The Sugatagarbha Translation Group is a coalition of translators dedicated to translating the important texts of Tibetan Buddhism into English, and facilitating their translation from English into many other languages. It is currently composed of Erick Tsiknopoulos and Mike Dickman.
Sugatagarbha is a Sanskrit word which refers to the Buddha Nature, the true nature of all beings. It literally means "womb of the Sugata" or "matrix of the Sugata". Sugata is another word for a buddha which means "one gone to bliss". Garbha means "womb" or "matrix".
The initial project of the Sugatagarbha Translation Group is the translation of the complete larger Sutra of Golden Light, encompassing both its 29 and 31 chapter versions.
The Sugatagarbha Translation Group always welcomes additional Tibetan-English translators to work as translation assistants and review editors. We are also seeking translators from English into other languages, as well as proofreaders. Please contact us at sugatagarbhatranslationgroup@gmail.com or emptyelephant@yahoo.com for more information.
Sugatagarbha is a Sanskrit word which refers to the Buddha Nature, the true nature of all beings. It literally means "womb of the Sugata" or "matrix of the Sugata". Sugata is another word for a buddha which means "one gone to bliss". Garbha means "womb" or "matrix".
The initial project of the Sugatagarbha Translation Group is the translation of the complete larger Sutra of Golden Light, encompassing both its 29 and 31 chapter versions.
About
the Translators
Erick
Tsiknopoulos (Sherab Zangpo),
born in 1981 and raised on the east and west coasts of the USA, has
been a student of Buddhism for over thirteen years, and has been
studying Tibetan language for over seven years. He has been living in
India and Nepal studying Tibetan Buddhism and language for almost
four years, in Darjeeling, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, and
Kathmandu. He has translated over 200 Tibetan works into English,
including several Mahayana sutras, some of which are available for
viewing on his blog Empty
Elephant. He
has also translated many texts for publication, including works by
the 10th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche, Khenchen
Lama Pelgyepa Dorje Rinpoche, and Khunu Lama Rinpoche II. He
currently lives in Darjeeling, India.
At
present, his main projects are the translation of the 29 and 31
Chapter Versions of the Sutra
of Golden Light,
Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche’s commentary on the 37
Bodhisattva Practices Entry-Point
of the Conqueror's Heirs,
the
Akashagarbha
Sutra, and
The
White Lotus Supportive Teaching: A Background Dharma Teaching for the
Shakyamuni Buddha Sadhana Treasury of Blessings by
Ju Mipham Rinpoche.
In
November 2007, he received the oral transmission (lung)
of the Sutra
of Golden Light from
Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Portland, Oregon. Since then, he took an active
interest in the Sutra
of Golden Light.
In November 2009, he found the 29 Chapter Version of the Sutra
of Golden Light in
a book store in Delhi, and thus begins the story of its translation.
He
is available for contact at emptyelephant@yahoo.com.
Mike
Dickman,
hailing from South Africa, has been studying Tibetan for over
thirty-five years. He has translated hundreds of texts, particularly
those of great masters such as Mipham and Patrul Rinpoche, and served
for many years as the primary translator for His Holiness Dudjom
Rinpoche’s son Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche. Many of his translations are
available for viewing at his
website here. Much of his recent work has been in collaboration
with Erick Tsiknopoulos as a review translotor, and some of these
texts can be read at Empty
Elephant. His published works include A
Treasure Trove of Blessing and Protection,
a translation of the 'Prayer
in Seven Chapters to Guru Rinpoche' [Le'u
Dunma], and
several important practice texts and practices for the sanghas of
Dudjom Rinpoche, Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche, and Drikung Ontul Rinpoche.
He lives in Paris, France.
He
has had an aspiration to translate the Sutra
of Golden Light for
many years.
He
is available for contact at crowspeaks@gmail.com.
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The Sugatagarbha Translation Group always welcomes additional Tibetan-English translators to work as translation assistants and review editors. We are also seeking translators from English into other languages, as well as proofreaders. Please contact us at sugatagarbhatranslationgroup@gmail.com or emptyelephant@yahoo.com for more information.
