Some Problems of Translating Early Jaina Texts

Author(s): B K Khadabadi
Publisher: Z_Aspect_of_Jainology_Part_2_Pundit_Bechardas_Doshi_012016.pdf

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SOME PROBLEMS OF TRANSLATING EARLY JAINA TEXTS*
B. K. Khadabadi
Jaina works could be ancient, or pre-medieval, early medieval and later ones. They also could be mainly in Prakrit and Sanskrit. Translating these works in English, an act which must precede serious Jinistic studies, has to face several problems. I shall here prefer to restrict discussion to the problems of translating into English the early Prākṣta texts, namely canonical, exegetical and other cognate works.
The history of translation of early Jaina Praksta texts into English, unlike that of the Samskļt and Pāli ones, is neither far long nor far wide. Hermann Jacobi's English translation of the Acarānga-sūtra and the Kalpa-sūtra (Sacred books of the East, Vol. XXII, 1884) and next of the Uttaradhyayana-sūtra and the Sūtrakstānga (S. B. E. Vol. XVL, 1895) can be said to be the pioneering and systematically planned work in this field. Thereafter the translations of early Jaina Prāksta texts---some complete, some in part and some in contextual form,--have been produced now and then by foreign and Indian scholars, the recent notable attempts being by scholars like Taiken Honaki and K, C. Lalwani. In between Jacobi and the last-noted two scholars stand those like Hoernle, Barnett, Schubring, K. V. Abhyankar, A. N. Upadhye, H. B. Gandhi, N. V. Vaidya and a few other scholars. Taking a bird's eye-view of all such attempts we find that we as yet have not been able to arrive at the complete translation of even the main canonical texts into English, let away be that of the exegetical and other ones. Bringing out thorough critical editions of these texts and their English translation has been a long-awaited desideratum, without the achievement of which the prospects of Jaina studies in the Western and other foreign Universities are bleak
For translating an early Prákřta text it is essential that we must have its critical edition. We so far possess critical editions of only a few canonical works. As regards translating the exegetical literature, this is yet to begin. - But waiting too long for the critical editions of all these texts would considerably retard the translation task. It is hence advisable that efforts toward translating may go ahead, at present with the available editions of the texts.
The translator of course should be well equipped with the basic tools of the job-a good knowledge of Präksta grammar and lexicon of Jaina dogmatics, doctrines and philosophy of the concerned religio-historical and socio-cultural background”, with ability to institute comparative studies, besides his possessing a more than ordinary command over Engligh language. He has carefully to take