# That's not what Ajahn Chah said — I was there

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-translator-changed-chahs-talk
- Themes: translation, Ajahn Chah, integrity, teachers
- Life situations: reading translations, quoting teachers

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Ajahn Brahm read a monk's translation of an Ajahn Chah talk he had personally heard and protested that it was not what Chah had said. The translator replied that he thought it was what Ajahn Chah wanted to say. Be very careful with translations.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

remember this one translation which was done by a monk I remember reading it and said what? that's not what Ajahn Chah said I was there when he gave that talk And the monk said oh .. yeah yeah but I think this is what Ajahn Chah wanted to say And you got to be very careful there, in translating

## Teaching point

Translators can overwrite the teacher with what they wish had been said.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Reading a translation of an Ajahn Chah talk he'd heard himself, Ajahn Brahm protested: that's not what he said. The translator replied that it was what Ajahn Chah wanted to say. Be careful with translations, and with putting your own words in someone else's mouth. Honesty matters.

## Source

- [Word of the Buddha (Part 1) | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TZfyq1XTd0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:32:36 to 1:32:57: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TZfyq1XTd0&t=5556s