<DIV>Just as Jesus was surrounded by twelve apostles, the Buddha also had a close group of followers. The remarkable spiritual achievements of these early disciples illustrate the relevance and power of the Buddha's teaching. Through their encounter with India's most influential sage, these determined men and women transformed their minds while discovering how to attain internal peace and equanimity. In this inspiring book, twenty-four of the Buddha's most distinguished disciples, including eight women, are brought to life in ten chapters of rich narration. Drawn from a wide range of authentic Pali sources, the material in these stories has never before been assembled in a single volume. Through these engaging tales, we meet all manner of human beings ? rich, poor, male, female, young, old ? whose unique stories are told with an eye to the details of ordinary human concerns. If read with careful attention, these stories can sharpen our understanding of the Buddhist path by allowing us to contemplate the living portraits of the people who fulfilled the early Buddhist ideals of human perfection.</div>