Robert Thurman
1941–2026 · New York City
About
Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman was an American Buddhist author and academic who wrote, edited, and translated books on Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University.
Biography
Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman was an American Buddhist author and academic who wrote, edited, and translated books on Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University before retiring in June 2019. He held the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West and co-founded Tibet House US in New York. He translated the Vimalakirti Sutra from the Tibetan Kanjur into English. He was the father of actress Uma Thurman and grandfather of Maya Hawke. He died on June 16, 2026.
Teachings & topics
Bibliography
- Wisdom Is Bliss2021 · Hay House, Incorporated
- Why the Dalai Lama Matters2008 · Simon & Schuster, Limited
- Why the Dalai Lama matters2008 · Beyond Worlds Pub.
Also in the directory
Other people in the same tradition and lineage.



