Professor Robert A. F. Thurman, the eminent American Buddhist scholar, translator, and social activist who dedicated his life to spreading the light of Buddhism in the West, has passed away. He breathed his last on Tuesday morning (June 16) at his residence in Woodstock, New York. He was 84.
Professor Robert Thurman was the Professor Emeritus of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and the co-founder and president of Tibet House US in New York City. He will be globally remembered for his profound and precise translations of Tibetan Buddhist texts, effortlessly making the Buddha’s teachings accessible to the modern world while preserving their original essence.
Tibet House US Expresses Deep Grief
Formally confirming his passing on social media, Tibet House US stated in a condolence message: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Professor Robert Thurman, the distinguished American Buddhist scholar, co-founder of Tibet House US, author, and translator, passed away on Tuesday morning in Woodstock, NY. His teachings and wisdom have touched countless lives. Om Mani Padme Hum.”
An Irreparable Loss to the Buddhist Community
Robert Thurman’s demise has cast a shadow of deep mourning over Buddhist scholars, the Sangha, and practitioners worldwide. Renowned Tibetan Buddhist master and Dzogchen practitioner Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche expressed his condolences in a statement:
“Bob Thurman was a true scholar and practitioner who worked selflessly for the sacred Dharma and the well-being of all sentient beings. His departure is an irreparable loss for our entire Buddhist community. We pray with utmost reverence for his journey to Nirvana.”
Paying tribute, ‘Lotsawa House’, a Tibetan translation and research hub, noted that in Tibetan, there is a term—Shingta Chenpo (ཤིང་རྟ་ཆེན་པོ་), meaning a ‘Great Pioneer’ or ‘Champion’. Professor Thurman was indeed a great pioneer and champion of Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Proximity to the Dalai Lama and an Illustrious Career
Born in New York City in 1941, Robert Thurman was educated at Phillips Exeter and Harvard University. For nearly 30 years, he studied and researched Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism closely as a personal student of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. He authored and edited numerous books on Buddhist philosophy, including a celebrated English translation of the Vimalakirti Sutra from the Tibetan Kangyur.
In 1987, under the guidance and inspiration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Thurman co-founded the non-profit organization *Tibet House US* in New York alongside Hollywood actor Richard Gere and composer Philip Glass. This institution functions as a global network dedicated to preserving Tibet’s unique cultural, philosophical, and spiritual heritage.
International Recognition and Legacy
- Time Magazine: In 1997, Time Magazine named him one of the “25 Most Influential Americans.”
- Light of Truth Award: In 2003, he was honored with the ‘Light of Truth’ award for his exceptional contributions to human rights and the Tibetan cause.
- Columbia University: Until his retirement in 2019, he held the Jey Tsong Khapa Chair in Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies—the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West.
Reflecting on modern crises and violence in a 2001 interview, Professor Thurman famously said: “Buddhist philosophy teaches us that violence can never bring a permanent solution. It encourages us to uproot deep-seated problems like inner poverty, ideological confusion, and prejudice, and to choose the path of ultimate compassion.” He is survived by his wife, Birgitte Caroline “Nena,” his five children (Gandens, Deken, Max, Taya, and acclaimed Hollywood actress Uma Thurman), and millions of admirers and followers worldwide. The global Buddhist community bows in deep respect to his memory.
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