The much-loved Canadian scholar, teacher, and Buddhist practitioner Prof. David Dale Holmes (Dhamma name Anagarika Tevijjo) died in Ontario on the morning of 2 March after a period of ill health. He was 84 years old. David is survived by his son Chris and two grandchildren.
Family, friends, and sangha members held a memorial service for David on 9 March at Wat Khmer Kampuchea Krom Buddhist Temple in Stoney Creek, Ontario.
Born in 1940, David studied philosophy at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. This led to a successful teaching career at Georgetown University and later as a professor at the University of Maryland, Munich Campus, European Division, where he taught philosophy, English and world literature, creative writing, and wide range of other subjects from 1966–92.
David’s far-ranging travels and lifelong interest in Buddhism eventually led him to Sri Lanka. From 1986 to 1992, he traveled yearly between Munich and Kandy to study under the mentorship of the revered monk, Pali scholar, and author Venerable Nyanaponika Maha Thera and the equally renowned Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi. It was here that David cultivated a deep familiarity with the body of literature curated by the Buddhist Publication Society (BPS), and assisted in editing the BPS Wheel Series to make its textual resources available online for free download.
Recalling his early encounters with Ven. Nyanaponika Maha Thera and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, David related:
They received me with a matter-of-fact warmth and loving-kindness, which was a lesson in itself. Very much in awe, after some scattered questions, I asked how I could find the real source of Buddhism. They said to start with the Ven. Nyanatiloka’s translation of The Word of the Buddha and then go on to practice the discipline outlined in his Path to Deliverance. They stressed that the emphasis must be on actual practice of the path as opposed to theory. And that I would find it difficult—not just at first, but all the way along, even into an advanced stage. But if I followed the word of the Buddha and the practice, I would make progress.
In summation, when I asked them where I could discover the meaning of Buddhism, they answered: “Why look anywhere but in the words spoken by the Buddha?” That’s what Theravada Buddhism is all about and, to my amazement, the Buddhist Publication Society has made it all available in English, with nothing cryptic or inaccessible about it. I just hadn’t known where to look. So I read another bookcase full of BPS publications, this time perhaps for the right reasons, and, finally, realized that the path I had missed was the one of practical mental application and discipline applied to the thoughts, feelings, and actions of everyday life, as opposed to pure intellectual pursuit. If the mind is being tuned but not in harmony with the body, then advancement will be blocked. (BDG)
David eventually relocated to Asia, where he lectured at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University for seven years, and later at the World Buddhist University in Bangkok.
After retiring, David returned to his home country Canada, residing at Wat Khmer Kampuchea Krom Buddhist Temple as an ordained novice monk. He was active in the Theravada community, assisting the monastery’s head monk, Ven. Thach Truong Dhammo, sharing his wisdom with anyone ho was interested in learning, and writing as a regular editorial contributor for BDG from 2017 until his passing.
An obituary shared online by those closest to David offered the following concluding thoughts:
May the blessings of the Buddha be upon him and may he achieve the supreme bliss of Nibbana. May he be free from the cycle of samsara. May he be at peace knowing that he had a positive impact on the world and transformed the lives of others. May he know that he is loved, will be remembered, and will remain in the hearts and minds of many. As per the Buddha’s teachings, may we be reminded that life is impermanent, and to spend our time fostering meaningful connections, and by doing good, wholesome, and skillful actions.
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.
See more
David Holmes Obituary (Canadian Cremation Services)
Welcome to the Noble Path – A Resource for Buddhist Teachings
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