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Initial toolkit: scripts, references, skills, and term database

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skills/mpi-translation-review/references/buddhist-terminology.md
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# Buddhist Text Translation — Terminology
Terms encountered in Chinese-English translation of Dharma study materials. These may vary by translator/context; document actual usage per-project.
## Section headers (common triad)
| Chinese | English options seen | Notes |
|---------|---------------------|-------|
| 法义 | Understanding, Dharma Teachings | |
| 思考 | Contemplation, Reflection | Consistency within a document matters more than which word |
| 练习 | Practice, Application, Exercises | "Application" seen as section header; "Practice"/"Exercise" in running text |
## Key Buddhist terms
| Chinese | English | Pitfalls |
|---------|---------|----------|
| 慈经 | Metta Sutta (Karaniya Metta Sutta) | NOT "Mettavihari Sutta" |
| 回向 | Dedication (of merit) | |
| 因缘之网 | Web of Causes and Conditions | Also "Network of Causes and Conditions" |
| 感恩 | Gratitude | |
| 众生 | sentient beings | Consistent throughout |
| 使人内心调柔 | makes one's heart gentle | 使人 = makes ONE(self), never "makes others" |
| 利益思维 | benefit-oriented thinking | NOT "mindset of benefiting others" — it's about considering benefits TO oneself |
| 恩田 | field of gratitude / gratitude as a field of merit | |
| 观照 | attend to the mind / mindful observation | Contemplative practice, not intellectual study. NOT "observe" (passive) or "study" (analytical). |
| 闻思修 | hearing, contemplating, cultivating | 修 = broad cultivation/practice, not specifically 禅 (meditation). Distinct from 禅修 (meditative cultivation). |
| 八步三禅 | Eight Steps and Three Meditations | Community-specific structured contemplative method |
| 传帮带 | transmit, help, guide (three-part mentoring) | Core community methodology |
| 分灯 | lamp-dividing (decentralization) | Deliberate decentralization of authority across nodes |
| 自觉 | self-awareness, voluntary commitment | First of the "Three Spirits" |
| 法治 | rule-based governance | Second of the "Three Spirits" |
| 无我利他 | selfless service to others | Third of the "Three Spirits" |
| 凡夫心 | ordinary mind | Mind governed by afflictions, contrasted with awakened mind |
| 贪嗔痴 | greed, anger, ignorance (三毒) | The three root poisons: rāga, dveṣa, moha |
| 愿心 | mind of vows, bodhicitta aspiration | Plural "vows" in English |
| 重要感、优越感、主宰欲 | sense of importance, superiority, desire to control | Three ego-driven motivations |
## Structural patterns
- Section numbering: Chinese uses 一、二、三... English should pick one style (Part One/Two, First/Second, I/II) and stick with it.
- Poetry/prayer blocks: Chinese uses parallel structures (感恩... 感恩...; 愿... 愿...). English must match the parallelism.
- 愿 (yuàn) at sentence start = optative "May..." — not "we hope that", not "we should".
## Terms from 人生百问 review
Terms encountered in the *人生百问* review that deserve explicit guidance.
These supplement the general table above.
| Chinese | English | Pitfalls / notes |
|---|---|---|
| 皈依三宝 | take refuge in the Three Jewels | DoT定稿 preferred. Avoid "take refuge hastily" — use "take refuge lightly" |
| 三级修学 | Three-Stage Practice | DoT定稿. Not "Three-Level Study Program" |
| 同喜班 | Tongxi Class | MPI convention; verify if glossary requires translation |
| 人生佛教 | Buddhism for Human Life | Do not conflate with 人间佛教 / Humanistic Buddhism |
| 人间佛教 | Humanistic Buddhism | Distinct from 人生佛教 |
| 善知识 | wise teacher / great teacher / authentic teacher | Avoid redundant "great wise teachers" |
| 大善知识 | great teacher / wise teacher | Redundant to render as "great wise teacher" |
| 依止 | reliance / rely on | "reliance relationship" is awkward; prefer "teacher-student relationship" or "rely on" |
| 报身 | reward body / enjoyment body | Verify target convention; MPI often prefers "reward body" (Skt. *sambhogakāya*) |
| 化身 | transformation body / emanation body | Verify target convention |
| 等流果 | result of equal outflow / correlative effect | Avoid ad-hoc "continuative result" |
| 末法 | Dharma-ending age / Age of Dharma Decline | Check terms DB; avoid new coinages |
| 暇满 | precious human life / leisure and endowment | "Well-endowed Human Form" is formal |
| 暇满人身 | precious human body / well-endowed human form | Context-dependent |
| 定课 | daily practice / fixed chanting session / daily recitation | Context-dependent; check terms DB |
| 八步骤三种禅修 | Eight Steps and Three Types of Meditation | DoT定稿. Not "Three Kinds of Meditation" |
| 八步三禅 | Eight Steps and Three Meditations | Shorter form; verify convention |
| 功德 | merit / virtue | Context-dependent; do not default to "merit and virtue" |
| 福田 | field of merit / field of blessing | Standard |
| 止观 | śamatha-vipaśyanā / calm abiding and special insight | In lists: "śamatha-vipaśyanā" |
| 皈依 | refuge / take refuge | In catalogues: noun form "refuge" |
| 发心 | bodhicitta / aspiration / arousing the mind | In catalogues: noun form "aspiration" |
| 戒律 | precepts / moral discipline | In catalogues: noun form "precepts" |
| 正见 | right view | In catalogues: noun form "right view" |
| 五戒 | five precepts | Standard |
| 惑业 | delusion and karma | Not "confusion and karma" |
| 大自在 | great freedom and ease | "Great freedom" alone loses the "ease" nuance |
| 开启 | awaken / bring forth / unfold | Not "opened up" |
| 迷惑 | delusion | In Buddhist contexts, not "confusion" |
| 凡夫心 | mind of an ordinary being | Avoid Chan "ordinary mind" ambiguity |
| 加持 | blessing / empowerment | "empowers one another" loses nuance; "supports and blesses one another" |
| 四力 (忏悔) | four powers (of confession) | Standard: remorse, support, restraint, refuge/reliance |
| 无缘大慈 | unconditional great compassion | Standard |
| 同体大悲 | great sympathy of seeing others as oneself | Standard |
| 人成即佛成 | When a Human Is Perfected, Buddhahood Is Perfected | Standard rendering |
| 登地菩萨 | bodhisattva who has attained the grounds | Standard |
| 弟子相 | marks of a disciple | Standard |
| 自他相换 | exchanging self and others | Standard |
| 明心见性 | clear the mind and see the nature | "Clear mind and seeing the nature" is slightly off |
| 言语道断，心行处灭 | Where words fall silent and mental activity ceases | "Words are cut off" is too literal |
| 无住生心 | arouse the mind without attachment | Standard |
| 诸法如实相 | true suchness of all phenomena | Standard |
| 颠倒梦想 | inverted dreams | Standard |
| 颠倒妄想 | deluded inversion | Standard |
| 十二因缘 | Twelve Links of Dependent Origination | Standard |
| 无我 | no-self / anatman | Standard |
| 我法二执 | attachment to self and dharmas | Standard |
| 三性 (遍计所执性 / 依他起性 / 圆成实性) | three natures: falsely conceived, dependent, perfectly realized | Standard |
| 末那 | Manas | Standard (Consciousness-Only) |
| 阿赖耶 | Alaya | Standard (Consciousness-Only) |
