作者: newbee (AL)
標題: Re: [問題] 大悲咒.... 注音符號跟梵文的相似度?
時間: 2005年11月 7日  6:31:02 星期一

There are dozen of on-line Sanskrit-English Dictionary on the internet
(http://www.alkhemy.com/sanskrit/dict/).  They are Romanzized Sanskrit with 
International Phonetic notation. Basically they're based on the Sanskrit-English 
Dictionary edited by University of New Delhi. I'm in Hindu tradition (SeBaba), 
whenever the priest read Sutra or recite mantra, they use Sanskrit. They alway 
refer to that (or similar) Dictionary, so I think the pronounciation are offical. 
As a matter of fact, Sanskrit was abolished as offical language just a couple of 
hundred years ago because the confusion of the meaning (one word has 2 to 6 
different meanings is quite common) but still is used in religion now.

We've to thinak the British who Romanized the Sanskrit text, because English has 
26 alphabets, basically no sound it can not produce. Chinese (Mandarin) has only 5 
vowels that is why whatever mantra quoted in Chinese text, about 20% sound 
(eg. "r","h") are lost (Sanskrit has 7 vowels). So alway stick to the Romanized 
Sanskrit with International Phonetic notation, they're standard, no confusion. 
Search in India's Yahoo, you will find dozen of free Sanskrit introduction 
lessons. Sanskrit alphabets like English alphabets in a way that it starts with a 
few vowels then generate another that why if you mis-pronounce 1 alphabet you will 
collide with other. So you have to pronunce ALL 26 alphatbet right first.  

Here is one EXAMPLE of The Great Compassion Mantra in Romanized Sanskrit, every 
single word can be found in the Sanskrit-English dictionary with proper phonetic 
notation (if u trust U. of New Delhi):
http://www.geocities.com/mahayanazengong/compassion.html

The sound track is recorded by the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA) which 
is founded by The Venerable Master Hsuan Hua in San Fransico, USA (Thousnad 
Buddhas City). Because in Sinoyana (Chinese) tradition, the original Sanskrit text 
are coded in Chinese text then read in Mandarin. If 20% of sound were already lost 
in Tang Dynasty when the text was 1st transcribed, what do you think we use today 
Mandarin to read 1,400 yr text. But this is the way Sinoyana still do today while 
offical Sanskrit dictionary is just in front of our nose (thank to the internet).

My final suggestion, alway check the (on line) Sanskrit dictionary, if you can't 
find it, probably it is an transcription eror because the monks didn't know 
Sanskrit very well.  With no printing technology, very little books around, our 
ancestor didn't 've much reosurce as we have today. Remind that Buddhism might not 
be practised in India, but is still India's national treasure. You will surprise 
how many Buddhism scholars are still around in India to help you on the internet 
today. Because one Sanskrit has 6 meanings is common (eg. arahant), that why there 
are so many versions of The Great Compassion Mantra.

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