Notes from the Road

2026-06-26:  Remembering Robert A.F. Thurman

(August 3, 1941 - June 16, 2026)

While I cannot claim any deep personal relationship with Tenzin Robert Thurman, I nonetheless felt connected to him through his work, which has floated in and out my life for twenty-eight years. At some point, he simply became "Bob" in my head.  For this reason, when I learned of his recent passing, I found myself rattled.  I needed to sit down and reflect.

I originally encountered Bob's work through his translation of The Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti from Tibetan into English in my very first undergraduate course on Buddhism back in 1998.  By the time I graduated, I would study Buddhism with multiple teachers; that text resurfaced again and again as required reading--and rightfully so.  

In many ways, The Holy Teachings of Vimalakirti walked alongside me as I stepped more fully onto the path. 

As I open my old copy and look back, I see how carefully my younger self highlighted this precious text and wrote her early understandings in the margins.  Not only do its covers house the sutra; they also house my early awakenings.  Some were but the first steps toward deeper understandings as the years passed; others remain just as true to me today. 

The last time I saw Bob in person was at U.C. Irvine for a conference honoring and celebrating the 80th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  That was nearly eleven years ago.  Like everyone else, I made sure to take a photo of His Holiness.  Looking back, however, I'm grateful I also thought to capture this moment of Bob in reflection while speaking--not simply because it's a photo of him, but because it also shows others listening in rapt attention.  Together, both aspects of this image represent how he remains situated in my memory.

Although I read several of Bob's books, it wasn't until 2017 that I purchased my second one, Infinite Life: Awakening to Bliss Within.  I knew immediately it was something I'd want to keep with me--and I was right.

Years later, during the pandemic, I would sit outside on my back patio in the mornings and read from Infinite Life over coffee.  I think that's likely the point at which he became fully "Bob" to me.  As someone navigating the isolation of the pandemic while quarantined alone, I deeply appreciated the generosity and warm invitation of his words; they helped me retain a sense of connection--to embody, in a small but real way, the truth of interconnectedness even in extended solitude.

In the days since Bob's passing, His Holiness has said “Bob lived a meaningful life and has left behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future students of Tibetan Buddhism and culture for generations to come.” [link]   How true that is.  I am but one example.

Thank you, Bob.  

Namo Amida Butsu.