| 唯识 | Consciousness-Only | Standard |
| 唯识三十论 | Thirty Verses on Consciousness-Only | Standard |
| 认识与存在 | Cognition and Existence | Verify if this is a published translation title |
| 三果 | third fruit / anāgāmi | Standard |
| 现报 / 生报 / 后报 | reward in this life / next life / future life | "present reward, next-life reward, later reward" is acceptable but less standard |
| 中观 | Madhyamaka | Standard |
| 天台 | Tiantai | Standard |
| 一念三千 | three thousand realms in a single thought | Standard (Tiantai) |
| 三传 | Theravada / Chinese Buddhism / Tibetan Buddhism | Standard |
| 南传 | Theravada | Standard |
| 汉传 | Chinese Buddhism | Standard |
| 藏传 | Tibetan Buddhism | Standard |
| 佛陀出世的本怀 | Buddha's original purpose in appearing in the world | Standard |
| 契理契机 | accordant with principle and adapted to the times | Standard |
| 正本清源 | return to the source and clarify what is truly central | Standard |
| 随缘 | responding to conditions / in harmony with conditions | Context-dependent |
| 随喜 | rejoice | Standard |
| 善知识 | wise teacher / good teacher / authentic teacher | Avoid "great wise teachers" |
| 定课 | daily practice / fixed chanting session | Context-dependent |
{% The following terms already appear in the "Key Buddhist terms" table above; they are retained here only when the 人生百问 review adds distinct guidance. %}
| 法义 | Dharma teachings / understanding | Consistency within a document matters |
| 闻思修 | hearing, contemplating, cultivating | 修 is broad cultivation, not just meditation |
| 传帮带 | transmit, help, guide | Three-part mentoring |
| 分灯 | lamp-dividing | Decentralization of authority |
| 自觉 | self-awareness / voluntary commitment | First of the "Three Spirits" |
| 法治 | rule-based governance | Second of the "Three Spirits" |
| 无我利他 | selfless service to others | Third of the "Three Spirits" |
| 重要感、优越感、主宰欲 | sense of importance, superiority, desire to control | Three ego-driven motivations |
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# Common Translation Issues Taxonomy
From 译文常见问题与案例示范 (Common Issues in Translation, 2026-03-30).
Categorized by accuracy and readability.
## Accuracy Issues
Standard: convey meaning at the content level, not word-by-word correspondence.
"Translation is not simply word conversion."
"You must understand what thought it is actually trying to express."
### 1. Omission (漏翻)
Content present in source but absent from target.
Example:
> 随着黑白牌的运用，象征这部分已能为大家提供系统的学习和训练资料。
>
> With the help of the Black-and-White Cards, this approach now offers a structured
> system of study.
>
> *Missing:* 学习和训练 (learning and training) — "study" only covers half.
> Also: 象征这部分 (symbolizing this aspect) is dropped.
### 2. Mistranslation (错翻)
#### a. Over-free translation, weakening the original
> "道德"一词，人们耳熟能详。即使在道德日渐边缘化的今天，人们依然会用"这人
> 很有道德""这么做太缺德了"来评价周遭人事。
>
> "Morality" is a familiar term, and even in today's world, where it has become
> increasingly marginalized, expressions like "immorality" are still commonly used
> to describe certain behaviors and individuals.
>
> *Issue:* The source gives two concrete colloquial expressions ("这人很有道德" /
> "这么做太缺德了") — the target collapses them into a single abstract "expressions
> like 'immorality'." The vividness and specificity are lost.
#### b. Over-literal translation, harming comprehension
> 作为素菜馆，应该尽量提供绿色食品。
>
> A vegetarian restaurant should strive to offer green food.
>
> *Issue:* 绿色食品 = "safe and healthy food" (Chinese idiom), not
> "green food" (color of food in English). → `safe and healthy options`
#### c. Misunderstanding the source
> 政府现在倡导文化自信，习主席提出的"讲仁爱，重民本，守诚信，崇正义，尚和合，求大同"。
>
> President Xi Jinping has called for a confident embrace of Chinese culture,
> highlighting virtues such as...
>
> *Issue:* Two different subjects: the government advocates cultural confidence;
> Xi proposed the six virtues. The target merges both into Xi alone.
#### d. Wrong word choice causing misunderstanding
> 提供一些通俗易懂的法宝
>
> with easy Buddhist materials
>
> *Issue:* 通俗易懂 means "accessible to a general audience," not "easy/simple."
> The Dharma can be accessible but is never "simple." → `accessible`
### 3. Overtranslation (多翻)
Adding parentheticals or expansions not in the source.
> 出家人不仅要对三宝、师长、道友建立没有染污的情感
>
> Monastics should cultivate pure and untainted emotions not only toward the Three
> Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha), their teachers (The Head Monk and
> Abbot), and fellow practitioners...
>
> *Issue:* Parenthetical expansions like "(the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha)"
> and "(The Head Monk and Abbot)" are not in the source and should be removed.
### 4. Terminology Errors
- 身心 → `body and heart mind` → should be `body and mind`
- 甘露别院 → `Ganlu Bieyuan The Amrita Retreat Center` → official: `Amrita Retreat Center`
- "六字" → `six characters` → should be `six words`
### 5. Detail-Level Issues
- Tone appropriateness
- Citation source authority
- CN→EN conversion rules: numerals, units, date formats
- Proper noun handling: transliteration vs. translation
## Readability Issues
Standard: fluent sentences, graceful expression, matching target reader habits.
"Conform to what foreign readers find readable."
"Concise, clear, accurate, not draggy, meaning clear."
### 1. Redundancy & Wordiness
#### a. Long / nested sentences
Sentences with too many clauses that can't be read in one breath. Split them.
#### b. Passive voice overuse
> 如果对肉食消费得少，乃至完全不消费，那么从业者自然随之减少，很多动物就可以摆脱被屠宰、割截的厄运。
>
> If meat consumption were reduced, or even eliminated entirely, then the number of
> businesses involved would naturally be lessened. This way, many animals could be
> spared from the adversity of being slaughtered and butchered.
>
> *Issue:* Three passives in two sentences. Active rewrite is more concise:
> *If people consume less meat — or none at all — fewer will work in the industry,
> and many animals will be spared the fate of slaughter and dismemberment.*
#### c. Nominalization (动词名词化)
> 我们前期倡导的正念禅修，比较重视培养觉知。
>
> In the early stages of mindfulness practice, we placed greater emphasis on
> cultivating awareness.
>
> *Issue:* "placed greater emphasis on" is nominalized. → `we emphasized`
### 2. Poor Structure (结构不当)
Top-heavy sentences — the main clause arrives too late.
> 没有如法的生活，不能严格要求自己，在今天这个红尘滚滚的时代，我们简直是没希望的。
>
> Weathering today's deluge of worldly temptation, without a Dharma-aligned lifestyle
> and strict self-discipline, we have no hope.
>
> *Issue:* The condition clauses pile up before the main point. Restructure:
> *Without a Dharma-aligned lifestyle and strict self-discipline, we have no hope
> of weathering today's deluge of worldly temptations.*
### 3. Wrong Word Choice (用词不当)
> 当一个人开始关心生命的大问题时，对小问题自然云淡风轻。
>
> when we begin to contemplate the profound questions of existence, the banal
> iterations of daily life lose their significance.
