Remembering Gene Smith founder of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center
E. Gene Smith, a renowned scholar and advocate for Tibetan Buddhist literary culture, founded the Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), now the world’s largest online Buddhist library.
His journey began in India, where he encountered Tibetan scholars and masters, gaining access to their texts.
Recognizing the vastness of Tibetan wisdom, Gene chose to forego his PhD and dedicated his life to studying Tibetan Buddhist literature.
He traversed India, Nepal, and Bhutan, braving challenges to seek teachers and texts, mirroring the ancient Indian Buddhist masters’ quests.
Gene’s encounters, notably with Banyak Athing in Gangtok, were pivotal.
Accessing Athing’s personal library, Gene copied rare texts, including catalogs of blockprints and monastery collections, contributing significantly to the preservation of Tibetan Buddhist knowledge.
