Clarifying translation tone for the Brahmajāla Sutta opening paragraph
The current AI-generated translation favors strict literal phrasing throughout. However, the opening evam me sutaṃ ('thus have I heard') carries a canonical rhythm that several published translations render more narratively. Should we retain strict literalism or adapt for readability while preserving cadence?
4 replies
I agree the opening nidāna needs more rhythmic fidelity. The phrase 'at one time the Blessed One was dwelling' reads flatter than Walshe's 'thus have I heard: on one occasion the Blessed One was staying' — the order of clauses matters for the oral quality.
Agreed. I'll revise the opening three sentences to follow the canonical clause order and flag for admin review.
Would it help to show both translations side by side in the compare view so readers can judge for themselves?
The compare view already supports multiple translation versions — we can publish both as distinct translation entries under the same node. The admin can set one as 'primary' and the other as 'variant'.