Guide Note

Bob Thurman is a Buddhist writer and professor at Columbia University. He also is a former Amherst College professor.

Fast Facts

1. Born: August 4, 1941
2. Birth Place: New York City, New York
3. Professor: Je Tsong Khapa of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University
4. Alma Mater: Harvard University
5. Parents: Elizabeth Dean and Beverly Reid Thurman, Jr
6. First Wife: Christophe de Menil
7. Had one daughter: Taya
8. Taya is the mother of Dash Snow
9. Second Wife: Nena von Schlebrügge
10. Had four children
11. Father of actress Uma Thurman
12. Named one of Time's "25 Most Influential Americans"¹

1. 1954-1958: Attended Philips Exeter Academy
2. 1959: Married Christophe de Menil
3. 1961: Lost his left eye while using a car jack
4. 1962: Graduated from Harvard University
5. 1964: Became an ordained Buddhist priest
6. 1967: Married Nena von Schlebrugge
7. 1969 and 1972: Earned a M.A. and a Ph.D from Harvard
8. 1973-1988: Professor for Amherst College

1. The Central Philosophy of Tibet: A Study and Translation of Jey Tsong Khapa's 'Essence of True Eloquence' (1991)
2. The Tibetan Book of the Dead (1994)
3. Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet (1996)
4. Tibetan Buddhism (1996)
5. Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment (1997)
6. Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion (1999)
7. Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness (1999)
8. Circling the Sacred Mountain: A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas (1999)
9. Infinite Life: Seven Virtues for Living Well (2004)
10. The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism (2005)
11. Anger (2005)
12. Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet and the World (2008)