Walpola Rahula

Walpola Rahula was a prominent Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, scholar, and writer who made significant contributions to the understanding of Buddhism in the West.

Born in 1907, he became the first Buddhist monk to hold a professorial chair in the Western world when he was appointed Professor of History and Religions at Northwestern University in 1964.

Rahula also served as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka.

He authored numerous books on Buddhism in English, French, and Sinhalese, with "What the Buddha Taught" being his most renowned work.

This book is widely regarded as one of the best introductions to Theravada Buddhism.

Rahula's scholarly work and teachings played a crucial role in bridging Eastern and Western understanding of Buddhist philosophy and practice until his death in 1997.