معرفی
Isaline Blew Horner (1896–1981) was a prominent Pali scholar and academic at the University of Cambridge. She held roles including Librarian and Research Fellow at Newnham College, where she contributed significantly to Buddhist studies. Her academic journey began with a BA (1917) and MA (1934) from Newnham, followed by extensive travels in Ceylon, India, and Burma, which deepened her expertise in Buddhism and Pali texts. Horner’s work spanned translations, commentaries, and analyses of early Buddhist literature, including the Devadatta Jatakas and The Living Thoughts of Gotama the Buddha (co-authored with Ananda Coomaraswamy). She served as Honorary Secretary, President, and Treasurer of the Pali Text Society (1942–1981), driving its global influence. Her lectures and articles explored themes like women’s roles in early Buddhism, monastic rules, and Buddhist philosophy. Recognized with the OBE (1980), she also funded Newnham’s Horner Library. Personal life included a partnership with Elsie Butler, and her legacy is preserved through manuscripts, diaries, and family papers archived at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.
Education:
- BA, Newnham College, Cambridge (1917)
- MA, Newnham College, Cambridge (1934)
Research Interests: Pali literature, Early Buddhism, Buddhist monasticism, gender in religious texts, and translation studies. Her work often bridged textual analysis with cultural and historical contexts.
Publications & Contributions:
- Translations and commentaries on Pali texts, including the Buddhavamsa Commentary.
- Lectures on Buddhist teachings, such as “Women in Early Buddhism” and “The Theory of Practice.”
- Key roles in the Pali Text Society, promoting Buddhist scholarship globally.
Awards & Legacy:
- OBE (1980) for services to Buddhism and academia.
- Funded the Horner Library at Newnham College (1961–1962).
- Extensive archives documenting her travels, research, and personal life.
Labs/Teams: Collaborated with scholars like Ananda Coomaraswamy and contributed to international Buddhist councils, such as the Sixth Buddhist Council in Rangoon (1955).
