I am Kailash Chandra Bauddha, the Hindi translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I have the privilege of working directly with His Holiness on a regular basis.
I was born in a very remote Indian village called Nagla Dhaukal in the Mainpuri district, Uttar Pradesh, around 100kms from Agra towards the east. A village of about 250 people without electricity. I worked with my ten siblings as a farmer, raising cows, buffalo, and much other livestock. there were limited resources in my village, making attending school very difficult. By sixth grade, my brother Mr. Suresh Chandra Bauddha was studying at Nalanda University, Bihar offered me the opportunity to study in Arunachal Pradesh, Shrawasti, and I began to learn English, Pali, and Singhal languages.
When I finished Intermediate school in Manipuri, I decided to enroll in university and start to study to become a doctor but I quit it due to a lack of interest. I am already a Buddhist, as my family belongs to the Shakya clan, and I felt a spiritual calling to develop upon these studies.
In the year 2005, I along with members of the Youth Buddhist Society of India (YBS), traveled to the city of Dehradun to listen to Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, who at that time was Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in exile. I was extremely impressed by Professor Rinpoche, who could speak fluent Hindi and Tibetan and held the titles of both monk and prime minister. Rinpoche advised me and other students to learn the dying languages Sanskrit or Pali or Tibetan, as a way to properly study the ancient Buddhist texts that are in danger of being forgotten. I asked Professor Rinpoche for his advice and Rinpoche suggested to me that since Hindi is your mother tongue and Sanskrit and Pali are closely related, you should become a translator for scholarly works—a process that would take about ten years.
And so, aged 19, I moved to Library for Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamshala (Mcleod Ganj). I was introduced to the Tibetan style of group debate, and this inspired me to learn Tibetan so I could participate in such activities. I enrolled in the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah. What followed was a new, dynamic academic career. I studied the Tibetan language for three years, and then joined the Institute of Buddhist dialectics where I began to review classical Buddhist studies, Buddhist psychology, logic, collective topics, the Sutra of Wisdom and Perfection(BA), and the Middle Path Philosophy(MA) among other subjects. Pursuing Tatvasangrah course. I did a master’s degree twice in different fields.
The next opportunity came in the midst of my studies. I was assigned to accompany a group of visiting Buddhist Ph.D. scholars into Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharastra to assist with their limited Hindi language skills. I found that I could translate from Tibetan to Hindi and vice versa, that I liked the work, and decided to keep doing it while studying for his 16-year-long Ph.D(Geshe Degree).
In 2012, by which time I had developed a reputation as a translator, I was told that His Holiness the Dalai Lama need of a Hindi translator and was offered the job. I was surprised and hesitated at first as the duty and privilege felt overwhelming and I was concerned that it would be very difficult to translate for His Holiness because his wisdom is vast and deep. However, His Holiness’s secretary told me that I must do it and that was my duty. What ensued was a simultaneous translation during five-hour teaching in a day by His Holiness.
What ensued was my new role as His Holiness’s Hindi Translator. In addition to a personal friendship with His Holiness, I accompanied him on his teachings to massive audiences across India, including organizing trips in 2015 and 2018 for His Holiness to visit my own hometown, Sankisa, Uttar Pradesh, India, drawing in thousands of people.
Throughout this, my role of leadership in the Indian Buddhist community expanded further. I myself have taught the Buddhist principles of compassion and kindness to large crowds of people.
Today, I continue studying for my Geshe(Ph.D.) at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (IBD) and Ph.D. in Buddhist studies, at Delhi University, Delhi. My life is fully dedicated to the revival of Buddhism in India and on a wider scale reform of education systems around the world that, in my view, are sorely missing principles like compassion that should be taught to students in addition to material knowledge. This follows the advice of His Holiness always says.
I am very much impressed by the Tibetan language and Tibetan scholars who inspired me to study the Nalanda Tradition of Buddhism. I am grateful that I found learning Tibetan a very friendly process.