Part 1 of my presentation at the Monastic Institute 2007 Conference at John's School of Theology Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota on Being a Buddhist in America. Each summer the School of Theology·Seminary of Saint John's University sponsors a Monastic Institute to provide continuing education and spiritual enrichment for American monastics and all interested in monastic spirituality and practice. This year's Institute, co-sponsored by Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, is devoted to interreligious dialogue. Among the presenters were Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America, Kusala Bhikshu of the International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles, and Fr. Pierre-François de Béthune, Secretary General of Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique/Monastic Interreligious Dialogue. -- www.saintjohnsabbey.org