>
> *Issue:* "banal iterations" is obscure. Simplify.
### 4. Weak Flow & Transitions (流畅性 & 连接词)
> 修行的核心就是止恶行善。为什么某种行为能成为生命的主导？就是因为不断重复。
>
> The essence of cultivation lies in ceasing unwholesome actions and promoting
> wholesome ones. But why do certain behaviors dominate our lives? Because of
> constant repetition.
>
> *Issue:* Adding transition words improves flow. The "But" here creates a false
> contrast — the second sentence is explanation, not counterpoint.
## Detection Checklist
When reviewing, run through:
- [ ] Any missing content? (compare paragraph-by-paragraph)
- [ ] Any added content? (parentheticals, expansions not in source)
- [ ] Any over-literal renderings that don't work in English? (idioms, set phrases)
- [ ] Any over-free renderings that lose specificity? (concrete examples → abstract)
- [ ] Subject confusion? (two actors merged into one)
- [ ] Buddhist terminology checked against terms DB?
- [ ] Sentences too long to read in one breath? (split at natural breaks)
- [ ] Passive voice clustering? (3+ in a paragraph)
- [ ] Nominalized verbs? ("placed emphasis on" → "emphasized")
- [ ] Top-heavy sentence structure? (main clause buried after long preamble)
- [ ] Obscure word choices? (would a general reader understand?)
- [ ] Missing or misleading transition words?
skills/mpi-translation-review/references/deliberation-protocol.md
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# Deliberation Protocol (审议规程)
From 东方译场审议手册 (Oriental Translation Review Manual, 2026-03-25).
Guidance from Ven. Jiqun on translation review culture and process.
## Core Standards
1. **Accuracy (准确性)** — primary. Convey content-level meaning, not word-by-word
correspondence. Deepen accuracy iteratively; grasp the "inner spirit" rather than
fixating on literal vs free translation.
2. **Readability (可读性)** — secondary. Fluent sentences, graceful expression. Do
not pursue endless revision; what is achievable now is the best for now.
**Test**: invite 5–10 readers to read aloud and give feedback — is it clear or
obscure? Is it concise? Is the meaning clear?
## Decision-Making
When opinions differ:
- Compare which version is more accurate and more readable
- Do NOT cling to your own view (不执着于己见)
- If two people cannot decide, invite 5–10 to read and vote
- Remember: the translation is for the READERS, not for yourself
## Core Principle: Rejoice First (随喜)
Before flagging issues, affirm what is good. Professional translation companies
emphasize positive feedback to build translator confidence and good collaboration.
Criticism alone — however precise — breeds resistance and harms the final result.
In the Oriental Translation Workshop, rejoicing in others' merits cultivates
sympathetic joy (随喜), compassion, selflessness, and boundless merit — while
encouraging others' wholesome efforts.
**Practice**: develop eyes that SEE the merits in a translation. Rejoice with
genuine gladness. Examples:
- "So many technical terms and complex logic here — you handled it beautifully!"
- "This word choice is exactly right."
- "The prose is so clean and fluid!"
- "Excellent!" / "Good word choice!"
## Three Principles for Giving Suggestions
1. **Lower the self** — use compassionate, gentle, skillful language
2. **Be diligent and attentive** — find the actual problems
3. **Tier your suggestions** — make clear what MUST change, what COULD improve,
and what needs DISCUSSION
## Three-Tier Issue System
### Level 1: Spelling, Grammar, Format (拼写、语法、格式)
**Action**: fix directly, keep tracked changes visible.
May annotate for translator development:
- "MPI format uses American English — `toward` not `towards`."
- "Use `Chan` here, not `Zen`."
- "MPI format does not use diacritics — `Yogacara` not `Yogācāra`."
### Level 2: Omission, Mistranslation, Wordiness, Tone, Word Choice
(漏翻、错翻、啰嗦、语气问题、用词问题)
**Action**: preferably flag for translator to fix themselves; may also fix
directly with tracked changes.
Suggested language:
- "Did we miss something here?"
- "This sentence is quite long — could we split it into 2–3?"
- "The translation here differs from the original. It reads as if the teacher
is saying X, but I think he means Y. What do you think?"
- "This word feels a bit strong here — your thoughts?"
- (After direct adjustment) "I tightened this sentence — does this work?"
### Level 3: Citation Versions, Slightly Awkward Wording, Marginal Readability
(引用版本不当、用词稍微不当、阅读体验略差)
**Action**: flag and discuss with translator.
Suggested language:
- "I found another citation version that may be more concise — which do you prefer?"
- "Could we use this word instead? Might fit better."
- "Could you take another look at this passage? I feel readability could improve
but I'm not sure how — your thoughts?"
## Tone Guide
- Address the translator as 菩萨 (Bodhisattva) — respectful peer address
- Use questions, not commands: "Could we...?" "What do you think?" "Would this work?"
- Frame as collaborative inquiry, not correction
skills/mpi-translation-review/references/docx-md-extraction.md
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# Extracting `.docx.md` to `source.dj` + `bilingual.dj`
When the input is a `.docx.md` file (already pandoc markdown, not plain text), the
extraction differs from the standard DOCX→plain workflow. The markdown preserves
formatting artifacts that need specific handling.
## CN/EN boundary detection in merged lines
Pandoc markdown often merges CN and EN text on heading lines where the DOCX had
multiple runs in the same paragraph:
```
# **三、重视文化教育，重塑人生价值** Prioritize Cultural Education; Reshape Life Values {#三、...}
```
The boundary regex must account for whitespace on BOTH sides of `**` markers:
```python
# WRONG: \** then \s* — fails when there's space BEFORE * (值 *Realizing)
r'[\u4e00-\u9fff](?:\*{0,2})\s*([A-Za-z])'
# WRONG: \s* then \** — fails when there's space AFTER ** (值** Prioritize)
r'[\u4e00-\u9fff]\s*\**([A-Za-z])'
# CORRECT: whitespace on both sides of optional *
r'[\u4e00-\u9fff]\s*\**\s*([A-Za-z])'
```
Include CJK punctuation ranges in the character class:
`[\u4e00-\u9fff\u3000-\u303f\uff00-\uffef]`
## Anchor stripping
Strip BOTH `{#anchor}` (pandoc heading anchors) AND `[text](#link)` (markdown TOC links)
before further processing:
```python
def strip_anchors(s):
s = re.sub(r'\{#[^}]*\}', '', s) # {#anchor}
s = re.sub(r'\[([^\]]*)\]\([^)]*\)', r'\1', s) # [text](#link) → text
return s
```
## TOC handling — two critical guards
### Guard 1: Don't pair TOC CN entries with following EN lines
TOC entries often look like CN-heading-followed-by-EN (the standard pair pattern),
but the following EN is actually the next TOC entry or heading:
```
[一、营造禅意氛围，优化工作环境\t1](#anchor)
[二、重视慈善关爱...]
...
1、Create a Chan(Zen) Atmosphere; Optimize Your Environment
2、Focus on Compassion and Care; Build Good Relationships
```
If the last CN TOC entry is followed by a blank line then the first EN TOC entry,
the "CN → blank → EN" heading pattern will consume the first EN TOC entry.
Guard against this:
```python
def is_toc_line(line, cn_raw):
if re.search(r'\[.*\]\(.*\)', line): # markdown link
return True
if re.search(r'\t\d+', cn_raw): # tab + page number
return True
return False
```
Skip the CN→EN and CN→blank→EN patterns when `is_toc_line()` returns True.
