Sangha Sharing
Lourdes Hinojosa on Translating for Rinpoche
Sangha member Lourdes Hinojosa, a longtime student from Mexico, has for many years done simultaneous translation of the teachings at Serenity Ridge. Recently, she began translating Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s live webcasts into Spanish. The recent January webcast also was translated simultaneously into French by Dominique Monchardé. We thank them for this great offering. Rinpoche encourages others to pursue the goal of simultaneously translating the live webcasts into their own languages.
In sharing her personal experience of translating for Rinpoche in this issue, Lourdes gave us the idea of inviting YOU to share some of your stories of connection to Rinpoche in VOCL. We all have so many gifts that we are thankful for through our connection to Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and the Bon tradition. We welcome your voice in this year of celebration! This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Aline and Jeff Fisher) with your story, poetry and pictures as we mark this beautiful and powerful year for all of us.
Lourdes writes:
Ever since I met Rinpoche, back in 1999, I felt a strong inner calling to help make everyone around him understand what he was saying—his words, the precious Bon Buddhist teachings, his message always full of insight and understanding of our Western ways.
The live simultaneous translation process began eight years ago at Ligmincha Institute. I was deeply moved by Patricia, a sangha member from Mexico who always attended the summer retreat and sat in the first row. Back then, she couldn’t speak any English at all. She just sat there, full of devotion toward Rinpoche and receiving the blessings of being close to her teacher. In the gompa, as I listened to Rinpoche’s teachings, I said to myself, “It is inconceivable that she is sitting right in front of him and cannot understand a word. She must receive the precious teachings in her own language!”
Then, out of the generosity of several sangha members, we acquired our first simultaneous translation set, even though it was second-hand. (Later on, a brand new set arrived.) It was like a miracle for our Spanish-speaking sangha members. Others began attending the summer retreat and other special retreats now that translation was available.
Years went by, and Rinpoche, always expanding his energy and wisdom for the benefit of others, started his series of webcasts. It immediately came to my mind: “This can also be translated, and many more people will receive Rinpoche’s teachings and guidance in their own language!” So I opened an account on Justin.tv and figured out how webcast viewers could both see Rinpoche’s live image and at the same time listen to his teachings in Spanish. I came up with the idea of using two computers: one transmitting Rinpoche’s live image with earplugs hooked in, and the other receiving the image with microphone plugged in.
And it worked! I let all Mexican sangha members know about this. We began to gather at all Bon centers throughout Mexico to watch and listen to the webcasts together as a sangha. From one single computer, many could receive the teachings and practice together. Word started to spread and many others, including friends and family, also began to benefit from these translated webcasts.
Whenever Rinpoche recites mantras and prayers or gives transmissions during webcasts, I unplug my earplugs so the sound of his voice can be heard during the Spanish transmission of the webcast. In that way, nothing is missing.
To have the best quality video while at the same time listening to the webcast in Spanish, viewers can open two sites—the Ustream site with the original webcast for video only (with the sound cancelled) and the Justin.tv site (with sound fully open but the image minimized, just to listen to Rinpoche’s words in Spanish).
So far, there have been 14 videos with more than 17,016 web hits, including many regular followers. The videos remain available for anyone wanting to watch and listen to Rinpoche’s webcasts in Spanish.
I feel deep love and gratitude toward my root lama, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. It gives me profound joy and satisfaction, and a sense of purpose, to able to help him get his message through to many Spanish-speaking people.
To view the recent webcast in English, Spanish, or French:
• In English
• In Spanish
• In French (meditation only):
Part 1
Part 2