Tibetan Translator Program

Gyalshen Translator Program

Friends,

As many of you may know, one of the foundational goals of Gyalshen Institute is to
preserve, translate and present the precious teachings of Bön. While we hope that
we have been doing this with some measure of success over the past couple of
years, our benevolent lama reminds us that there are always further means to
more profoundly open to the teachings. With this goal in mind, Chaphur Rinpoche
and Gyalshen Institute are pleased to announce the first term of our Tibetan Translator Program!

Gyalshen Translator Program

Participation in this program presents an opportunity for you to access the
teachings in a new and dynamic way. You can gradually advance your skills in
translating written Tibetan by learning to identify the basic letter characters and
word construction, then go on to develop an understanding of grammar and usage.
The culmination of the program enables you to join in the important activity of
translation and analysis of Bön texts for the compassionate benefit of many in the
West.

Classes are divided into three groups based on the experience and capacity of each
student. Each class term lasts 12 weeks. Once per week, we will meet for
approximately one hour, either in person or via Skype, to review exercises, answer
questions and examine new materials. The division of instruction levels is
explained below:

–Tibetan I:
This class is geared toward students who have had little or no experience with the
language. We will start with the basics of introduction to the Tibetan characters
(writing the characters, building consonant and vowel sounds) and their
pronunciation. Then we move on to reading small words and phrases to build basic
vocabulary necessary to understanding full Tibetan sentences. Students will gain
some exposure to the Wylie transliteration system and an introduction to various
available translation tools. At the end of this class, students should be able to
recognize and identify basic dharma words commonly used in Bön prayers/
teachings and to translate simple phrases with some efficiency.

–Tibetan II:
This class is intended for those who have either completed the Tibetan I class or
who already have some experience with basic Tibetan translation. If you can read
the Tibetan characters in their original U-chen format and have an existing
knowledge of commonly used words and phrases, then this is the class for you.
Students will further their skill set by working with complete sentences. In this way,
you can develop a fuller understanding of the grammar elements while increasing

the scope of your vocabulary and usage. Over the course of the term, we will
practice translating phrase and sentence excerpts from various texts. These
exercises are intended to strengthen your comfort and accuracy in using the
Tibetan language while exploring the poetic nuance of sacred texts. Additionally,
students will further their skills in using translation dictionaries, phrase books and
other online reference tools.

–Tibetan III:
The third level of the program is for students who have completed Tibetan
I and Tibetan II or have a strong working knowledge of Tibetan language, usage,
grammar with a solid grasp of key terms and phrases. You should be comfortable
using a variety of translation reference sources and be adept at accessing these
utilities. The goal of this class is to expand the student’s ability from translation
and comprehension of complex Tibetan sentences to in-depth analysis of complete
religious texts. With the guidance of Chaphur Rinpoche, students are encouraged
to focus their translation on works related to their own practice and will receive
instruction not only on the quality of their translation but also the spiritual
significance of the content.

For each 12-week term, we request a modest donation of $120. The first
term of the program will run from February through April (allowances for
holidays) with a complete schedule available with your response.

We at Gyalshen Institute are delighted for everyone who may be able to join us in
this new program. Lessening the burden of the language barrier allows for a deeper,
more profound understanding of the powerful healing qualities inherent in the Bön
texts and gives us an opportunity to explore the wisdom they impart. If you are
interested in enrolling in the Tibetan Translator Program, please let us know via
email: info@gyalshen.org

Thank you for helping to build a new generation of translators and preserving Bön.
Korey Reynolds

6 Comments


  1. Please let me know the dates and times of the tibetan 1 program. Thanks so much, chimae say

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