These CN TOC entries should stay unpaired (en='') and get their EN from the
separate EN TOC list.
### Guard 2: Pair TOC EN entries forward, not backward
EN TOC entries appear as standalone non-CJK lines. They must be paired with
the FIRST unpaired CN (not the last):
```python
# CORRECT: forward iteration
for j in range(len(pairs)):
if not pairs[j][1] and has_cjk(pairs[j][0]):
pairs[j] = (pairs[j][0], en)
break
# WRONG: reverse iteration (pairs last-first, shifting everything)
for j in range(len(pairs)-1, -1, -1):
...
```
## Orphaned trailing `*` from italic splits
When a line has italicized EN text (`*Realizing Ultimate Value*`) and the split
point is at the `R` (after the opening `*` is consumed by the CN cleanup), the
EN text retains a trailing `*`: `Realizing Ultimate Value*`. Strip it:
```python
def clean_en(s):
s = re.sub(r'^\d+[、,.]\s*', '', s)
s = re.sub(r'\*+$', '', s) # orphaned italic close
return s.strip()
```
## `clean_cn` — operation order matters
Strip leading numbers BEFORE heading markers. A line like `1. # **营造禅意...`
starts with a digit, so `^#+\s*\**` won't match until the number is gone:
```python
def clean_cn(s):
s = re.sub(r'^\d+\.\s*', '', s) # leading number FIRST
s = re.sub(r'^#+\s*\**', '', s) # then heading markers
s = re.sub(r'\**\s*$', '', s) # trailing **
s = re.sub(r'\t\d+$', '', s) # trailing page number
return s.strip()
```
## Full extraction recipe
1. Read `.docx.md` text
2. For each line: strip anchors, detect CJK/EN
3. CJK lines: try `split_cnen()` first (merged CN+EN). If that gives EN, use it.
Otherwise look ahead for EN on next line or next+blank — but SKIP if TOC-like.
4. EN-only lines: pair forward with first unpaired CN.
5. Clean: strip heading markers, leading numbers, trailing page numbers.
6. Write `source.dj` (CN only) and `bilingual.dj` with proper markdown structure.
## bilingual.dj output format
Must follow the project convention (see reference bilingual.dj in any completed article):
```
# CN Title
# EN Title
---CN Subtitle
---EN Subtitle
CN Author
EN Author
- CN TOC item 1
- CN TOC item 2
...
- EN TOC item 1
- EN TOC item 2
...
CN body paragraph
EN body paragraph
CN section heading ← plain text, no # prefix
EN section heading
...
CN sub-heading ← plain text, e.g. "1. 创造精神财富"
EN sub-heading
```
- Title: `# ` prefix on both CN and EN
- Subtitle: `---` prefix (3 dashes, no space after)
- Author: plain text, one pair
- TOC: `- ` bullet, CN block then EN block (not interleaved), blank line between blocks
- Body headings: plain text, no `#` or `##` markers. Hierarchy conveyed by numbering:
`一、二、三、` for major sections, `1. 2. 3.` for sub-sections
- Body paragraphs: interleaved (CN line, EN line, blank)
- `source.dj` uses `# Title`, `---subtitle`, `## section headings` — different from bilingual.dj which uses plain body headings
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# Edit Suggestions in bilingual.dj
When the user asks to add edit suggestions directly into bilingual.dj, use this
two-tier approach.
## Two files
- `bilingual.dj` — clean: inline corrections applied, NO `{% %}` comment lines
- `commented.dj` — same content + `{% ... %}` comment lines interleaved
This lets the user diff them side by side.
## Inline corrections
Apply directly to the English text. These are fixes the reviewer is confident about:
- Typos, mechanical issues (Chinese punctuation in EN, double periods, stray `*`, unbalanced quotes)
- Grammar fixes (subject-verb agreement, missing articles)
- Wording improvements (clunky literal translations → idiomatic English)
Apply with `patch` (mode='replace'). Verify uniqueness before
replacing — many EN paragraphs are long single lines, so match a unique
substring. Never use regex-based string replacement in `execute_code`.
## `{% %}` comment lines
For translation decisions worth documenting but not "correct" per se:
```
CN paragraph
EN paragraph
{% reason for the choice, alternative renderings %}
(blank)
```
The comment goes AFTER the EN line (before the blank separator). One comment per
issue. Keep them terse.
What to comment on:
- Literal translation of idioms (`单线程` → "single-threaded")
- Translation choices that differ from literal meaning (`精神利益` → "nourishing the spirit")
- Standard Buddhist terminology (`正命` → "Right Livelihood")
- Glosses added/dropped (`道场` — "(Dojo)" parenthetical removed)
- Idiom translations (`甘之若饴` → "as sweet as syrup")
- Paired terms where one rendering influences the other (`魔性` → "demon-nature" to parallel "Buddha-nature")
- Scripture citations with Sanskrit titles (`普贤行愿品` → "Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra")
What NOT to comment on:
- Obvious corrections (typos, grammar)
- Names, dates, simple connectives
- Standard renderings with no interesting choice
## Pitfalls
- **Never split a paragraph mid-sentence** with a `{% %}` comment. Comments go
AFTER the full EN paragraph, before the blank separator. If a string
replacement inserts `\n{% %}` in the middle of a paragraph, it breaks the
interleaved structure.
- **Check for merged comments**: after inserting, scan for `{% ... %} ` followed
by EN text on the same line. These must be split so the EN text continues on
the next line.
- **Collapse triple+ blank lines**: comment insertions can create extra blanks.
Run `re.sub(r'\n\n\n+', '\n\n', text)` after all insertions.
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# Proofreading: Manuscript vs Typeset
AGENTS.md defines two workflows: Translation (A) and Proofread (B).
The workflows below are Proofread mode — English comes from an existing
manuscript and is authoritative. Only flag mechanical/manuscript-level issues.
## Two extraction workflows
### A. Bilingual from DOCX (standard)
When the DOCX manuscript has both Chinese and English in 1:1 paragraph
correspondence, generate `bilingual.dj` directly from the DOCX:
1. `pandoc docx → plain text`
2. Extract Chinese-English pairs from body
3. Apply fixes: italicize Sanskrit on first occurrence, fix `N.Letter` → `N. Letter` spacing
4. Write bilingual.dj
The DOCX English is the authoritative target text. No PDF needed.
**Extraction approach**: start by adapting `scripts/gen-bilingual-docx.py`.
For articles where the body has strict CN→EN→CN→EN alternation, the simple
extraction in that script (CN line, blank, EN line, blank) works directly.
### A2. Bilingual from `.docx.md` (pandoc markdown output)
When working with an already-converted `.docx.md` file (pandoc markdown, not plain
text), use the techniques in `references/docx-md-extraction.md`. Key differences
from plain-text extraction: merged CN+EN on heading lines, `{#anchor}` and
`[text](#link)` artifacts, TOC pairing guards.
