Buddhist nun as an super English interpreter
source: China Daily
In recent years, it is not uncommon for temple recruitment to require applicants to reach English Grade 6; among the monks of the Longquan Buddhist Temple in Beijing, many famous elite masters are also hidden scholars. Nowadays, monks and nuns who understand English should not be surprising.
But before looking at the interpretation of this nun, you won't know that the mysterious and profound Buddhism can be translated so clearly and easily, and it is eloquent.
The lecturer was the famous master of Xingyun of Fo Guang Shan. The lean female translator behind him was his chief translator Miao Guang.
Her voice is authentic, the translation is accurate and easy to understand, Buddhist allusions come in handy, and no notes are taken throughout the entire tranlation.
Take a look at her translation:
讲起来这世间都是苦海，赶快到极乐世界。
Also，the fact that Buddhist are always saying, "this world is filled with sufferings so quickly go to Pure Land" makes one sad.
你以为到极乐世界就解决问题了吗？
Do you think things will be better by going to Pure Land?
极乐世界的人比我们娑婆世界的人更辛苦。
You might not realize that people live a harder life in Pure Land.
你们读《阿弥陀经》的人就知道，每天早上起来，要以鲜花供养十万亿十方诸佛，要很早，要做功课。
You will find evidence in the Amitabha Sutra where the heavenly beings in Western Pure Land have to wake up very early, travel far distances to make offering of flowers. This is their daily practice.
供养过十方诸佛回来，你还以为能再睡回笼觉吗？不能。要念佛、念法、念僧。
After the traveling and offering, do you think you go back to bed? No, you have to go back to chanting the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, you have to keep working.
要跟诸上善人相处，怎么样让诸上善人接受我们呢？
You have to constantly be the person of virtue. How do you do that?
我要有礼貌，我要勤劳，我要负责任。
You have to have manners, you have to be diligent, and you have to be responsible.
甚至吃过饭以后还要饭食经行，还要运动呢。
And then after eating a meal, you have to do walking meditation, you have to exercise.
那许多树木花草，你能不去浇水吗？
Then you have to tend to all the trees along the roads.
那些七宝楼阁，你能不保持它的清洁、干净、庄严美丽吗？
And then you have to maintain all these jewel pavilions by keeping them clean.
我的意思是，到了极乐世界一样的很辛苦。
What I'm trying to say is life in Pure Land would be just as hard.
你在这个世间上，养成了勤劳的习惯，念佛、念法、念僧，加以信仰，将来到了极乐世界，就会习惯了。
Therefore, what's more important right now is for you to begin by nurturing your nature of diligence in chanting the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, and one day when you eventually arrive in Pure Land, everything would be easier.
Every time when asked why her English is so good, Miao Guang Master humbly says that she grew up living abroad, but at the beginning, she was the worst one in the English class.
Miao Guang Master was born in a wealthy family in Taiwan and immigrated to Australia at the age of 12. At that time, her English was zero-based, and she was introverted, and often bullied. She said: With an English class score of 100 points, she could only score 3.5.
During that time, her mother often went to Fo Guang Shan’s Buddhist Temple in Australia and let Miaoguang come into basic knowledge of Dharma.
She saw a Buddhist scripture saying "Be motivated, don't get angry." Instead of arguing with someone, it's better to change yourself. As a result, she carried her English dictionaries every day. After class, she specifically listened to people and watched TV to learn English expressions. She constantly absorbed them.
But her English making rapid progress was when she began to touch "Buddhist English."
When she was in high school, she went to Nan Tian Temple in Australia to participate in summer camp activities. Since other students did not understand Chinese, she was called to do translations. In fact, at the time, her translation was not very good, but the Nan Tian Temple Master told her, "You just translated it well." Then Miao Guang recalled that this had a very positive effect on her.
Later, as long as she did not attend class, she would go to the temple as a volunteer, translate the Buddhist booklets, and also serve as an interpreter. Her English language was progressing rapidly. In the high school, she was already the first in the class.
One year, when Master Xingyun came to Australia to give a lecture, Nan Tian Temple recommended Miao Guang of the University of New South Wales as an interpreter because her English was “better than the locals”.
The Xingyun Master recalled: "We didn't have much communication at the time. But a few months later I went back to Nan Tian Temple and I heard that six people wanted to follow me to study Buddhism at the Temple. One of them was a young woman with introverted personality, Miao Guang."
Since 2000, Miao Guang has become a personal translator for Master Xingyun. The Master of Xingyun has been committed to spreading Buddhism to all countries in the world. He has sent disciples to study abroad for many times, and he has planned to train language talents and strengthen exchanges between Buddhism and the local community.
He also advocated the integration of Buddhist factions and even the integration of different religions. All of these give the opportunity for Miao Guang to go with Xingyun Master to make the mastery of English. Such as Master Xingyun communicating with Pope Benedict, Miao Guang was doing translation.
With long-term accompanying with Master Xingyun, Miao Guang’s understanding of Buddhism is more profound. In addition to being the chief translator of Master Xingyun, she is also the person in charge of the Buddhist meditation camp, the Assistant Professor of the Institute of Religious Studies of Xingyun University, and the chief convener of the English translation of the "Buddha Light Dictionary".
In addition, Master Xingyun also let her go to Europe and the United States alone to give lectures and promote Buddhism in English.
These repetitions enabled her to correctly quote classical passages of Buddhism in foreign languages or to name the classics, allowing Buddhism to freely switch between Chinese and English languages.
Once university professors in the United States had listened to Miao Guang's translation. They promised only because of her translation, they were willing to give her a doctorate degree.
Master Xingyun said: "I can't speak English, but anyone who has heard her translation was full of praise. It shows that the content of my speech is very clear and easy to understand, accurate in wording, beautiful and fluent in speech. Just like singing, you have to translate the letter very well."
In addition to being good in English, her introverted and wise temperament has won her a lot of younger fans, and she has become an alternative spotlight of listening to Master Xingyun talking. Some people who went to the Buddhist camp in Fo Guang Shan said that we saw her and called her "Goddess! Goddess!"
It has been asked how good English will give you extra benefits. Miao Guang Master's experience should be a good answer.
Notes
Pure Land 极乐世界
Amitabha Sutra [' mi'tɑ：b sutr ] 阿弥陀经
Buddha['bud]n。佛陀
Dharma['dɑm]n。达摩
Sangha['sɡ]n。僧伽
meditation[med'te（）n]n。冥想，沉思
Jewel pavilion 七宝楼阁