Buddhism Scholars

Nyanatiloka (1878-1957)

Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahāthera (1878-1957), born as Anton Walther Florus Gueth in Germany, was one of the earliest westerners in modern times to become a Bhikkhu, a fully ordained Theravāda Buddhist monk and teacher. In 1903, at the age of 25, Nyanatiloka briefly visited Śrī Lanka and then travelled to Burma. In Burma he was ordained as a Theravāda Buddhist novice (sāmaņera) in September 1903.

Ekai Kawaguchi (1866-1945)

Ekai Kawaguchi (1866-1945) was a Japanese Buddhist monk who was famed for his 4 journeys to Nepal and 2 to Tibet. Kawaguchi was the 1st recorded Japanese citizen to travel to either country. Ekai Kawaguchi was shocked at the lack of hygiene by Tibetans, the filth of Tibetan cities, and many Tibetan customs, including sexual practices, monastic immoderation, corruption and superstitious beliefs.

Daisetsu Suzuki (1870-1966)

Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (1870 - 1966), was a Japanese-American Buddhist monk, essayist, philosopher, religious scholar, translator, and writer. He was a scholar and author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin that were instrumental in spreading interest in both Zen and Shin (and Far Eastern philosophy in general) to the West. Suzuki was also a prolific translator of Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit literature.

Alexandra David-Néel (1868 - 1969)

Alexandra David-Néel (born Louise Eugenie Alexandrine Marie David; 1868 - 1969) was a Belgian–French explorer, spiritualist, Buddhist, anarchist, opera singer, and writer. She is most known for her 1924 visit to Lhasa, Tibet, when it was forbidden to foreigners. David-Néel wrote over 30 books about Eastern religion, philosophy, and her travels, including Magic and Mystery in Tibet. Her teachings influenced many popularisers of Buddhism

Anagārika Govinda (1898-1985)

Anagārika Govinda (born Ernst Lothar Hoffmann, 17 May 1898 – 14 January 1985) was the founder of the order of the Ārya Maitreya Maṇḍala and an expositor of Tibetan Buddhism, Abhidharma, and Buddhist meditation as well as other aspects of Buddhism. Anagārika Govinda wrote several books on a wide variety of Buddhist topics. His most well-known books are on Tibetan Buddhism. He started in Theravāda Buddhism

Anagārika Dharmapāla (1864-1933)

Anagārika Dharmapāla (17 September 1864 – 29 April 1933) was a Śrī Lankan Buddhist revivalist and a writer. Anagārika Dharmapāla is noted because he was the first global Buddhist missionary, a pioneer in the revival of Buddhism in India after it had been virtually extinct for several centuries; the 1st Buddhist in modern times to preach the Dhamma in 3 continents: Asia, North America, and Europe.

Walter Evans-Wentz

Walter Yeeling Evans-Wentz (February 2, 1878 – July 17, 1965) was an American anthropologist and writer who was a pioneer in the study of Tibetan Buddhism, and in transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to the Western world, most known for publishing an early English translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead in 1927. Evans-Wentz was a practitioner of the religions he studied & met Tibetan Teachers

Robert Chalmers, (1858-1938)

Robert Chalmers, (18 August 1858 – 17 November 1938) was a British civil servant, and a Pāḷi and Buddhist scholar. Robert Chalmers was appointed Governor of Ceylon, from 18 October 1913 to 4 December 1915. He attended the Pāḷi classes of T. W. Rhys Davids, and became a member of the Pāḷi Text Society. In almost 40 years, he translated more than 2000 Buddhist texts.

Fyodor Shcherbatskoy (1866-1942)

Fyodor Ippolitovich Shcherbatskoy (Stcherbatsky) (1866-1942) - was a Russian and Soviet Orientalist (Buddhist, Indologist and Tibetologist), Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1918). F. I. Shcherbatskoy was one of the founders of the Russian school of Buddhology. He translated and published a number of monuments of Sanskrit and Tibetan literature both in Russian and English. His main work in English was Buddhist Logic

T. W. Rhys Davids

Thomas William Rhys Davids (12 May 1843 – 27 December 1922) was an English scholar of the Pāḷi language and founder of the Pāḷi Text Society. He took an active part in founding the British Academy and London School for Oriental Studies. T. W. Rhys Davids was an author of many books & articles on Buddhist teachings. Rhys Davids was Professor of Pāḷi Language.

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