### B. Bilingual from PDF (when PDF is the typeset target)
sections that order CN content before EN content (CN heading → CN body → EN heading →
EN body), the simple alternation fails. Use block-based extraction instead:
1. Tag each non-blank line as CN or EN (via `has_cjk()`)
2. Join page-break split paragraphs: merge consecutive same-language paragraphs
only when the first is long (>30 chars), doesn't end with CJK/ASCII terminal
punctuation (`[。！？：）.?!]$`), and isn't heading-like (starts with
`^[\dIVX]+[\.\s]` and <60 chars)
3. Group consecutive same-language items into blocks
4. Walk blocks: for each CN block, pair with the next EN block via `zip()`.
`min(len(cn), len(en))` handles translator-introduced paragraph splits.
**Page-break splits in pandoc plain-text output**: the DOCX→plain conversion
sometimes splits a Chinese paragraph mid-sentence (e.g. `白居` + `易、苏轼…`).
These appear as two consecutive CN lines separated by a blank. The join heuristic
above catches these reliably. For EN text, page-break splits are rare; the heading
detection (`^[\dIVX]+[\.\s]`, <60 chars) prevents false merges of EN headings
with following EN body paragraphs.
The DOCX English is the authoritative target text. No PDF needed.
### B. Bilingual from PDF (when PDF is the typeset target)
When the PDF English is the typeset "final" version and should be the target:
1. Extract DOCX Chinese paragraphs (source)
2. Extract PDF body text via `pdftotext -layout`
3. Clean PDF: remove slug lines, headers, page numbers, join hyphenation breaks
4. Match DOCX English paragraphs against PDF body to find positions
5. Segment PDF body at matched positions
6. Write bilingual.dj with Chinese source + PDF English target
**Pitfalls in PDF extraction:**
- Consecutive hyphenation breaks (e.g. `thou-` + `sand...al-` + `leviate`) — the join
loop must be recursive: after joining pair N, check if result still ends with `-`
and join with line N+2
- Lines with leading whitespace: use `lstrip()` before checking `n[0].islower()`
- Drop-cap artifacts: `L iving` → `Living`
- Trailing section numbers: `...viewpoints. 1)` — the ` 1)` is a PDF section marker
bleeding into the previous paragraph
### C. Edit suggestions (edit-suggestions.dj)
After generating bilingual.dj, scan for issues and write `edit-suggestions.dj`:
**Format**: follow the original document's section/chapter layout. Group suggestions
under the chapter headings where the issues occur. Use diff-style `-/+` notation.
**What to flag:**
- Garbled Chinese text (merged duplicate edits in source DOCX)
- Repeated words (`the The`)
- Chapter numbering mismatches (e.g. `九` ↔ `VIII`)
- Translator notes in headings (`（某某翻，某某审）`)
- Missing quotes around dialogue/speech
## Common source DOCX issues
- Translator notes in Chinese headings: `（某某翻，某某审）` — delete for publication
- Merged duplicate edits: cut-paste errors where old+new text appear together
- `N.Letter` without space: `2.How` → `2. How`
- `the The` double article
- **Numbering mismatches**: CN and EN headings sometimes disagree (e.g. CN `3．` vs EN `2.`).
The TOC usually has the correct number — flag the body heading for correction.
- **Doubled names**: `岳麓书院岳麓书院` — cut-paste artifacts in Chinese body text.
- **EN paragraph splits without CN counterpart**: translator sometimes renders one CN
paragraph as two EN paragraphs. The block-based extractor drops the extra EN paragraph
(as `min(len_cn, len_en)`). Flag in edit-suggestions so it can be manually merged or
the CN paragraph can be split.
## Sanskrit italicization
On first occurrence in body text, wrap with `*term*`. Track seen terms across
the full body. Terms: bodhisattva, bodhicitta, samsara, Dharma, karma, nirvana,
Sangha, sutra, Mahayana, Sravaka, Vinaya, Lamrim, Ksitigarbha, Samantabhadra,
Chan, Arhatship, Theravada.
## Proofread scope boundary
When proofreading a DOCX manuscript:
- **DO flag**: typos, double words, double punctuation, numbering mismatches,
garbled text, translator notes, duplicate names, capitalization errors.
- **Do NOT flag**: em-dash formatting (`—` vs `---`), terminology choices,
translation style, calques, word order. The manuscript English is authoritative.
- **Do NOT apply fixes** — write `edit-suggestions.dj` only.
- If the user asks for translation review separately, write findings to
`translation-findings.dj`.
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# Terms Database Alignment
Batch-align translation glossary entries and body text against the MPI terms database.
## Module API (preferred)
Import directly in `execute_code` scripts — no subprocess, no server, no text parsing:
```python
import sys
sys.path.insert(0, '$MPI_PROJECT_ROOT/terms-search')
from search import search
results = search("三级修学", limit=5)
results = search("空性", loc="心经", src="DoT定稿", limit=5)
# returns list of {zh, en, loc, source} dicts
```
## Batch lookup pattern
```python
import sys
sys.path.insert(0, '$MPI_PROJECT_ROOT/terms-search')
from search import search
terms = ["三无漏学", "八步三禅", "闻思修", ...]
author_sources = {"DoT定稿", "内部特色词", "佛教术语", "经论名"}
for term in terms:
results = search(term, limit=10)
relevant = [r for r in results if r["source"] in author_sources]
for r in relevant:
print(f"{r['zh']} → {r['en']} [{r['source']}]")
```
Or filter to a single authoritative source directly:
```python
results = search("三级修学", src="DoT定稿", limit=5)
```
## Priority ranking
When the same term has entries in multiple source tables, prefer:
1. DoT定稿 (highest authority — final translation decisions)
2. 内部特色词 (MPI internal terminology)
3. 佛教术语 (general Buddhist terminology)
4. 经论名 (sutra/shastra titles)
## Alignment workflow
1. Extract all Chinese glossary terms from `{% "TERM" ... %}` blocks in the .dj file
2. Extract body-text domain terms that may not have glossary entries
3. Batch-query each term against the HTTP API
4. Filter results to authoritative source tables
5. Compare DB canonical translation against current file translation
6. Flag mismatches where DB entry differs materially from current
7. Apply fixes with `patch` tool — fix both glossary comments AND body text occurrences
8. Verify with `grep` that no old terms remain
## Pitfalls
- `replace_all` can create doubled words when the surrounding context already contains the replacement string (e.g., "The Eight Steps" → "The The Eight Steps"). Prefer targeted single-replacement patches.
- Start patches from the bottom of the file upward to preserve line numbers.
- Some DB entries are contextual phrases (e.g., "珍惜法缘" → a full sentence), not standalone term translations. Use standalone term entries where available.
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# Translation Pitfalls — MPI Buddhist Texts
Patterns found in CN→EN translation review. Add to this file as new patterns emerge.
## Terminology conflation
### 人生佛教/人间佛教 — distinct concepts
人生佛教 (Taixu's "Buddhism for Human Life") and 人间佛教 (Yinshun's "Humanistic Buddhism")
are distinct doctrinal positions in modern Chinese Buddhism. Do not conflate both into
"Humanistic Buddhism." When the source uses 人生佛教, render as "Buddhism for Human Life"
or "Human Life Buddhism." User may propose a deliberately non-standard rendering
("Buddhism for daily lives") — that's their call. Don't unilaterally pick from
the standard set without checking.
### 心性论 → buddha-nature (WRONG)
心性 (mind-nature) is broader than 佛性 (buddha-nature / tathāgatagarbha).
When a text discusses 心性 in the context of Confucian self-cultivation or general
Buddhist psychology, use "mind-nature" or "nature of mind." Reserve "buddha-nature"
only when the text explicitly references tathāgatagarbha doctrine.
