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Buddhist
Digital Resource
Center

Preserving Buddhist Literature for the World

Using state-of-the art technology, the Buddhist Digital Resource Center is the leader in the field of digital preservation of Buddhist texts, working with local partners to provide free access for the global community. 

 

The Buddhist Digital Resource Center is the largest online archive of Tibetan and Buddhist texts in the world, and provides open access to this incredible body of literature via an online library, a mobile app, and hard drive distribution programs.

Discover millions of pages of texts from
the major Buddhist literary traditions.

Get the app and explore
our library

Preserving Buddhist Literature for the World
- some Highlights -

  • BDRC's ED Jann Ronis and CTO Élie Roux are awarded the Aming Tu Prize, Taipei, March 2024.
  • Gene Smith tutoring the children of HH Dagchen Rinpoche and HE Jamyang Dagmo Kushu in Seattle, 1960s
  • E. Gene Smith with Dezhung Rinpoche in Seattle
  • Gene Smith with his pet dogs in India, 1970s
  • Gene Smith with his collection of Tibetan Buddhist texts.
  • Gene Smith demonstrates the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center at Songtsen Library.
  • Gene Smith and Ven. Matthieu Ricard with monks inputting texts at Shechen Monastery, Nepal.
  • L to R: Robert Thurman, Gene Smith, Khenpo Choying Dorjé of Dzongsar Institute at Bir Conference on Translating the Words of the Buddha, Bir 2008.
  • Gene Smith presents a hard drive of Buddhist texts to Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in Kathmandu.
  • A hard drive with a curated collection of Buddhist texts: Issue 7 of the Core Text Collection.
  • In the early days, TBRC created CDs of digitized Buddhist texts to distribute.
  • Signing ceremony for donation of the E. Gene Smith library to South West Nationalities University, Chengdu, China 2007.
  • Gene Smith at South West Nationalities University Chengdu where he donated his text collection.
  • Gene Smith with the staff of the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center, NYC 2010.
  • Gene Smith at his office at the Rubin Foundation, New York City, 2010.
  • Gene Smith's obituary in the Economist, December 2010.
  • The E. Gene Smith Tibetan Library at South West Nationalities University, Chengdu, China, established in 2011.
  • The Board of Directors of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center in 2015.
  • BDRC works with local preservationists to scan and publish texts.
  • Digitizing the Ragya Kangyur.
  • Photographing a well-preserved Buddhist text prior to digitization.
  • Scanning Buddhist texts at Mentsekhang Library, India.
  • Reviewing texts for digitization at Mentsekhang.
  • A visit from HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, March 2015
  • The BDRC Librarians at the International Association of Tibetan Studies conference in Prague, 2022.
  • Jann Ronis with Susan Meinheit, at the Tibetan Collection of the Library of Congress.
  • Launch of the photography book Digital Dharma celebrating the life and legacy of E. Gene Smith.
  • The Digital Dharma production team: editor Tenzin Dickie, Patricia Gruber of the Gruber Foundation, Jann Ronis of BDRC, authors Dafna Yachin and Arthur M. Fischman.
  • Audience at the launch of Digital Dharma in New York City, November 2022
  • Event for Digital Dharma at the BDRC office, Boston, February 2023.
  • Scanning Khmer texts in Cambodia.
  • Digitization stations for Fragile Palm Leaves Collection of texts from Burma.
  • Librarians at Shugseb Nunnery, India, organize their collection of Buddhist texts.
  • BDRC Head Librarian helps organize the library at Geden Choeling Nunnery.
  • BDRC Head Librarian trains local partner in digitization skills.
  • Geshe Monlam visit to the BDRC office, January 2024
  • BDRC Head Librarian digitizing texts at Namdroling Monastery.
  • Book launch for the Biography of Gene Smith by BDRC Senior Librarian Kelsang Lhamo.
  • The BDRC mobile app
  • BDRC's ED Jann Ronis and CTO Élie Roux are awarded the Aming Tu Prize, Taipei, March 2024.

    BDRC's ED Jann Ronis and CTO Élie Roux are awarded the Aming Tu Prize, Taipei, March 2024.

