This first chapter of Psychology and Buddhism: From Individual to Global Community provides a broad overview or guide to the essentials of the Buddhist tradition according to the various forms that have interacted with Western psychology. The authors begin by describing the basic Buddhist tenets and then look at several Buddhist lineages and practices in particular, specifically the Theravāda tradition, Vipassanā or insight meditation, Mahayana Buddhism, "Northern" or Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, and Nichiren Buddhism. The authors also look at Buddhism as it is currently practiced in the West. This chapter is aimed to be a guide for psychologists in understanding the Buddhist tradition and provides an introductory framework for the remaining essays in the volume. (Zach Rowinski 2005-01-10)