Wednesday, June 22, 2005
A Playful Translation of Milarepa
Here is my own "playful translation" of this poem by Milarepa. I call it "playful" because I am not a trained translator, and am, in fact, simply offering my own sense of what some of the verses might mean. (Somehow, I think this (original) version of the poem does indeed sound like something created by a committee, more dedicated to literal meaning than poetic rendition.)
The Profound Definitive Meaning
By Milarepa
(1052 - 1135)
English version by Marpa Translation Committee
(This version was printed by Ivan Granger on www.poetry-chaikhana.com this morning. Thanks, Ivan.)
For the mind that masters view the emptiness dawns
In the content seen not even an atom exists
A seer and seen refined until they're gone
This way of realizing view, it works quite well
When meditation is clear light river flow
There is no need to confine it to sessions and breaks
Meditator and object refined until they're gone
This heart bone of meditation, it beats quite well
When you're sure that conducts work is luminous light
And you're sure that interdependence is emptiness
A doer and deed refined until they're gone
This way of working with conduct, it works quite well
When biased thinking has vanished into space
No phony facades, eight dharmas, nor hopes and fears,
A keeper and kept refined until they're gone
This way of keeping samaya, it works quite well
When you've finally discovered your mind is dharmakaya
And you're really doing yourself and others good
A winner and won refined until they're gone
This way of winning results, it works quite well.
============
My version (which is not literal):
Ultimate Essence
When you see with clear eyes, your perceive that everything is emptiness.
Then you know that what you are looking at does not contain a single atom.
Even the looker and the thing looked on disappear.
This way of perception--it works quite well.
When meditation becomes clear like a river of light,
You no longer need to experience it only in formal sittings and breaks.
Both meditator and object of contemplation are refined until they disappear.
This central core, this heart of meditation, it beats quite well.
When your conduct is pure, like luminous light,
And you finally understand that things which exist only in relation
to other things are in fact nothing but empty illusions,
Then doer and deed are refined until they're gone
since in truth neither exists at all--
This way of proceeding in your actions , it works quite well.
When biased thinking has vanished into space
No phony facades, eight dharmas, nor hopes and fears,
A keeper and kept refined until they're gone
This way of keeping samaya, it works quite well
When you've finally discovered your mind is dharmakaya
And you're really doing yourself and others good
A winner and won refined until they're gone
This way of winning results, it works quite well.
(I left the last two verses in the original version, since I lack sufficient knowledge to interpret the technical terms.)
============
The Profound Definitive Meaning
By Milarepa
(1052 - 1135)
English version by Marpa Translation Committee
(This version was printed by Ivan Granger on www.poetry-chaikhana.com this morning. Thanks, Ivan.)
For the mind that masters view the emptiness dawns
In the content seen not even an atom exists
A seer and seen refined until they're gone
This way of realizing view, it works quite well
When meditation is clear light river flow
There is no need to confine it to sessions and breaks
Meditator and object refined until they're gone
This heart bone of meditation, it beats quite well
When you're sure that conducts work is luminous light
And you're sure that interdependence is emptiness
A doer and deed refined until they're gone
This way of working with conduct, it works quite well
When biased thinking has vanished into space
No phony facades, eight dharmas, nor hopes and fears,
A keeper and kept refined until they're gone
This way of keeping samaya, it works quite well
When you've finally discovered your mind is dharmakaya
And you're really doing yourself and others good
A winner and won refined until they're gone
This way of winning results, it works quite well.
============
My version (which is not literal):
Ultimate Essence
When you see with clear eyes, your perceive that everything is emptiness.
Then you know that what you are looking at does not contain a single atom.
Even the looker and the thing looked on disappear.
This way of perception--it works quite well.
When meditation becomes clear like a river of light,
You no longer need to experience it only in formal sittings and breaks.
Both meditator and object of contemplation are refined until they disappear.
This central core, this heart of meditation, it beats quite well.
When your conduct is pure, like luminous light,
And you finally understand that things which exist only in relation
to other things are in fact nothing but empty illusions,
Then doer and deed are refined until they're gone
since in truth neither exists at all--
This way of proceeding in your actions , it works quite well.
When biased thinking has vanished into space
No phony facades, eight dharmas, nor hopes and fears,
A keeper and kept refined until they're gone
This way of keeping samaya, it works quite well
When you've finally discovered your mind is dharmakaya
And you're really doing yourself and others good
A winner and won refined until they're gone
This way of winning results, it works quite well.
(I left the last two verses in the original version, since I lack sufficient knowledge to interpret the technical terms.)
============