### 恨 → resentment (WRONG)
恨 means "hatred," not "resentment." In the triad 羡慕嫉妒恨 (envy, jealousy, hatred),
the force is strong. "Resentment" is too mild.
### 感悟 → conversant / heartfelt (WRONG)
感悟 means experiential insight or realization. It is not intellectual familiarity
("conversant") or emotional warmth ("heartfelt"). Render as "insight," "realization,"
or "deep understanding."
### 关爱/关怀 → compassion (WRONG)
Chinese 关爱 and 关怀 mean "care" or "loving care." They are NOT 慈悲 (compassion / karuṇā).
Conflating them obscures two distinct Buddhist concepts.
Check every occurrence of "compassion" in a translation against the source:
- If source is 关爱/关怀 → "care"
- If source is 慈悲 → "compassion" (correct)
- If source is 悬壶济世 → "compassionate mission" (correct — the healing spirit)
### 生存层面 → making a living (WRONG)
生存层面 = the existential/survival dimension. Not just earning wages.
→ "survival-level needs" or "the level of basic existence"
### 修学 → "practice" (drops study dimension)
修学 combines 修 (practice/cultivation) and 学 (study/learning). Rendering only
as "practice" loses the study dimension. Use "practice and study" or
"cultivation and learning" — especially in 静心学堂/Dharma study contexts where
the academic dimension is emphasized.
### 信仰者 → "believers" (Christian connotation)
信仰者 = "people of faith" but in Buddhist context, "believers" carries Christian
overtones. Use "practitioners" or "adherents" to avoid the implication. Reserve
"believers" for contexts where the source explicitly uses 信徒 or where the
Christian parallel is the point.
## Loss of Dharma meaning
### 生生增上 → continuously elevate our life (INCOMPLETE)
生生 = life after life (multi-life Buddhist perspective). The single-life rendering
"continuously elevate our life" loses the Dharma meaning entirely.
→ "continuously elevate our life, life after life"
## Degree / register shifts
### "tantamount to" drops 几乎
几乎 = "almost." "tantamount to" = "is in fact." Dropping 几乎 strengthens the
claim. Source "几乎等同于一次全球化运动" = "almost equivalent to a globalization
movement," NOT "tantamount to a globalization movement."
### "untenable" for 都是不行的 (overstates)
都是不行的 = "is not acceptable / won't do." "Untenable" = "indefensible" or
"cannot be maintained." Too strong. Use "impermissible" or "is not acceptable."
### "monumental event" for 大事 (slight stretch)
大事 = "a major event" or "an event of importance." "Monumental" is typically
reserved for tasks, errors, or achievements (e.g. "monumental task,"
"monumental mistake"). "Event of great importance" or "landmark event" is more
idiomatic.
### "perennial" for 永恒 (wrong register)
永恒 = eternal/ultimate. "Perennial" = recurring (per year, per season). They
are not synonyms. Use "eternal" or "ultimate."
### 学部委员 → Member (UNDERSTATES)
学部委员 is CASS's highest academic title, equivalent to "Academician."
"Member" understates the prestige significantly. → "Academician" or
"Member of the Academic Divisions."
### 文明 → culture (WRONG)
文明 is "civilization," not 文化 "culture." When a text discusses 文明传播
(civilizational transmission), do not substitute "cultural transmission."
### 教制建设 → reforming (ADDS CONNOTATION)
教制建设 means "developing/building monastic institutions." Adding "reforming"
introduces a connotation of fixing something broken that is not in the source.
→ "developing monastic institutions" or "institutional development."
### 一荣俱荣、一损俱损 → too loose
This idiom has a conditional structure: "if one prospers, all prosper; if one
suffers, all suffer." Rendering as "thrived together and suffered together"
loses the mutual-dependence logic. → "shared prosperity and adversity alike"
or "rose and fell together."
### 成圣成贤 collapsing
圣 (sage) and 贤 (worthy) are distinct Confucian categories. Collapsing both
to "a sage" loses the distinction. → "sagehood and worthiness" or "a sage or worthy."
### "must" overuse from 应当/倡导
Source patterns 应当 (should), 倡导 (advocate/champion), 今后要 (going forward, should)
often get rendered as "must" by reflex. "must" in English is a strong directive
appropriate only for 一定要, 必须, 务必. Default to "should" or "ought to" for
recommendations. A whole section may be 倡导 without 一定 anywhere — don't
manufacture urgency the source doesn't have.
### 文明 → culture (WRONG)
文明 is "civilization," not 文化 "culture." When a text discusses 文明传播
(civilizational transmission), do not substitute "cultural transmission."
#### 因病返贫 → "back into poverty"
"返贫" means becoming poor due to illness, not returning to previous poverty. Use "into poverty" or "driven into poverty."
#### Diacritics: use DB form, not academic Sanskrit
| Wrong | Right | Source |
|---|---|---|
| `Mahāsthāmaprāpta` | `Mahasthamaprapta` | 佛教术语 |
| `Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra` | `Yogacarabhumi-Sastra` | 经论名 |
| `Avalokiteśvara` | `Guanyin` | 佛教术语 |
| `pravāraṇā` | `Pavarana` | BAICKZ |
Exception: `Kṣitigarbha` — DoT定稿 uses diacritics, so keep them.
When in doubt, search the DB and follow the highest-priority source. See dharma-translation skill `references/diacritics-convention.md`.
返贫 = become poor (from a non-poor state) due to medical costs. "Back" implies
the person was previously poor — not necessarily true. This is about medical bankruptcy.
→ "into poverty" or "fall into poverty" (no "back")
## Subject-shift calques
When the source uses an abstract/system noun as the grammatical subject (佛教,
文明, 宗教, 文化) and the target reflexively substitutes a more concrete
agent (Buddhist practitioners, civilization-builders, religious people, etc.),
the English is wrong: the source is *not* talking about people, it's talking
about the system.
**Pattern**: 佛教都被社会大众赋予期望 → EN drifts to "Buddhist practitioners
are looked upon with hope." Wrong subject — source is 佛教, not 佛教徒. Right:
"Buddhism is regarded with hope by the broader society."
**Detection**: For each translated sentence, find the *grammatical subject*
in the English and check it matches the *grammatical subject* in the Chinese.
If the English subject is a concrete agent and the Chinese is an abstract
system noun, it's a subject-shift calque.
## Factual inconsistencies across paired descriptions
When the same person, place, or thing is described in two different paragraphs
(intro + later reference), check that *every* descriptor matches: title,
affiliation, role, credentials. A translation can be factually inconsistent
even when each individual sentence is correct in isolation.
**Pattern**: Prof. Wei's credentials in paragraph 1: "Academician of the
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and research fellow at the
Institute of World Religions." Paragraph 5 (same person, same source
reference): "a member of the CASS academic committee and Director of the CASS
Buddhist Research Center." Two different titles for the same CASS affiliation.
One is right, the other is wrong.
**Detection**: For each named person, build a dict {name → {credential:
sentence_refs}} and check that all credentials in the dict match. Same
institution or title can have different renderings in different paragraphs.
