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David Seyfort Ruegg

1931 – 2021
Sanskrit, Tibetan
Buddhist studies, Mahayana Buddhism, Madhyamika phisosophy

Curriculum vitae

1931born in New York City on August 1
1948-1957study at the School of Oriental and African Sudies (London), Universität Zürich, Université de Paris and École Pratique des Hautes Études (Sorbonne, Paris)
1957Diplôme de l’École des Hautes Études, Section des Sciences Historiques et Philologiques
1957-1961Research in India
1961-1966Research in Paris, from 1964-1966 as Member of the École française d’Extrême Orient
1966-1972Professor of Indian philosophy, Buddhist Studies and Tibetan, University of Leiden (Netherlands)
1968Docteur dès-lettres (Doctorat d’Etat), Université de Paris
1972-1983Professor of Buddhist Studies, University of Washington (Seattle, USA)
1983-1993Professor of Tibetan Studies, University of Hamburg (Germany)
1993-presentemeritus professor
2021passed away in London

Special activities and positions

  • President of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS) (1991-1998)
  • Regional Secretary for Europe, International Association of Buddhist Studies (1999-2015)
  • Member of Council, Pali Text Society (1983- )
  • Member of the editorial boards of Journal of Indian Philosophy, Journal of the Tibet Society and Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies

Sources

Selected publications

Ruegg’s publications up to ca. 1975 and some later works related to Dutch Indology, are listed.
1958 “On the term buddhivipariṇāma and the problem of illusory change.” IIJ 2,4: 271–283.
Review of: P. Hacker, Vivarta: Studien zur Geschichte der illusionistischen Kosmologie und Erkenntnistheorie der Inder, Mainz 1953. JAOS 78: 81.
1959 Contributions à l’histoire de la philosophie linguistique indienne, Paris (Publications de l’Institut de Civilisation Indienne, Série in-8o, 7). – PhD thesis Paris.
1962 “A propos of a recent contribution to Tibetan and Buddhist studies.” JAOS 82,3: 320-
“Note on vārṣagaṇya and the Yogācārabhūmi.” IIJ 6,2: 137-140.
1964 “Rapports entre le bouddhisme et le substrat religieux indien et tibétain.” Journal asiatique 252,1: 77.
1966 The life of Bu Ston Rin Po Che; with the Tibetan text of the Bu ston rNam thar, Roma (Serie Orientale Roma 34).
1967 The study of Indian and Tibetan thought: some problems and perspectives, Leiden. – Inaugural lecture delivered on his entrance into office as professor of Indian philosophy, Buddhist studies and Tibetan at the University of Leiden on the 12th May, 1967.
1968 “On the dGe lugs pa theory of the tathāgatagarbha.” In: J.C. Heesterman e.a. (eds), Pratidānam: Indian, Iranian and Indo-European studies presented to Franciscus Bernardus Jacobus Kuiper, on his sixtieth birthday, The Hague [etc.], pp. 500-509.
1969 La théorie du tathāgatagarbha et du gotra: études sur la sotériologie et la gnoséologie du bouddhisme, Paris (Publications EFEO 70). – 2nd thesis Sorbonne Paris.
“Arya and Bhadanta Vimuktisena on the Gotra-theory of the Prajñāparamita.” WZKSO 12-13 (1968-1969) (= Beiträge zur Geistesgeschichte Indiens: Festschrift für Erich Frauwallner), pp. 303-317.
1970 “Foreword.” In: Geshé Ngawang Nyima, Memoranda on logic (Bsdus grva’i brjed-tho), Leiden (Monumenta Tibetena 1), pp. i-ii.
“Foreword.” In: Geshé Ngawang Nyima, Introduction to the doctrines of the four schools of Buddhist philosophy, part 1, Leiden (Monumenta Tibetana 2), p. i.
1971 “Le Dharmadhātustava de Nāgārjuna.” In: [A.W. Macdonald, éd.)], Études tibétaines: dédiées à la mémoire de Marcelle Lalou, Paris, pp. 448-471.
1973 Le traité du tathāgatagarbha de Bu ston Rin chen grub, trad. du De bzin gsegs pa’i snin po gsal zin mdzes par byod pa’i rgyan, Paris (Publication EFEO 88).
1974 “Pāli gotta/gotra and the term gotrabhū in Pāli and Buddhist Sanskrit.” In: L. Cousins e.a. (eds), Buddhist studies in honour of I.B. Horner, Dordrecht-Boston, pp. 199-210.
1976 “Les sens du terme gotra et l’histoire textuelle du Ratnagotravibhaga.” International Congress of Orientalists, 29th, Paris 1973, section Inde Ancienne, organisée par Jean Filliozat, Paris: L’Asiathèque, vol.1, pp. 88.
1981 The literature of the Madhyamaka school of philosophy in India, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1981. 155 pp. (A History of Indian Literature 7: Buddhist and Jaina Literature, fasc. 1).
1982 “Towards a chronology of the Madhyamaka school.” In: L.A. Hercus, F.B.J. Kuiper e.a. (eds), Indological and Buddhist Studies: volume in honour of professor J.W. de Jong on his sixtieth birthday, Canberra: Faculty of Asian Studies, pp. 505-530.
2000 “In memoriam J.W. de Jong (1921-2000).” IIJ 43,4: 313–317.
2004 “In memoriam J.W. de Jong (1921-2000).” In: H.W. Bodewitz and Minoru Hara (eds), Gedenkschrift J.W. de Jong. Tokyo: The International Institute for Buddhist Buddhist Studies (Studia philologica buddhica Monograph series 17), pp. xiii-xvi.