Adaptable-translation, pseudotranslation, and translation from the perspective of Buddhist sutra
translations in early medieval China
This article provides an early medieval Chinese perspective to further the discussion of adaptation,
pseudotranslation, and translation. During the first to the fifth centuries CE, Chinese translation of Buddhist
sutras included some unconventional practices. Translators either rendered source texts that were incomplete
or partially rendered the complete source texts in their possession. The works were accepted as faithful translations of genuine
sources from India and helped disseminate Buddhism, though theoretically, believers would only accept literal translations of
sutras. Based on Bastin’s conceptualization of adaptation and the features of Buddhist translations, I have
labeled it as “adaptable-translation” and argue that in early medieval China, there were adaptable-translations with
pseudotranslation elements and adaptable-translations with the nature of pseudotranslation. Detailed analysis and case studies of
five specific modes of “adaptable-translation” will show how they differ from “adaptation” of Bastin and “pseudotranslation” of
Toury or Bassnett. Based on the analysis, I argue that a judgment of the nature of a text as a “translation” can be both
qualitative and quantitative.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Translating Buddhist sutras into Chinese: A case of adaptable-translation
- 3.Adaptable-translations with pseudotranslation elements or the nature of pseudotranslation
- 3.1Translation with addition
- 3.2Translation with compilation
- 3.3Extract-translation
- 3.4Rewriting-translation
- 3.5Digest-translation
- 4.A topography of adaptable-translation, pseudotranslation, and translation
- 5.Conclusion
- Notes
-
References