The narration of the earliest stage of the Buddha’s life, even before his birth, is contained in this legendary biography. Not a canonized work, but a preface to a commentary (Sutta-piṭaka; Khuddaka-nikāya; Jātaka-aṭṭhakathā). The beginning of the work leads to the circle of legends, it talks about various previous Buddhas and Bodhisattas, the Buddha himself descends from the Tussite heaven to his earthly birth. The earthly story goes from his birth to the prophecy, his leaving home, his struggle with Mara, his attainment of nibbana, his reluctance to teach, the establishment of the sangha, and the founding of the first monastery. This preface is followed by the tales (“commentaries”) belonging to the Jataka poems, which tell of the Buddha’s previous lives, often spent in animal form.
In the third year of the current Pali language specialization, half of their class time deals with the translation of this text. In the first two years of the specialization, they learn the basics of the Pali language and gain practice in text reading. Based on this, the third year always adds another part to the already completed translations, in this way sooner or later the translation of the entire work is completed. The work consists of three parts, the project begins with the translation of the second part, because it already focuses on the life of the historical Buddha.
Through individual student work and joint class work, a rough translation of a connected part is first completed, which is clarified by the group in a second round. The translations are made by grade, but each grade continues the translation in connection with the previously translated parts. This also means that new developments may change previous translations and terminology.
The work is carried out by the students under the professional supervision of the head teacher. The third year of the current Pali language specialization deals with the translation of this text in half of their class time. In the first two years of the specialization, they learn the basics of the Pali language and gain practice in text reading. Based on this, the third year always adds another part to the already completed translations, in this way sooner or later the translation of the entire work is completed. The work consists of three parts, the project begins with the translation of the second part, because it already focuses on the life of the historical Buddha.
Through individual student work and joint class work, a rough translation of a connected part is first completed, which is clarified by the group in a second round.
Translations are made by grade level, but each grade level continues the translation in connection with the previously translated parts. This also means that new developments may change previous translations and terminology.
The work is carried out by the students under the professional supervision of the head teacher.
Pali language specialization 2019-2022
The translation students:
Kokai Tünde
Gabriella Neogrady
David Rákász
Head teacher: Tibor Körtvélyesi
The popular collection, preserved in the Pali language, contains 547 shorter and longer stories with varied themes and instructive stories about the previous births of the Buddha. Only the poetic summaries of the stories are considered canonical tradition, the narratives themselves are included as post-canonical commentary. Birth stories are always introduced by a current case report, i.e. one that takes place in the time of the Buddha. On the occasion of these, a story from the past is told in the interpretation of Magasztos. Finally, the Buddha connects the two events by explaining them, thus concluding a narrative unity within the collection.
Senior students of the Páli language specialization work on the translation of unpublished dzatakas into Hungarian. The birth stories are presented in their entirety, while the introductory and closing framework narratives are summarized.
Pali language specialization 2021-2024
The translation students:
Csilla Iván
Jarabin Boldizsár
Erika Kertész
Krisztina Hanzi Kutiné
Anita Solomon
Head teacher: Gergely Hidas
