edition of the Shobogenzo.)

--Kongmu 釋空目
This is great, Thank you!
  • How foolish you are,
    grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention!
    - Vasubandhu
Anders
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Re: New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by Anders »

Ironically, the fact that it is from a sanskrit version could very well mean it is more removed from any presumed 'ur-lotus sutra' than Kumarajiva's.

Sanskrit texts tended to evolve over time and by 1039, you'd have to guess the text had gone through quite a lot of it. Whereas translations, such as Kumarajiva's, tended to enjoy something of an edition-freeze once they had been put into a new language in an authoritative version.
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davidchatman
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Re: New Lotus Sutra Book

Post by davidchatman »

I have read some translation already. but I am looking for this also. Thank you for the information.
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