THOUGHTS ON HAPPINESS: An excerpt from Bhante Henepola Gunaratana's recently published book "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path."

IT TAKES A BUDDHA: Notes toward understanding the Buddha's Key Teaching of Dependent Origination, from a translation of the "Great Discourse on Causation: The Mahaniddana Sutta and its Commentaries," translated by Bhikku Bodhi

NEGATIVE ACTIONS, POSITIVE THOUGHTS: An excerpt from the Dalai Lama's bestseller "Ethics for the New Millennium," appropriate to current events: How to respond ethically when moved by strong emotion?

PREVIOUSLY:

KAREN ARMSTRONG"S "Buddha": Chapter 1, "Renunciation," in which Siddatha Gautama leaves his comfortable life in search of enlightenment.

WOMEN'S BUDDHISM, BUDDHISM'S WOMEN: An excerpt from a new book whose introduction considers the second-class status women have often held in Buddhism.

LIFE'S MEANING: Excerpts from the book "The Meaning of Life" by H.H. the Dalai Lama, published Novermber, 2000. Why should we care about other people?

TRANSFORMING REMARKS: Some food for thought when you are going through hard times and reaching out to friends -- who is really looking out for your best interests?

THREE FOR ONE: Three wise guys--really wise guys--offer some tips on the path to a personal realization of truth. Three short readings from Bhante Gunaratana, Ven. Acariya Maha Bowa and Phra Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera.

INFO-CLOG: Are the Dalai Lama and AOL-Time Warner mutually exclusive? A few questions on whether noble minds will be heard by the ignoble ones that control the media. Reprint of a January 2000 column by Donella Meadows.

BEST-SELLING BUDDHISM: Just like a century ago, Americans look East to Buddhist teachings and the Dalai Lama hits a double on the New York Times bestseller list. Reprint of a September, 1999 column by Diana Butler Bass.

"WHAT TO GET A BUDDHIST 4 CHRISTMAS":
Excerpts from books featured in the Winter, 1999 issue gift guide.

"HOW TO BREATHE":
A long and enlightening excerpt from the Wisdom Books Buddhist best-seller, "Mindfulness in Meditation," by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, on using the breath as a focus for meditation.

"ONE NIGHT'S SHELTER":
Several excerpts from Bhante Yogavacara Rahula's spiritual autobiography, "One Night's Shelter: From Home to Homelessness. The Autobiography of an American Monk."
See related article: "From Drugs 2 Dharma."

"THE POWER OF ATTENTION":
"Riding the Wild Horses of the Mind to Liberation":
A talk on the nature of mindfulness from a book of spiritual teachings called "Silent Rain" by Western Buddhist monk Ajahn Amaro.

"WHAT BUDDHISM IS—And What It Isn't":
An excerpt from the introduction to an excellent essay by Douglas M. Burns on "Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology," published by the Buddhist Publication Society. A good overview of the thrust of Buddhist meditation and teachings, and the most common misperceptions about them in the West.

LOJONG: Eight Verses for Training the Mind:
Offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at American University, Washington, D.C. in November, 1998. See related article: "Bleacher Buddhism."

THE DALAI LAMA: A Non-Verbal Experience:
A brief word portrait of a Dalai Lama appearance in Pittsburgh
in November, 1998. By Hugh Rogers.