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Tricycle Daily Dharma November 7, 2013

On Translation

The translation of atman as "self" (and anatman as "no-self") is not in itself inherently bad. In fact, self tends to be as serviceable as any other word. What we are faced with, however, is the problem of translation on a larger scale, the translation not of words but of ideas. To translate an idea one must understand it. According to Buddhist doctrine, to understand anatman, or no-self, is tantamount to enlightenment.

- Stuart Smithers, "When the Buddha Bowed Out"

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