Robert Thurman
Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman was an American scholar and author renowned for his extensive work on Tibetan Buddhism. He held the prestigious Je Tsongkhapa Professorship at Columbia University, becoming the first to hold an endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West. Thurman was also a co-founder of Tibet House US and a significant translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts into English.
Key Facts
- ›Held the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West at Columbia University.
- ›Co-founded Tibet House us to preserve Tibetan culture.
- ›Translated the Vimalakirti Sutra from Tibetan into English.
- ›Was the first American Buddhist monk ordained by the 14th Dalai Lama.
- ›Named one of Time magazine's 25 most influential Americans in 1997.
- ›Received India's Padma Shri Award for literature and education in 2020.
Important Relationships
- Uma Thurman (daughter)
- Maya Hawke (granddaughter)
- Marie-Christophe de Menil (first wife)
- Nena von Schlebrügge (second wife)
- Richard Gere (co-founder of Tibet House US)
- Philip Glass (co-founder of Tibet House US)
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama (guru, friend)
- Geshe Wangyal (guru)
- the Central Philosophy of Tibet: A Study and Translation of Jey Tsong Khapa's Essence of True Eloquence
- the Tibetan Book of the Dead: the Natural Liberation Through Understanding In the Between
- Essential Tibetan Buddhism
- Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness
- the Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture
- Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth As the Solution For China, Tibet and the World
Manhattan, New York City, Harvard University, Columbia University, Amherst College, Dalhousie, India, Phoenicia, New York, Woodstock, New York
Geshe Wangyal, 14th Dalai Lama, Jey Tsongkhapa
English, Tibetan, Sanskrit
Buddhist Monk Vows
Influential, Pioneering
About Robert Thurman
Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman
Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman (1941–2026) was a prominent American Buddhist author, academic, and translator, widely recognized for his contributions to the understanding of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. He held the distinguished position of Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, where he was the first to hold an endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the Western world. Thurman was instrumental in co-founding Tibet House US, an organization dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture, and its Menla Retreat & Dewa Spa.
Life and Career
Born in New York City, Thurman's early life included an adventurous period where he was expelled from Phillips Exeter Academy for attempting to join Fidel Castro's forces in Cuba. After a period of travel and personal reflection, including losing an eye in an accident, he became a Buddhist in India, where he studied with Geshe Wangyal and was ordained by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1965, becoming the first American Buddhist monk of the Tibetan tradition. He later pursued advanced studies at Harvard University, earning his Ph.D. in Sanskrit Indian Studies.
Thurman's academic career spanned significant institutions, including Amherst College and Columbia University. He was celebrated as a leading interpreter of Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama's "man in America." His translations, such as the Vimalakirti Sutra, were praised for their accuracy and scholarly merit. In addition to his academic work, he was a public figure, recognized by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Americans in 1997 and a recipient of India's Padma Shri Award.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Robert Thurman's academic specialty?
Robert Thurman was an expert in Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies. He held the Je Tsongkhapa Professorship at Columbia University, focusing on this area of scholarship.
What is Tibet House US and what was Thurman's role in it?
Tibet House US is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Robert Thurman, dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture in exile. He served as its president and played a key role in its establishment and operations.
What notable translations did Robert Thurman complete?
Thurman is recognized for his translation of the Vimalakirti Sutra from the Tibetan Kangyur into English. He also translated Tsongkhapa's Essence of Eloquence.
What is Robert Thurman's connection to the Dalai Lama?
Robert Thurman was ordained as a Buddhist monk by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1965, becoming the first American to do so in the Tibetan tradition. They became close friends, and the Dalai Lama requested Thurman to co-found Tibet House US.
What was Robert Thurman's personal background?
Born in New York City, Thurman was the son of a stage actress and an Associated Press editor. He was married twice and had five children, including actress Uma Thurman.
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