Awards Padma Shri | ||
Occupation Scholar of Buddhism, Sanskrit, Pali | ||
Ram Shankar Tripathi is an Indian scholar of Buddhism, editor and author of a large number of texts focusing on Buddhist philosophy and Buddhist Tantra. Partly inspired by Jagannath Upadhyaya, Ram Shankar Tripathi has been instrumental in reviving the study of Buddhist texts among Sanskritist 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 prominent contemporary Buddhologists, have studied with him.
He is the former Dean of the Faculty of Śabdavidyā at the Central University of Tibetan Studies. He has served as the Head of the Department of Bauddhadarśana at the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. He is also associated with the Savitribai Phule Pune University, where he is a visiting faculty of Pali and Buddhist Studies. He is the author of several books in Hindi and Sanskrit, including Sautrāntikadarśanam, and has 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.