Inspired by Buddhism early in his career as a professional freelance photographer, Don Farber became a disciple of the late Vietnamese Zen master and scholar Thich Thien-An. Following the publication of his critically acclaimed book, Taking Refuge in L.A.: Life in a Vietnamese Buddhist Temple (1987, with text by Rick Fields and introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh), Farber set out to photograph Buddhist life internationally and, to date, has carried out this work in eight Asian countries and the United States. This Fulbright scholar's photographs have been exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Asia Society in New York, have appeared in magazines such as Life and Time, and have been featured on the covers of many books, including The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler (1998). Huston Smith is Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Syracuse University. His book The World's Religions (1958, revised 1991) has sold several million copies. In 1996 Bill Moyers devoted a five-part PBS special to Smith's life and work.
