Ram Shankar Tripathi (15 October 1929 - 18 February 2019) was an Indian scholar of Buddhism, editor and author of many texts focusing on Buddhist philosophy and Buddhist Tantra. Partly inspired by Jagannath Upadhyaya, Ram Shankar Tripathi had been instrumental in reviving the study of Buddhist texts among Sanskritists in India and abroad, having taught a vast number of scholars from different parts of the world, and through a long-lasting association with traditional Buddhist scholars, from Tibet, Burma and elsewhere. Much of the important editorial work from the CUTS (former CIHTS) in Sarnath was encouraged and supported by Ram Shankar Tripathi's guidance; several prominent Tibetan Lamas, as well as a good number of contemporary Buddhologists, had studied with him.
He was the former Dean of the Faculty of Śabdavidyā at the
Central University of Tibetan Studies.
He served as the Head of the Department of ''Bauddhadarśana'' at the
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya (IAST: ; formerly Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya and Government Sanskrit College, Varanasi) is an Indian university and institution of higher learning located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. It is one of t ...
.
He is also associated with the
Savitribai Phule Pune University
Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), formerly the University of Pune, is a public state university located in the city of Pune, India. It was established in 1949, and is spread over a campus in the neighbourhood of Ganeshkhind. The uni ...
, where he was a visiting faculty of
Pali
Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
and Buddhist Studies.
He was the author of several books in Hindi and
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
, including ''Sautrāntikadarśanam'',
and edited
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
's ''The Path to Tranquility: Daily Meditations'',
among others.
''Hevajratantram: With Muktāvalī Pañjikā of Mahāpaṇḍitācārya Ratnākaraśānti''
and ''Jainavidyā evaṃ Prākr̥ta''
are two of his other notable works. His most recent publication is a Sanskrit commentary on the Pramāṇavārttika, Chapter I, offering a comprehensive guide to Dharmakīrti's difficult verses, and being more accessible than the ancient commentaries.
The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
, in 2009, for his contributions to Literature and Education.
On 18 February 2019, he died at the age of 90.
Bibliography
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See also
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Central University of Tibetan Studies
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List of Savitribai Phule Pune University people
References
1929 births
2019 deaths
Indian Sanskrit scholars
Sanskrit writers
Indian scholars of Buddhism
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