Translation Certificate Program
Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation
The Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation provides an understanding and appreciation of Buddhist texts through close reading and translation practice.
For over two thousand years, translation has been an indispensable part of the history and transmission of Buddhism. For instance, when Buddhism first came to China from India, one of the most important tasks was the translation of the Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Chinese. This work was often conducted in large assemblies: National Master Kumarajiva, for example, led an assembly of over 800 people for more than a decade in translating dozens of texts in hundreds of scrolls. Emulating the translation assemblies of ancient times, the Certificate Program in Buddhist Translation brings together talented individuals in a collaborative endeavor to study and translate Buddhist texts.
The Buddhist canon presents itself as a vehicle to wisdom and liberation, a set of tools for self-transformation. Approaching the texts in this spirit, the Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation regards translating them as an opportunity to delve deeply into their meaning and develop understanding in an engaged, interactive way.
I feel inspired to do more translation when I read a passage in a text or commentary that speaks to me deeply. To understand the text takes time, and to do a good translation may take even more time. But the time that’s put in is very spiritually nourishing.
Xiaojuan Shu
Translation Student '21
Integrate Study and Practice
The two-semester certificate program integrates the study of translation theory with collaborative translation of Buddhist texts and engaged contemplative practice.
Experience the Living Tradition of Buddhism
One of the unique aspects of the program is the opportunity to live, study, and practice in a Buddhist monastic setting that is home to a living tradition dating back thousands of years.
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Dharma Realm Buddhist University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.