What a huge loss to scholarship, and a sad and unexpected passing of a much loved and valued colleague.  Many years ago, Lance graciously allowed his review article about the debate surrounding the date of the Buddha to be published on the INDOLOGY website, where it has been read hundreds if not thousands of times.  Lance's writings on the history of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation practices are invaluable (and I use them routinely in my teaching).

Sincerely,

Dominik Wujastyk

On 20 March 2015 at 01:04, Rupert Gethin <Rupert.Gethin@bristol.ac.uk> wrote:

Dear Colleagues,

It is with sadness that I write to the list to inform members of the death of Lance Cousins at the age of 72. I understand that Lance died suddenly last Friday in Oxford. Lance will be known to many members of this list both from his publications and his contributions to the list; many will also have benefited from the generous way in which he shared his learning by way of comment and advice.

Lance studied history and then oriental studies at Cambridge before being appointed Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer in Comparative Religion at the University of Manchester where he taught Buddhism, Hinduism, comparative mysticism, Pali and Sanskrit. He took early retirement in the 1990s, moving to Oxford where he taught Buddhism in the Faculty of Theology and Pali and Middle Indian in the Faculty of Oriental Studies. Lance served as President of the UK Association for Buddhist Studies and of the Pali Text Society. His published articles concern the history of Buddhist schools, Abhidhamma literature and thought, as well as Pali, Middle Indian and Buddhist Sanskrit textual studies. Lance was also a founding member of the Samatha Trust and a much respected teacher of samatha meditation. He will be remembered by many as a true paṇḍita.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

With best wishes,

Rupert Gethin
Professor of Buddhist Studies




University of Bristol
Department of Religion and Theology
3 Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1TB, UK

Email: Rupert.Gethin@bristol.ac.uk

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