Obituary Notices (Mrs.C. A. F. Rhys Davids)

Mrs. Caroline Augusta Foley Rhys Davids (1857 1942), one of the most distinguished Indologists and Buddhist scholars of her age, passed away on June 26, 1942, at the age of eighty-three. Trained under and later married to Professor T. W. Rhys Davids, she was his devoted wife, pupil, collaborator, and eventual successor in the Pali Text Society (PTS). Her life exemplified a rare union of intellect, discipline, and deep moral purpose. Highly versatile, Mrs. Rhys Davids personally managed all her editorial, scholarly, and correspondence work for the PTS without assistance. Her erudition extended beyond Pali and Buddhist studies to psychology, Western philosophy, and literature of all periods. She introduced rigorous psychological analysis into Buddhist studies, most notably through her translation of the Dhammasa?ga?i (A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics), which laid the foundation for further translations and interpretations of key Abhidhamma texts such as the Abhidhammattha Sa?gaha, Kath?vatthu, Visuddhimagga, and Atthas?lin?. Her Buddhist Psychology marked a distinctive contribution to modern psychological thought. Alongside major editorial responsibilities, she edited and transcribed several Pali texts, including Vibha?ga and others, and produced the English verse translation Psalms of the Early Buddhist Brothers and Sisters (Thera-Ther?g?th?) a work acclaimed in English literature alongside Edwin Arnolds Light of Asia. Her Buddhism (Home University Library Series) remains a lucid exposition of early Buddhist philosophy. In her later years, she reinterpreted the figure of the Buddha from a fresh philosophical standpoint, producing a series of works expressing her evolving views. Among these, The Wayfarers Words (three volumes, posthumously published) stands as her magnum opus, reflecting the culmination of her intellectual and spiritual quest. Mrs. Rhys Davids lived and died in full possession of her mental and physical faculties, in her peaceful home on Surrey Hill, overlooking a railway station. Her character combined profound sympathy, quiet strength, and serenity amid personal and global turmoil even during the Second World War, her faith in the ultimate victory of truth and righteousness remained unshaken. (Update:) After her passing, her scholarly influence persisted, shaping the later direction of Buddhist textual and psychological studies. Her leadership ensured the survival and prestige of the Pali Text Society, which continues to publish critical editions of Pali Canon texts.

Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.