Reference translation for exercise 5 (cultural translation)

我不識字

I am illiterate.

在一座藏經樓上，有一禪者在裡面從不看經，每日只管打坐，於是管理藏經樓的藏主，就問道：
In a sutra library, there was a Ch'an practitioner (Zen monk) who meditated all day without reading any sutra. The librarian was curious and he asked,

「大德每天打坐，為何不看經呢？」
'Sir, you meditate here everyday. Why don't you read sutras?'

禪者坦誠的回答道：「因為我不識字。」
'Because I don't read,' replied frankly the Ch'an practitioner.

藏主道：「為什麼不請教人呢？」
'Why don't you ask somebody for help?' said the librarian.

禪者反問道：「要請教誰呢？」
'Whom (Who) can I ask then?' challenged the practitioner.

藏主不客氣的道：「你可向我請教呀！」
'Well, you can ask me for help,' responded directly (unreservedly; bluntly) the librarian.

禪者起立、作禮、合掌詢問道：「請問這個是甚麼？」
The practitioner stood up, bowed with his palms held together, and he asked, 'May I ask what “this” is?'

藏主經這一問，無言以對，因為「這個」意指自性，究竟是甚麼東西呢？
The librarian had nothing to say in reply to his question. Because the 'this' referred to the self, and we cannot just express the self with words (verbally).


禪宗不立語言文字，因為語言文字不能表達自性真如的本來面目。藏經樓上的禪者，雖不看經，卻能老實修行，每日只管打坐。禪不限於文字，只要認真參究，廓然貫通，一樣可以悟出本來面目。

In Ch'an school, we don't rely on either verbal language or scriptures as the basis of teaching, because they cannot represent the truth of self nature. Though the Ch'an practitioner never read any sutra, he could still practice Ch'an by sitting in meditation diligently everyday. Ch'an is not confined to scriptures. If you meditate diligently and seriously, you can still realize the truth of self nature.

何謂"禪"與"自性" (cultural translation exercise)

For cul-translation, you must first understand what the word, phrase or even the paragraph really means and its relevant cultural background; otherwise, you may produce disastrous rendering - if you translate literally.

What is “Ch’an (Zen)”?

禅学，是佛教的一种思想，其大意是放弃用已有的知识、逻辑来解决问题。认为真正最为容易且最为有效的方法是直接用源于自我内心的感悟来解决问题，尋回並證入自性。其理论认为这种方法不受任何知识、任何逻辑、任何常理所束缚，是真正源自于自我（你自己）的，所以也是最适合解决自我（你自己）的问题的。也就是说可以把禅理解为是一种最为简单也是最为有效的解决问题的方法。


明心見性 (自性真如) - 佛教之精髓，超生脫死之重要關鍵
我等眾生，本具如來智慧德相，靈明空寂，與佛 無殊。只因無明不覺，顛倒妄執，動亂不已，造業受報，才由共業感現山河大地，復由別業招來十二類生。由是周而復始，循環不已，故而生死輪迴不息。今欲回復 本來，出離生死，首須覺破無明。以無明不破，迷己逐物，見境生心，生死絕不能了。

以是一切經論，所有法門，無不圍繞著這一中心——明心見性——來闡揚發明，使人們得以覺破迷情，消除無明，離妄返真，就路歸家。佛教之所以異於他教，超越外 道者，其原因即在切中眾生生死與還滅之根源，而此根源又在明心見性與否。故明心見性，實乃佛教之精髓，超生脫死之重要關鍵也。

Group Exercise 5 - Cultural Translation

我不識字

在一座藏經樓上，有一禪者在裡面從不看經，每日只管打坐，於是管理藏經樓的藏主，就問道：
「大德每天打坐，為何不看經呢？」
禪者坦誠的回答道：「因為我不識字。」
藏主道：「為什麼不請教人呢？」
禪者反問道：「要請教誰呢？」
藏主不客氣的道：「你可向我請教呀！」
禪者起立、作禮、合掌詢問道：「請問這個是甚麼？」
藏主經這一問，無言以對，因為「這個」意指自性，究竟是甚麼東西呢？

禪宗不立語言文字，因為語言文字不能表達自性真如的本來面目。藏經樓上的禪者，雖不看經，卻能老實修行，每日只管打坐。禪不限於文字，只要認真參究，廓然貫通，一樣可以悟出本來面目。

Reference Translation of Exercise 4 (Aphorism)

人生多欲為苦 -- 人常被"欲"所牽引而造業。

People suffer from endless desires, which draw us to create bad karma.

Or, People suffer from endless desires, which draw us to do evil and seed bad fortunes in next life.

Bonus translation exercise 5 (Aphorism 3)(cul-translation)

色即是空，空即是色。(此為"文化翻譯"之一例，譯前定要使用百科全書等工具，充份瞭解其涵義，再以substitute法或conversion法，以適當的英文譯出，斷不可字面翻譯！)

Bonus translation exercise 4 (Aphorism 2)

人生多欲為苦 -- 人常被"欲"所牽引而造業。

Reference translation for bonus translaton exercise 3

人在平安的時候，很容易迷失自己。
偶爾有小挫折或坎坷，
反而能喚醒良知、長養善根。

When indulging ourselves in a life of ease, we can easily disorient.
While occasional setbacks or upheavals can virtually awaken our conscience and nurture the goodness within us.