## Calque checklist (subtle English calques of Chinese verbs)
These are common Chinese-verb → English-verb pairs where the English word
sounds natural in isolation but is a direct calque of the Chinese. They're
easy to miss in a first-pass review because each one parses correctly:
| Chinese verb | Wrong (calque) | Right (idiomatic) |
|---|---|---|
| 赋予 (entrust with) | "look to with hope" | "regard with hope" |
| 得到 (obtain) | "draw forth" | "draw on" / "gain" |
| 发挥 (bring into play) | "bring into full play" | "make the most of" |
| 承担 (assume) | "shoulder" | "take on" |
| 重视 | "attach importance to" | "value" / "emphasize" |
| 体现 | "embody" / "reflect" | "show" / "demonstrate" (when abstract) |
**Detection**: When the English uses an unusual verb that maps 1:1 to a
Chinese word, and the Chinese word is a high-frequency academic verb (发挥,
承担, 体现, 重视), check whether the English reads as a calque. A common
smell: the English verb is "correct" but more formal/dramatic than the
surrounding prose.
## Tonal coherence inside a parallel list
When a list of items in a section should have parallel structure (e.g. three
"champion X, oppose Y" items; six "developing X, strengthening Y" items),
check that the *verb choice* is consistent across the list. Inconsistency
within a parallel structure is a strong signal of drift.
**Pattern**: Section V lists "First, Buddhism should serve as... Second, it
must serve as... Third, it must serve as..." Source has 应当/要做 for all
three. The English should match: all three "should serve as" or all three
"must serve as." Mixing is a tell.
**Detection**: For each parallel-list section (First/Second/Third, etc.),
extract the verb (or other repeated slot) and verify it's identical. Drift
inside a parallel list is one of the easiest flow issues to catch
mechanically — just look for variance.
## Multi-pass review structure
Translation review benefits from three distinct passes, run separately, each
catching a different category of error:
1. **Pass 1: terminology + consistency + line count** — fast, mechanical.
Catches: 人生佛教/人间佛教 conflation, 修行/修学, 恨→resentment,
paired inconsistencies (Buddhism vs Buddhist practitioners), missing
content, wrong numerals.
2. **Pass 2: mechanical/formatting** — em-dash convention, double punctuation,
numbering mismatches, capitalisation typos, garbled text. Often skipped
if the file "looks clean." This pass is what makes the file safe to
publish; do it even when no content issues are obvious.
3. **Pass 3: flow/tonal/calques** — *read the full English as a piece of
prose*. Catch: dramatic verbs that read as calques ("draw forth,"
"into full play," "shoulder"), intensifier drift ("profoundly important"
× 3 in one section), consistency of "must"/"should" inside parallel
lists, subject misattribution in calque. Often the user will prompt
this pass with "are you sure it reads well?" or "do the words hang
together?" Treat that prompt as a signal to re-read the whole English
target, not just spot-check.
Pass 3 in particular is the one that catches the *most embarrassing* errors
— the ones where the English is grammatical and faithful but reads as
"translationese." Don't skip it.
## DoT定稿 term drift
### 念死 → recollection of death (WRONG per DoT定稿)
DoT定稿 has "Cultivating mindfulness of death" / 佛教术语 has "contemplating the
impermanence of death". The established term is "mindfulness of death", not
"recollection of death." → "mindfulness of death" / "death-mindfulness"
### 三级修学 → Three-Level Study Program (WRONG per DoT定稿)
DoT定稿 has "Three-Stage Practice." → "Three-Stage Practice"
### 下士道/中士道/上士道
DoT定稿: "Path for Persons of Small/Medium/Great Capacity" — not "path of the
initial/middle/great scope."
### 观音菩萨 → Avalokiteśvara (AVOID in MPI translations)
佛教术语 has "Guanshiyin/Guanyin Bodhisattva." Use "Guanyin Bodhisattva."
## Workflow pitfall
### Translating before consulting terms DB
## Patterns from 人生百问 review (translation-review findings)
The review of *人生百问* surfaced a set of recurring calques, register
mismatches, and Buddhist-term choices that keep reappearing in MPI
CN→EN work. Treat these as a supplemental checklist after the main
translation-pitfalls list.
### Stiff / formal calques to soften
| Source pattern | Stiff / literal rendering | Smoother options |
|---|---|---|
| 热衷于 / 很热衷 | "keen on" | "eager to," "enthusiastically pursuing" |
| 善用理性 | "use reason skillfully" | "use reason well," "use reason wisely" |
| 随缘 | "responding to conditions" | "in harmony with conditions" (when it flows better) |
| 人云亦云 | "serve as reference" | "provide guidance," "serve as a reference" |
| 引起共鸣 | "arouse resonance" | "resonate," "strike a chord" |
| 强势而偏执 | "forceful and opinionated" | "forceful and dogmatic," "domineering and inflexible" |
| 执着外境 | "cling to all sorts of external pursuits" | "cling to all sorts of external conditions" |
| 一时兴起 | "spur-of-the-moment impulse" | "spur-of-the-moment idea" |
| 大龄青年 | "older unmarried young people" | "older singles," "unmarried adults" |
| 更受欢迎 | "more welcome" | "more well-liked," "more welcomed by others" |
| 想起来很急，做起来又不急 | "feel urgent but do not act urgently" | "urgent in thought but not in deed" |
| 随大流 / 大众化的 | "popular" | "mass-oriented," "public," "for the general public" |
| 养生之道 | "wisdom culture" | "wisdom tradition," "culture of wisdom" |
| 以此作为标准 | "take X as the only standard" | "make X the only standard" (when the sentence is top-heavy) |
### 究竟 / 终极 / 更高层次
| Source | Awkward | Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| 更究竟 | "more ultimate" | "more complete," "more profound," "higher" |
| 更究竟的成功 | "a more ultimate success" | "a more complete success," "a higher success" |
In conversational Q&A, 究竟 often reads better as "complete" or "profound"
than as the technical "ultimate." Reserve "ultimate" for explicit doctrinal
discussions of 究竟谛 / ultimate truth.