  • Gene Smith tutoring the children of HH Dagchen Rinpoche and HE Jamyang Dagmo Kushu in Seattle, 1960s

    Gene Smith tutoring the children of HH Dagchen Rinpoche and HE Jamyang Dagmo Kushu in Seattle, 1960s

  • E. Gene Smith with Dezhung Rinpoche in Seattle

    E. Gene Smith with Dezhung Rinpoche in Seattle

  • Gene Smith with his pet dogs in India, 1970s

    Gene Smith with his dogs in India, 1970s

  • Gene Smith with his collection of Tibetan Buddhist texts.

    Gene Smith with his collection of Tibetan Buddhist texts.

  • Gene Smith demonstrates the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center at Songtsen Library.

    Gene Smith demonstrates the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center at Songtsen Library.

  • Gene Smith and Ven. Matthieu Ricard with monks inputting texts at Shechen Monastery, Nepal.

    Gene Smith and Ven. Matthieu Ricard with monks inputting texts at Shechen Monastery, Nepal.

  • In the early days, TBRC created CDs of digitized Buddhist texts to distribute.

    In the early days, TBRC created CDs of digitized Buddhist texts to distribute.

  • Gene Smith presents a hard drive of Buddhist texts to Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in Kathmandu.

    Gene Smith presents a hard drive of Buddhist texts to Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in Kathmandu.

  • A hard drive with a curated collection of Buddhist texts: Issue 7 of the Core Text Collection.

    A hard drive with a curated collection of Buddhist texts: Issue 7 of the Core Text Collection.

  • L to R: Robert Thurman, Gene Smith, Khenpo Choying Dorjé of Dzongsar Institute at Bir Conference on Translating the Words of the Buddha, Bir 2008.

    L to R: Robert Thurman, Gene Smith, Khenpo Choying Dorjé of Dzongsar Institute at Bir Conference on Translating the Words of the Buddha, Bir 2008.

  • Signing ceremony for donation of the E. Gene Smith library to South West Nationalities University, Chengdu, China 2007.

    Signing ceremony for donation of the E. Gene Smith library to South West Nationalities University, Chengdu, China 2007.

  • Gene Smith at South West Nationalities University Chengdu where he donated his text collection.

    Gene Smith at South West Nationalities University Chengdu where he donated his text collection.

  • Gene Smith with the staff of the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center, NYC 2010.

    Gene Smith with the staff of the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center, NYC 2010.

  • Gene Smith at his office at the Rubin Foundation, New York City, 2010.

    Gene Smith at his office at the Rubin Foundation, New York City, 2010.

  • Gene Smith's obituary in the Economist, December 2010.

    Gene Smith's obituary in the Economist, Dec 2010

  • The E. Gene Smith Tibetan Library at South West Nationalities University, Chengdu, China, established in 2011.

    The E. Gene Smith Tibetan Library at South West Nationalities University, Chengdu, China, established in 2011.

  • The Board of Directors of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center in 2015.

    The Board of Directors of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center in 2015.

  • BDRC works with local preservationists to scan and publish texts.

    BDRC works with local preservationists to scan and publish texts.

  • Digitizing the Ragya Kangyur.

    Digitizing the Ragya Kangyur.

  • Photographing a well-preserved Buddhist text prior to digitization.
  • Scanning Buddhist texts at Mentsekhang Library, India.

    Scanning Buddhist texts at Mentsekhang Library, India.

  • Reviewing texts for digitization at Mentsekhang.

    Reviewing texts for digitization at Mentsekhang.

  • A visit from HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, March 2015

    A visit from HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, March 2015

  • The BDRC Librarians at the International Association of Tibetan Studies conference in Prague, 2022.

    The BDRC Librarians at the International Association of Tibetan Studies conference in Prague, 2022.

  • Jann Ronis with Susan Meinheit, at the Tibetan Collection of the Library of Congress.

    Jann Ronis with Susan Meinheit, at the Tibetan Collection of the Library of Congress.

