Bhante Gunaratana -- Bhante G., as he is affectionately called -- has long been among the most beloved Buddhist teachers in the West. Ordained at twelve, he would eventually become the first Buddhist chaplain at an American university, the founder of a retreat center and monastery, and a bestselling author. Here, Bhante G. lays bare the often-surprising ups and downs of his seventy-five years, from his boyhood in Sri Lanka to his decades of sharing the insights of the Buddha, telling his story with the "plain-English" approach for which he is so renowned.

Journey to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante Gunaratana, Bhante Gunaratana, Jeanne Malmgren, Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 272 pp, $18.95

Bhante Gunaratana was ordained at the age of twelve as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, earned his PhD in philosophy from The American University, and has led meditation retreats, taught Buddhism, and lectured widely throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana is the president of the Bhavana Society in High View, West Virginia, where he lives.

After a long career in journalism, Jeanne Malmgren earned a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and now has a private practice of psychotherapy. She also writes about healing arts, teaches classes and workshops in mindfulness, and leads meditative hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina, where she lives.