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.
He is also associated with the
Savitribai Phule Pune University
Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), formerly the University of Poona, is a collegiate 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 Ganeshk ...
, where he was a visiting faculty of
Pali and Buddhist Studies.
He was the author of several books in Hindi and
Sanskrit, including ''Sautrāntikadarśanam'',
and edited
Dalai Lama'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, 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
Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education
Indian Sanskrit scholars
Sanskrit writers
Indian scholars of Buddhism
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