Facebook
Instragram
College and Department of Buddhist Studies, FGU
Fo Guang Shan University's College of Buddhist Studies and Fo Guang Cultural Institute hosted the 2024 "Japanese Yogachara Buddhist Dictionary Translation Training Workshop" from January 22nd to 28th at Jin Guang Ming Temple. Twenty-nine participants from various institutions, including Fo Guang University, Humanistic Buddhism Research Institute, Fo Guang Shan Monastic Academy, Huafan University, Yuan Guang Buddhist Studies Institute, and Dharma Drum Buddhist College, took part in the event.
Venerable Yikong, the director of Fo Guang Shan Cultural Institute, expressed in her opening speech that the translation of Buddhist classics contributes significantly to the propagation of the Dharma. Fo Guang Shan's founding master, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, advocated for "Humanistic Buddhism," promoting an approachable and understandable explanation of Buddhist teachings. Similarly, contemporary Japanese authority on Yuishiki philosophy, Koichi Yanagihara 橫山紘一, simplified the profound and complex Yogachara teachings for better comprehension. The intentions of both are aligned.
Venerable Yikong mentioned that in 2016, Yanagihara published the "Yogachara Buddhist Dictionary." During his lecture at Fo Guang University in 2018 and his subsequent speech at a Taipei venue, a connection was established. Yanagihara expressed his hope to translate the "Yogachara Buddhist Dictionary" into Chinese to introduce more people to Yogachara studies and potentially bring a new wave to Buddhism. Fo Guang Shan aims to introduce excellent academic works from Japanese scholars, continuing the spirit of Venerable Master Hsing Yun's cultural propagation of Buddhism.
Therefore, Venerable Yikong, on behalf of Fo Guang Shan, signed a contract with Koichi Yanagihara, entrusting Fo Guang Cultural Institute with the editing and publication, in accordance with Yanagihara's precepts, as a token of gratitude for the kindness of the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang's journey to the Western Regions to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. Venerable Yikong expressed gratitude to Jin Guang Ming Temple for providing resources and accommodation, facilitating the smooth progress of the translation work.
Prof. Chao-Shun Kuo, the dean of Fo Guang Shan University's College of Buddhist Studies, expressed gratitude for Jin Guang Ming Temple's support, emphasizing the need for long-term cultivation of talents in translation and research. He hoped that through experiential learning, participants could collectively study.
The instructors for this workshop included Professor Yi-Biao Chen from the Department of Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University, specializing in Yogachara philosophy, Japanese Buddhist studies, and Sanskrit, and Associate Professor Tsui-Hua Wu from the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at Yuan Ze University, specializing in Japanese language teaching and Chinese-Japanese translation.
Professor Yi-Biao Chen mentioned that Yanagihara had expressed his desire for assistance in translation before his passing. He was delighted to see Buddhist doctrines and spirits perpetuated in the world and thanked everyone for their contributions. Tsui-Hua Wu was responsible for compiling the meanings and terms in Japanese and for translation based on the initial draft.
Venerable Juepei, the abbot of Jin Guang Ming Temple, had previous exchanges with Koichi Yanagihara and noted his humility, emphasizing the importance of Buddhist translation for the present era.
人間社報導original article：https://www.lnanews.com/news/157006
