Red Pine?

[Jundo]

Re: Red Pine?

We read as a dance with the text ... not getting lost in the book "how to dance" ...



... or in the mechanics of the dance steps on the floor ...



.. .but just dancing ... reader, author, the movement and meaning ... all swept up in a dance.



Have a good dance with Red Pine, the Diamond Sutra, Bodhidharma, etc. etc. . 8)

[AlanLa]

Re: Red Pine?

Just a quick follow up to Jundo's dancing.
1. it's a good idea to dance with more than one translator so that you get the full "dance" experience; however, this inevitably leads to...
2. due to personal preferences, some dance partners will work with you better than others, and that's okay.

[AlanLa]

Re: Red Pine?

I finished Red Pine's translation of the Heart Sutra. I have also now read Ken McLeod's commentary and Bernie Glassman's Infinite Circle that includes his views on it (this book also includes commentary on the Sandokai). So here are my brief "-al" reviews:
Red Pine - historical, logical, philosophical
Ken McLeod - personal, explorational, existential and poetical
Bernie Glassman - practical (in the sense of being very action oriented)

[Twinner]

Re: Red Pine?

I'm not fond of Red Pine's translations in regards to accuracy. I think he tends to take too many liberties. With that said, when you ask in a forum "Which is your favorite translation of the Tao Teh Ching?" Red Pine's name always comes up. He does have a way of writing that touches people on a certain level. Whether it's valid or not, is up to debate.

Aaron

[TrevorMcmanis]

Re: Red Pine?

I heard a close friend of Red pine once speak about the construction of chinese zen temples.In the middle chamber are two paths one of practice samantabadrah and one of knowledge majushri.It seemed that they practiced a very knowledge oriented zen.I feel red pine is very important in his spreading of chan.Many japanese zen practioners know nothing of its chinese roots.Red pine also seems to include a lot of personal feeling in his translations.My I have only read his poetry anathologies and zen baggage but from what i see he is definitely some one worth looking into as a frame of reference.

[Myoku]

Re: Red Pine?

Just stumbled over this thread. My favorite book ever (and I read many) is Zen teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine. For me its on the point. Sometimes it took me hours to read a single page, because sentence after sentence things become clearer and I needed to stop for a while because its just so breathtaking when another layer of fog disappears. I cannot say anything about accuracy of translation (and its not even clear if the original chinese text is from Bodhidharma), but no other book was so inspiring and touched and still touches me so often and in depth.
_()_
Peter

[AlanLa]

Re: Red Pine?

I did enjoy reading him, and his translation of the heart sutra does read better, smoother, than other versions, and he does put some personality into his writing also. But from what I hear that may also detract from the original message. I'd read more of him, maybe the Bodhidharma book mentioned above.