Join us for a workshop exploring the art and complexity of translating the poetry of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, a pivotal figure in 19th-century Tibetan Buddhism.

This session will examine the challenges of rendering his richly layered verse into English, with a focus on balancing linguistic accuracy, poetic form, and the transmission of doctrinal and cultural nuance. Participants will engage with critical issues in the translation of Tibetan Buddhist literature, from the interplay of spiritual and aesthetic elements to the preservation of rhetorical and philosophical depth. The session will also introduce and offer insights into the mission and methodologies of the Khyentse Vision Project, of which Zack is a key member, a comprehensive translation initiative dedicated to rendering the entirety of Khyentse Wangpo’s works into English. This workshop provides a valuable opportunity for scholars, translators, and students to deepen their understanding of Khyentse Wangpo’s literary legacy and the broader practice of Buddhist poetic translation. Click here for a handout of poems compiled by the presenter.

Zack Beer became interested in Buddhist meditation as a teenager. He attended Stanford University, where he completed a BA in Religious Studies focusing on Buddhism, with a minor in creative writing. He then spent eleven years based in the Tibetan community of Boudhanath, Nepal. There, he first studied and earned an MA at Rangjung Yeshe Institute before eventually working at RYI for four years as a teacher and interpreter. Under the umbrella of Dharmachakra Translation Committee, he has published a number of translations, including works on development-stage practice by Shechen Gyaltsab (in Deity, Mantra, and Wisdom and A Practice of Padmasambhava, both published by Snow Lion) and several sūtras for the 84.000 project. In 2014, he began his PhD studies at the University of California at Berkeley, where he is currently completing a dissertation on the topic of secrecy in early Tibetan Buddhism.

Symposium webpage: https://www.drbu.edu/symposium
For inquiries, please email:  symposium@drbu.edu