Abstract

This study examines the pioneering linguistic contributions of Alexander Csoma de Kőrös (1784–1842), the Hungarian pilgrim-scholar regarded as the “Father of Tibetan Studies.” Through his Tibetan–English Dictionary (1834), Grammar of the Tibetan Language (1834), and cataloguing of the Tibetan Buddhist canon, Csoma provided the first systematic tools for accessing Tibetan Buddhist texts. His works functioned as bridges between East and West, enabling Buddhist philosophy to enter Western scholarship and shaping the development of modern Indology and Buddhist studies. Employing a historical-textual methodology, the study evaluates Csoma’s motivations, methods, and limitations within the intellectual context of the nineteenth century, while comparing his approach to later developments in Buddhist translation and linguistics. The discussion highlights Csoma’s enduring legacy as both a scholar and a “Hungarian Bodhisattva,” emphasizing his role in globalizing Buddhist thought and offering lessons for contemporary translation studies, comparative linguistics, and interreligious dialogue.