I would very much appreciate your thoughts on whether this translation is accurate:
(If you disagree with any wording, or feel it is important to note another possible interpretation, please explain.)
Mahāparinibbāna Sutta DN 16, Part III.7
“I shall not come to my final passing away … until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples —wise, well disciplined, self-confident, and learned, preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding by the appropriate conduct, and having learned the Master’s word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; until, when adverse opinions [or false teachings] arise, they shall be able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma."
In general, it’s fine as a translation. A few issues to note. It collapses the passages on the four assemblies, which are distinct in the original. But this is a valid approach for a translation, I do it frequently.
One or two phrases I would translate differently. For example, to render dhammadhara as “preservers of the Dhamma” is not incorrect, but I think it is unnecessarily vague. What it means is to memorize the teachings.
Also, the translation appears to omit the phrase anudhammacārino; perhaps this is a mistake or maybe the translator felt it was an unnecessary repetition.
I translated the same passage from AN 8.70. Here is my version.
‘Wicked One, I will not become fully extinguished until I have monk disciples who are competent, educated, assured, learned, have memorized the teachings, and practice in line with the teachings; until they practice appropriately, living in line with the teaching; until they’ve learned what their teacher taught, and explain, teach, advocate, establish, disclose, analyze, and make it clear; until they can legitimately and completely refute the doctrines of others that come up, and teach with the wonder of effective instruction.’
In my version, the sections on nuns, laymen, and laywomen follow in separate sections.
Let me know if there are any specific details you’re interested in.
