Translating Jigme Lingpa’s Treasury of Precious Qualities into Mongolian

Can you tell us something about yourself? How did you encounter the dharma? Have you translated any other texts?

I grew up in Mongolia during communist times and studied international relations at the National University in Ulaanbaatar, majoring in French. I then came to France to do a master’s degree at HEC Paris business school, and have now been living and working in France for nearly 30 years. Presently I live in Dordogne, where I am a mother and work occasionally as an electrician.

During my childhood we lived near Gandan Monastery—one of very few active monasteries in Mongolia at the time—and I used to go there and turn the gigantic prayer wheels. That’s how, when I was 6 years old, I was able to get a glimpse of HH the Dalai Lama! To my great surprise, he looked like a human being! I first met my teacher, Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, in France nearly 20 years ago thanks to Matthieu Ricard’s conference at HEC.

As for having translated other texts, some time ago I translated into Mongolian Geshe Langri Thangpa’s “Eight Verses of Training the Mind” and its commentary by Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche. It’s a short booklet that Rinpoche’s students have translated into many languages. I translated it because Rinpoche asked me to. The translation hasn’t been published.

How did the project to translate the Treasury of Precious Qualities and its commentary come about?

On New Year’s Day in 2022 I went with my husband and daughter to visit the stupas at Chanteloube and we came upon Rinpoche, whom we hadn’t seen for some time due to the pandemic. We talked for a while but I don’t remember much of what was said. As usual! What I do remember is that he told me to translate the first section of Kangyur Rinpoche’s commentary on the Treasury of Precious Qualities, and specifically, into modern language that would be easy to understand.

I am quite far from being a Buddhist scholar and the existing dharma vocabulary in Mongolian is often archaic, so I was anxious and initially tried to refuse—it felt like such a heavy responsibility. On the other hand, I was very honored and felt fortunate to have the chance to translate such a treasure into my mother tongue so that it could eventually benefit the “untamable” Mongols—by “untamable” I mean not knowing any bounds. When you live amongst the vast steppes there isn’t much that stops you, so your mind becomes like that, in both a positive and negative way. Of course this is just my own speculation.

What are the root text and commentary about?

Who wouldn’t know prodigious Jigme Lingpa if you are Nyingma lineage devotee? It’s difficult to describe him with mere words, so briefly, I’ll just say that he compiled twenty-five-volume collection of the tantras, plus nine volumes of original treatises and numerous termas. So the Treasury of Precious Qualities is a text of 13 chapters written in verse. It belongs to the lam rim, or “gradual path,” genre. It covers all the teachings on all stages of the path according to the Nyingma tradition, all the way up to the Great Perfection. It is said that this text is comprehensive but concise, nonetheless impenetrable to all but experts which necessitates a commentary.

There are many other commentaries on this text, but Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche’s is said to be comparatively short even though it’s more than 500 pages in English.

Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche is the father of our teachers and a living legend to us. All the stories we heard about his travels from Tibet with loads and loads of books, his visits to hidden lands, the number of times he recited Kangyur and especially his kindness…is just beyond my comprehension.

The first section consists of nine chapters devoted to sutras and covers the ethical, psychological and philosophical teachings up to the sutra section of the Mahayana. It’s about 90 pages in Tibetan and the commentary is 250 pages in English. Since the latest English and French translations of this first section by the Padmakara Translation Group both include Jigme Lingpa’s root text, I decided to translate that, too.

What is the reason for the renewed interest in Buddhism in Mongolia? Are there many other dharma texts available in Mongolian? How about the Nyingma lineage?

During the communist period Buddhism went into “survival mode” and people weren’t officially allowed to practice. After perestroika, in the 1990s, it became possible again, and some information was accessible to the public. At the moment, Buddhism is thriving in Mongolia because many young Mongolian monks who have been studying the dharma in India are coming back. Reliable teachings and texts in Mongolian are easy to find, mainly from the Gelug school. There are even a TV channel and radio station dedicated to Buddhist teachings. However, the language in published texts is often difficult for contemporary Mongolians to understand. For example, a translation of Patrul Rinpoche’s Words of My Perfect Teacher exists, but it’s in archaic Mongolian. I have to read it next to the English version to understand it.

Mongolians have a very nice, old connection to the Nyingma school through the Gobi Noyon Khutagt lineage. The most famous reincarnation was the fifth—Noyon Khutagt Danzanravjaa [1803–56]. He was known for his siddhis [“spiritual attainments”] and scholastic aptitude, writing poetry and composing treatises on medicine and astrology. He also built numerous temples and monasteries, started schools for children of both genders, and even had a theater troupe. He was also famous for his fondness for women and alcohol, but Mongolians loved him nonetheless! Nowadays many people are still interested in having “red hat” teachings, as they refer to the teachings of the Nyingma lineage.

What is the intended readership of your translations of the root text and commentary and what impact do you think they will have? Are they primarily aimed at beginners or more advanced students?

When I think of my friends who grew up in the communist era and contemporary young people who are unfamiliar with complex Buddhist terms, they could benefit from easy, accessible language and develop a genuine interest in the buddhadharma. They are not for total beginners, but I think that the blessings of such incredible texts can benefit people in many mysterious ways.

Working on the translations has been extremely beneficial for myself as well. I have learned so much. It has inspired me and enhanced my trust in the buddhadharma and in my teachers.

How are you going about the translation and what resources are you using? Have you received any help?

I am mainly using the Padmakara Translation Group’s English translation, but I also sometimes use the French version to clarify meanings. I am currently in the process of editing my own translations. I have already received very interesting feedback from a few potential readers.

So far, I have not received any professional help. When I started the translation I naively thought that anyone who knows the buddhadharma could do the editing. But now I’m having doubts about anyone being able to do it, and I’m praying to the “highest authorities” to be able to find someone who both practices genuinely and is a professional editor.

What other challenges have you faced in working on the translations?

There’s a solution to most challenges—one can hunt for words in texts, research the meanings and the right terminology, and seek clarification by examining the historical context, and so on. It is also very crucial to try to put myself in the reader’s shoes. But all this is minor compared to THE challenge—oneself. One has to be very creative to be able to find inspiration. I have images of Jigme Lingpa and Kangyur Rinpoche on the wall in front of my desk, so whenever I’m at my wits’ end it’s really inspiring and helpful to look at them, think of them, and imagine myself sitting next to them.

Featured image above: Munkhzul Koski.

Photos of Jigme Lingpa and Kangyur Rinpoche courtesy Munkhzul Koski.