### Buddhist term register
| Source | Issue | Preferred guidance |
|---|---|---|
| 大自在 | "great freedom" loses the "ease" nuance | "great freedom and ease" |
| 开启智慧 | "opened up boundless wisdom" is odd | "awakened," "brought forth," "unfolded" |
| 迷惑 (as affliction) | "confusion" is too generic | "delusion" (in Buddhist contexts) |
| 惑业 | "confusion and karma" | "delusion and karma" (check terms DB) |
| 善知识 | "great wise teachers" is redundant | "great teachers," "wise teachers," "authentic teachers" |
| 皈依三宝 | "take refuge hastily" | "take refuge lightly," "take refuge without being ready" |
| 尽未来际 | "for all future time" is literal | "for all future lives," "throughout all future time" |
| 患得患失 | "worried about personal gains and losses" | "anxious about gain and loss" |
| religious community | vague | "Buddhist community," "Sangha" |
| 报身 | "enjoyment body" vs "reward body" | Verify target convention; MPI often prefers "reward body" |
| 化身 | "transformation body" is common | Verify against target convention |
| 等流果 | "continuative result" | Standard: "result of equal outflow," "correlative effect" |
| 四力 (忏悔) | "power of eradication / remedy" | Use standard four powers terminology: remorse, support, restraint, refuge/reliance |
| 末法 | "Dharma-ending age" / "Age of Dharma Decline" | Check terms DB; avoid inventing new renderings |
| 暇满 | "well-endowed human form" | Standard: "leisure and endowment," "precious human life" |
| 定课 | "fixed chanting session" | "daily practice," "daily recitation" (context-dependent) |
| 八步骤三种禅修 | "Eight Steps and Three Kinds of Meditation" | DoT定稿: "Eight Steps and Three Types of Meditation" |
| 功德 | "merit and virtue" (overused) | "merit" or "virtue" depending on context |
| 福田 | "field of blessing" | Standard: "field of merit/blessing" |
| 止观 | "calm abiding and special insight" | Or "śamatha-vipaśyanā"; avoid inventing new compounds |
| 皈依 / 发心 / 戒律 / 正见 | gerund lists | Noun forms in catalogues: "refuge, aspiration, precepts, right view" |
| 凡夫心 | "ordinary mind" | "mind of an ordinary being" (avoid Chan "ordinary mind" ambiguity) |
| 加持 | "empowers one another" | "supports and blesses one another" (retain religious nuance) |
| 登地菩萨 | "attained the grounds" | Standard rendering |
| 弟子相 | "marks of a disciple" | Standard rendering |
| 无缘大慈、同体大悲 | — | "unconditional great compassion and the great sympathy of seeing others as oneself" |
| 人成即佛成 | — | "When a Human Is Perfected, Buddhahood Is Perfected" |
| 人生佛教 | — | "Buddhism for Human Life" (do not conflate with 人间佛教 / Humanistic Buddhism) |
| 三级修学 | — | DoT定稿: "Three-Stage Practice" |
| 同喜班 | — | "Tongxi Class" (MPI convention; verify if glossary requires translation) |
### Idioms and set phrases
| Source | Literal / awkward | Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| 妄念纷飞 / 妄想纷飞 | "delusive thoughts still fly about" / "random thoughts fly about" | "delusions run wild," "wandering thoughts arise" |
| 望尘莫及 | "outdo animals by far" (wrong direction) | "animals cannot compare," "are left far behind" |
| 脚踏两条船 / 骑墙 | "straddling two boats" | "riding two boats," "trying to walk two paths" |
| 选择困难症 | "choice difficulty" | "decision paralysis," "choice paralysis" |
| 树欲静而风不止 | "the tree wishing stillness while the wind keeps blowing" | "the tree may crave stillness, but the wind will not cease" |
| 磨刀不误砍柴工 | — | "sharpen the ax before cutting wood" (standard) |
| 泥菩萨过江 | "clay bodhisattva" | Allude to the idiom; may need explanatory note |
| 鄙视链 | "contempt chains" | Loan-translation is acceptable; keep if context is clear |
| 十年浩劫 | "decade of catastrophe" | International readers may need a gloss |
| 红尘滚滚 | "rolling red dust" | Acceptable in Buddhist register; do not soften |
| 因上努力，果上随缘 | — | "work hard on the causes and let the results unfold as they may" |
| 朝不保夕 | "we may not last until evening" | "life is precarious" |
| 本末倒置 | — | "put the cart before the horse" |
| 润物细无声 | — | "quiet, pervasive influence, like rain soaking into the earth unnoticed" |
| 有口无心 | — | "with their mouths but not their hearts" |
| 人非圣贤，孰能无过 | "To err is human" | Acceptable, but note it loses the Buddhist register |
| Standard Buddhist idiom | — | Always prefer established English Buddhist idiom when one exists (e.g. Diamond Sutra "lives" not "bodies") |
### Sentence structure / rhythm
| Pattern | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 3+ clause sentences | Can't be read in one breath | Split at natural breaks, especially after "world" or "Dharma" |
| Top-heavy sentences | Main clause arrives too late | Move the main clause forward |
| "is it not too late to X" | Inverted clause is awkward | "it is not too late to X" |
| "patterned, standardized" | "patterned" is odd in English | "structured, standardized" or "model-based, standardized" |
| "way of management" | awkward collocation | "approach to management," "style of governance" |
| "correction of X through correcting Y" | repetitive | "transform X by correcting Y" |
| "special circumstances are encountered" | passive/abstract | "special circumstances may create an exception" |
| "formed from the Buddha's wisdom and merit" | mechanical | "arises from," "embodied wisdom and merit" |
| "with every sound entering the ears" | flat idiom | "with every syllable clearly heard" |
| "influenced by the liberation of individuality" | wrong collocation | "emancipation of the individual," "individual liberation" |
| "the optimization of life" | technical-sounding | "flourishing of life," "growth in life" |
| "right-livelihood occupation" | redundant | "right livelihood" |
| "when time is used more valuably" | awkward adverb | "when time is used more wisely" |
| "doing great things" | OK | Keep plain; do not overtranslate 做大事 |
| "speak merely to show off your own cleverness" | misses idiom | 逞口舌之快 → "speak for the thrill of it," "indulge in sharp talk" |
| "the power of eradication... the power of remedy" | non-standard | Use standard four powers terminology |
| "pincer attack from within and without" | too militaristic in pastoral context | "pressure from within and without," "assault from both sides" |
| "stalemate" | OK but possibly cold | "stuck place," "impasse" in spiritual contexts |
| "persevere in one sutra" | loses metaphor | "go deeply into one sutra" |
| "muddle-headedly" | rare adverb | "in a muddled way," "without understanding" |
| "thoroughly applied" | slightly off | "when proficiency develops" |
| "Using relics to check seems a little too late" | OK but flat | "Using relics as a measure seems rather late in the day" |
| "unknowable mysticism" | 玄学 ≠ mysticism | "unknowable mystery" |
| "reliance relationship" | awkward | "teacher-student relationship" |
| "every place becomes a place of practice" | repetitive | "everywhere becomes a field of practice" |
| "keeping an ordinary mind when things go well and still keeping an ordinary mind when things go badly" | wordy | "keeping an ordinary mind in both good times and bad" |
| "ordinary, lax, and indulgent mind" | acceptable but loose | "ordinary mind of laxity and indulgence" |
### Register: spoken Q&A vs. written Dharma
*人生百问* is conversational Q&A. Keep the English warm and direct:
| Stiff / written | Conversational |
|---|---|
| "I do not think so necessarily." | "Not necessarily." / "I don't think so." |
| "bustle about for liberation" | "rush about," "busy themselves" |
| "starting a family is for liberation from singlehood" | "liberation from being single" |
| "Seen only from the surface" | "On the surface," "From a surface view" |
| "If one is liberated, how can these dreams be realized?" | "...how can these dreams still be realized?" |
| "I deeply know that..." | "I know full well that..." |
| "For yourself, you must..." | "First, for yourself..." / "Personally, you must..." |
| "I believe that the external conditions we attract will also change." | "the conditions we draw to ourselves will also change" |
### Parallelism and grammar fixes
| Issue | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund/infinitive mismatch | "drawing near to wise teachers and to rely on them" | "draw near to wise teachers and rely on them" |
| Missing "still" | "how can these dreams be realized?" | "how can these dreams still be realized?" |
| Mixed singular/plural | "the largest debt, not all of them" | "the largest debt, not every debt" |
| Redundant compound | "sharp and keen faculties" | "sharp faculties" or "keen faculties" |
| "disorder" as verb | "'nao' is to disorder" | "'nao' is to disturb" |
### Meta-pattern: when the review produces `review-comments.dj`
After a translation-review pass, scan the resulting
`review-comments.dj` for **recurring patterns** and add them to this file
and to `buddhist-terminology.md`. The review of *人生百问* began as a
single article checklist and became a reusable pattern library; future
reviews should do the same.