The Current Movement of Translating the Tibetan Canon into Modern Languages: Examples of the 84000 Project and the Kumarajiva Project

Abstract

Taking the 84000 and Kumarajiva projects as examples, this paper describes the social background and activities of the current movement of institutionalized modern language translations of Buddhist canons. The paper further summarizes the characteristics of this movement from four points: the nature of the implementing body, the nature of the actors involved, the influence of technological innovation, and the ideological background, referring to the ongoing debate on more self-conscious ways of research in Buddhism. It is of considerable significance for the study of Buddhism and its researchers in the context of the present time to depict the characteristics of the current movement of modern language translations of Buddhist canon and to analyze the nature of its ongoing challenges.