Translating Texts 6th March 2011 Translation of texts and practice materials is obviously a very important part of the transmission of the dharma in the modern world. However, considering that the great Tibetan translators worked very closely with their Indian masters and were themselves not just highly erudite scholars but accomplished meditators, it is necessary that we approach the whole issue of translation with careful thought and becoming modesty. Recently a proposal to translate the Kanjur (the Tripitaka) and the Tengyur (Indian Commentarial Literature) into English has been launched to some fanfare. It would seem that the words of Shamar Rinpoche, the second most important master in the Karma-Kagyu tradition, are particularly relevant in this context.