Published Paper Details:

Twentieth-century revival of Buddhism in India was influenced by the contributions of Bhadant Anand Kausalyayan (1905-1988) as a translator, teacher and organizer. In addition to its many other dimension, the Kausalyayan's translations into vernacular languages, his public pedagogy (lectures, travel writing), and his organizational activities had a significant influence on the transformation of Buddhism from being largely a monastic/scholarly tradition to becoming a movement that was accessible, literate, and institutional in nature, especially in the context of post-conversion that followed B.R. Ambedkar's followers. Based on textual analysis of Kausalyayan's published translations and essays, archival bibliographies, and secondary literature on modern Indian Buddhist movements, the paper will show how Kausalyayan's translations functioned as a form of cultural infrastructure in providing the basis for study circles, catechesis, and community formation. The paper concludes with some reflexive thoughts regarding the translational politics of Kausalyayan's translations and recommendations for future reception and comparative studies.