Robert A.F. Thurman (1941–2026) was one of the world’s foremost scholars and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism. A professor emeritus of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, he played a pivotal role in introducing Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan culture to Western audiences. A lifelong friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the first Westerner to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by His Holiness, Thurman co-founded Tibet House US, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Tibet’s cultural heritage. He was the author of numerous influential books, including Infinite Life, Why the Dalai Lama Matters, and his translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Through his scholarship, activism, and teaching, he inspired generations of students and practitioners.
Robert Thurman
Recent Articles
The Meaning of the Dalai Lama for Today
Robert Thurman sees the Dalai Lama as a reincarnation of the Buddha of universal compassion. Amidst the chaos of today’s world, he says, the “simple monk” remains undaunted, and even cheerful.
The Tibetan Buddhist View of Death and Rebirth
In the March 1995 Lion's Roar magazine, Professor Robert Thurman explained the Tibetan Buddhist view of death and rebirth.
A Cry for Freedom
Robert Thurman's commentary on the Tibetan plight and the horrifying phenomenon of Tibetans self-immolating in protest of Chinese rule.
Till We Meet Again
Robert Thurman pays tribute to Daido Loori and his legacy in American Buddhism.
