典型的梵語關係子句通常包含關係代詞，但古漢語不具備此一句式特徵，因此佛典關係句的漢譯必然涉及語篇信息重構。本文透過帶有虛詞「若」的經句實例，探討漢譯佛典關係子句的翻譯策略，並解析可能由此衍生的解讀問題。
為了呈現梵語句式，古譯師保留右分枝結構漢譯關係子句，有時以「若」引領關係子句。然而，中文「若」經常作為引導條件或假設子句的起首虛詞。受到語言干擾影響，漢譯佛典的關係子句與條件、假設、時間子句之分界模糊，甚至可能引發句義誤讀。本研究從梵語和漢語特點入手，強調瞭解語言差異、文本語境對於準確解讀漢譯佛經的重要性。研究結果亦呈現語言結構、譯詞選用與宗教文本理解之間的緊密關聯。
Typical Sanskrit relative clauses typically include relative pronouns, a syntactic feature absent in Classical Chinese. Consequently, translating the relative clauses of Buddhist texts into Chinese necessitates reconstructing discourse information. This paper investigates the strategies employed in translating Chinese syntax, specifically through examples containing the particle 若 (ruò), and analyzes the interpretive challenges that arise.
To convey the structure of Sanskrit sentences, ancient translators employed right-branching structures to render relative clauses in Chinese, often prefacing these clauses with ruò. However, ruò frequently functions as an introductory particle for conditional or hypothetical clauses in Chinese. Due to linguistic interference, the lines between relative clauses and conditional, hypothetical, or temporal clauses in Chinese-translated Buddhist texts become ambiguous, which may lead to misunderstandings of the overall sentence meaning. This study examines the distinctive features of both Sanskrit and Chinese relative clauses, highlighting the critical need to understand language differences and textual context for the precise interpretation of Chinese Buddhist scriptures. Furthermore, the research underscores the close interrelationship between linguistic structures, the selection of translation terms, and the interpretation of religious texts.