Episode 744: 1) ROBERT THURMAN (2011), Buddhist teacher, died in June - 2) JONATHAN SCHELL (2004), late journalist & author reflects on 9/11 episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 3, 2026 · 56 MIN

Episode 744: 1) ROBERT THURMAN (2011), Buddhist teacher, died in June - 2) JONATHAN SCHELL (2004), late journalist & author reflects on 9/11

from Free Forum with Terrence McNally · host Terrence McNally

We lost perhaps our nation’s most influential Buddhist with the death of ROBERT THURMAN June 16th at the age of 84. A former monk, ordained and partly trained by the Dalai Lama, left the monastery, earned a Harvard doctorate, taught at Amherst & Columbia, and wrote, edited and translated more than 20 books on Buddhism, both scholarly and for the general public. He was a founder of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at Columbia as well as Tibet House US in New York City, where he served for decades as president. In the first half of this episode you’ll hear our conversation recorded in 2011.In the second half you’ll hear my 2004 conversation with the late JONATHAN SCHELL about his book, A HOLE IN THE WORLD: An Unfolding Story of War, Protest, and the New American Order - his reflections on the experience of 9/11 and its aftermath. Schell passed away in 2014. Both wise men dedicated to working for a better world. This is the first time the Schell conversation has been available as podcast.

We lost perhaps our nation’s most influential Buddhist with the death of ROBERT THURMAN June 16th at the age of 84. A former monk, ordained and partly trained by the Dalai Lama, left the monastery, earned a Harvard doctorate, taught at Amherst & Columbia, and wrote, edited and translated more than 20 books on Buddhism, both scholarly and for the general public. He was a founder of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at Columbia as well as Tibet House US in New York City, where he served for decades as president. In the first half of this episode you’ll hear our conversation recorded in 2011.In the second half you’ll hear my 2004 conversation with the late JONATHAN SCHELL about his book, A HOLE IN THE WORLD: An Unfolding Story of War, Protest, and the New American Order - his reflections on the experience of 9/11 and its aftermath. Schell passed away in 2014. Both wise men dedicated to working for a better world. This is the first time the Schell conversation has been available as podcast.

NOW PLAYING

Episode 744: 1) ROBERT THURMAN (2011), Buddhist teacher, died in June - 2) JONATHAN SCHELL (2004), late journalist & author reflects on 9/11

0:00 56:46

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Free Forum with Terrence McNally?

This episode is 56 minutes long.

When was this Free Forum with Terrence McNally episode published?

This episode was published on July 3, 2026.

What is this episode about?

We lost perhaps our nation’s most influential Buddhist with the death of ROBERT THURMAN June 16th at the age of 84. A former monk, ordained and partly trained by the Dalai Lama, left the monastery, earned a Harvard doctorate, taught at Amherst &...

Can I download this Free Forum with Terrence McNally episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!