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Securing the Future of Buddhist Wisdom

Celebrate BDRC's 25th Anniversary with us!

September 28, 2024, marks the 25th anniversary of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center. Since 1999, in partnership with local communities and our supporters, BDRC has digitally preserved Buddhist manuscripts, many of them rare or endangered. After a quarter century of dedicated work, together we have preserved more than 30 million pages of Buddhist texts and made them freely available to the world.

 

Please join us as we launch our anniversary campaign for sustainability. Let's invest in BDRC's longevity and make the Buddhist archive we have created together secure and accessible forever.

 

With your help, in our next quarter century, we can:

Safeguard Buddhist manuscripts vulnerable to climate and political instability

Innovate technologies to unlock the wisdom encrypted in the archive

Assist Buddhist communities to become more self-sufficient in the digital preservation of their traditions.

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

  • ED Jann Ronis at BDRC's 25th Anniversary Event

  • BDRC staff members Chungdak Ngakpa, Dechen Pema, and Kelsang Lhamo at the 25th Anniversary event.

  • The audience at BDRC's 25th Anniversary event on September 20, 2024

Join the Celebrations!

25th Anniversary Webinar with Donald S. Lopez

Zoom in on Tuesday December 10 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center. 

 

Please join renowned Buddhist Studies scholar Donald S. Lopez in conversation with BDRC Executive Director Jann Ronis to mark BDRC's quarter century. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from one of the world's leading scholars of Buddhism, just as his new book Buddhism: A Journey through History is about to be published.

 

When you register you will receive a link to listen to the keynote address that Professor Lopez gave on September 20 at the Rubin Museum of Art. 

 

The 23 minute talk examines a key activity in the transmission of Buddhism to the west: the circulation of Buddhist manuscripts from temples in Asia to libraries and classrooms in Europe and North America. Professor Lopez presents vivid accounts of two of the most influential figures in this process, one of whom is the founder of BDRC, Gene Smith. These chapters in the history of Buddhism help us better understand the magnitude of BDRC's role in this global development. Then, on Dec 10, bring your questions and join us for a lively, dynamic conversation.

 

Donald S. Lopez is the Arthur E. Link Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan. He is the author, translator, or editor of more than twenty books, including The Scientific Buddha: His Short and Happy Life, The Story of Buddhism, Prisoners of Shangri-La, and the award-winning Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. His latest book Buddhism: A Journey through History will be published by Yale University Press on January 7, 2025.

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR ON DEC 10

BUDDHIST WISDOM FROM PALM LEAF TO PIXEL with Laurie Anderson, Donald S. Lopez, and Michael Imperioli

On Friday September 20, 2024 the Buddhist Digital Resource Center marked its 25th anniversary in New York City with an evening of reunion, recollection, and inspiration. Thank you to all who joined us at the Rubin Museum of Art, in particular to the speakers and performers: Professors Donald S. Lopez, Leonard van der Kuijp, Dominique Townsend, and Benjamin Bogin, and special guests musician Laurie Anderson and actor Michael Imperioli. It was a pleasure and a privilege to hear their readings and reflections.

 

In his closing remarks, BDRC's Executive Director Jann Ronis spoke about the next 25, 50, or 108 years of text preservation, and announced the launch of an 25th Anniversary fund to secure a sustainable future for the BDRC archive.

 

Grateful thanks to our friends at Khyentse Foundation, who have published an article to mark BDRC's 25th anniversary and the long collaboration between the two organizations. You can visit their website at the link below to read a full description of the event, and see photos in the slideshow above

We are also grateful to Tim McHenry and all the team at the Rubin for hosting us during the busy final month that they were open to visitors in New York. It is indeed auspicious that the Rubin Museum and BDRC are both celebrating anniversaries and embarking on transformative reinventions this fall, and we hope that a brilliant future awaits us both.

KHYENTSE FOUNDATION ARTICLE