  • Launch of the photography book Digital Dharma celebrating the life and legacy of E. Gene Smith.
  • The Digital Dharma production team: editor Tenzin Dickie, Patricia Gruber of the Gruber Foundation, Jann Ronis of BDRC, authors Dafna Yachin and Arthur M. Fischman.

    The Digital Dharma production team: editor Tenzin Dickie, Patricia Gruber of the Gruber Foundation, Jann Ronis of BDRC, authors Dafna Yachin and Arthur M. Fischman.

  • Audience at the launch of Digital Dharma in New York City, November 2022

    Audience at the launch of Digital Dharma in New York City, November 2022

  • Scanning Khmer texts in Cambodia.

    Scanning Khmer texts in Cambodia.

  • Digitization stations for Fragile Palm Leaves Collection of texts from Burma.

    Digitization stations for Fragile Palm Leaves Collection of texts from Burma.

  • Librarians at Shugseb Nunnery, India, organize their collection of Buddhist texts.

    Librarians at Shugseb Nunnery, India, organize their collection of Buddhist texts.

  • BDRC Head Librarian helps organize the library at Geden Choeling Nunnery.
  • BDRC Head Librarian trains local partner in digitization skills.

    BDRC Head Librarian trains local partner in digitization skills.

  • Event for Digital Dharma at the BDRC office, Boston, February 2023.

    Event for Digital Dharma at the BDRC office, Boston, February 2023.

  • Geshe Monlam visit to the BDRC office, January 2024

    Geshe Monlam visit to the BDRC office, January 2024

  • BDRC Head Librarian digitizing texts at Namdroling Monastery.

    BDRC Head Librarian digitizing texts at Namdroling Monastery.

  • Book launch for the Biography of Gene Smith by BDRC Senior Librarian Kelsang Lhamo.

    Book launch for the Biography of Gene Smith by BDRC Senior Librarian Kelsang Lhamo.

  • The BDRC mobile app

    The BDRC mobile app

  • Laurie Anderson, Dominique Townsend and Benjamin Bogin at BDRC's 25th Anniversary Event on Sept 20, 2024

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Highlights From the Archive

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BUDA: BDRC's
Archival Platform

BDRC's Buddhist Digital Archives (BUDA) provides free access to millions of pages of Buddhist texts as well as digital research tools. Search our library here.

Nāmasaṅgīti

BUDA : BDRC's
Archival Platform

BUDA's IIIF interface

BDRC's Buddhist Digital Archives (BUDA) provides access to more than 17 million pages of Buddhist texts and offers digital tools to support research.

Programs

Our team of scholars, technologists, librarians, and project experts enact BDRC's mission with 
a passion for preserving and sharing Buddhist cultural heritage.

Budhist Digital Resource Center Preservation of Tibetan literary heritage

People

Our international team carries out BDRC's mission with ingenuity and dedication, using its skills to make BDRC the online home for Buddhist literature.

Partners

Khyentse Foundation

Khyentse Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001 by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche to support all traditions of Buddhist study and practice. Since 2001, the foundation has supported individuals and institutions in more than 30 countries and has directly affected the lives of people around the world. Khyentse Foundation activities include major text preservation and translation projects, support for traditional monastic colleges in Asia, a worldwide scholarship and awards program, academic development of Buddhist studies in major universities, training and development for Buddhist leaders and teachers, Buddhist education for children, support for individual study and retreats, and more.

Khyentse Foundation

The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation

The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation is an independent philanthropic organization based in Hong Kong. The Foundation's dual mission is to foster appreciation of Chinese arts and culture to advance global learning and to cultivate a deeper understanding of Buddhism in the context of contemporary life.

BDRC's Sanskrit and Chinese Digital Library Network program is supported by a grant from the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation.

The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation

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Discover our partners

Partners

Khyentse Foundation

The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation

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Discover our partners

Discover millions of pages
of texts from the major Buddhist
literary traditions.

Get the app and explore our library

Locations

Bangkok
Thailand

Boston, MA
USA

China

Phnom Penh
Cambodia

Ulan Bator
Mongolia

Varanasi
India

Cambridge, MA
USA

Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia

New Delhi
India

Bangkok
Thailand