This volume is a comparative survey of the Buddhist monastery throughout Asia. It includes field surveys, historical aspects and the compilation of bibliographies.

"Funny, perceptive, and deeply personal, Mediocre Monk follows Grant Lindsley's rocky journey toward spiritual growth--one that ultimately leads him to places he never imagined. After the sudden death of a friend, Grant Lindsley abandons his corporate job to train as a monk in one of the strictest Buddhist traditions on earth. Lost and bereft, he believes he can find answers in the mountains of Thailand. He shaves his head and eyebrows, eats one bowl...

Records the coming of age of a twelve-year-old Burmese boy when he must enter a monastery for a brief period to learn the precepts of Buddha.

Comedy set in 1996 about a group of boys in a Tibetan monastery-in-exile in India who are determined to watch the World Cup soccer tournament.

Nicholas Vreeland walked away from a worldly life of privilege to become a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Grandson of legendary Vogue editor, Diana Vreeland, and trained by Irving Penn to become a photographer, Nicholas' life changed drastically upon meeting a Tibetan master, one of the teachers of the Dalai Lama.