Opening of Gene Smith Library in China
The Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (TBRC) today announced that a significant portion of the personal collection of E. Gene Smith – the world’s largest private collection of Tibetan texts – will be donated to the library at the Southwest University for Nationalities in Chengdu, China. The library will open on June 1, 2011, as part of the university’s 60th Anniversary celebration, reflecting the importance of this offering to the university. E. Gene Smith, who died on December 16, 2010, chose to donate nearly 12,000 volumes to the university through TBRC, the organization he founded to digitally preserve his collection.
I found it extremely interesting that such a large portion of the collection went back.
After learning about E. Gene Smith, I still believe that he was a pure scholar, coming from an era where a small group of individuals dedicate their lifetime to an interest where ego is not in the forefront and the designs of fame are not the goal. Very rare.
I read in an interview his answer to the question of “why” this lifelong interest in Tibet and here is the answer given, “Karma, I guess.”
…perfect answer…:-)