After Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment, his influence spread across the Indian subcontinent and, eventually, across the oceans. Today Buddhism can be found in almost every country. Figures regarding the number of Buddhists vary, but most estimate that there are approximately 450 million Buddhists in the world. Even traditionally Christian Westerners have begun to live according to the teachings of the Buddha. Of course, just as they do with everything else, Americans have adapted Buddhism to modern society. The religion, already relaxed, has been diluted to the point that key teachings have been called into question. American Buddhists struggle to find the balance between maintaining a pure lifestyle according to the teachings of the Buddha and managing personal problems caused by modern social pressures. An increasingly common problem faced by many Buddhists, especially those living in the West, is that of addiction. The multiple aspects of this problem, including drug addiction, eating disorders, self-harm, gambling and sex addiction, affect approximately 73 million Americans. The most important of these categories is drug addiction, from which 23.5 million Americans suffer (DrugFacts). The intersection between practicing a religion that promotes physical and psychological purity and being part of a drug-obsessed culture creates a major problem for these individuals. Although Buddhism specifically discourages addictive behaviors, it can be difficult for those tempted by addiction to abandon the lifestyle they are accustomed to. According to Buddhist teaching, addiction generates desire and aversion, which in turn leads to selfishness. This violates several key concepts of Buddhism: the idea that desire m...... middle of paper ...... p clarity of mind and priorities organized through meditation (Taylor 172-173). These passages demonstrate how Buddhism can be used to overcome addiction and establish behaviors that promote health and purity of mind and body. In The Joy Beyond Craving, JK Mountain puts these truths into simple terms to explain to addicts why their way of life is harmful. In a parody of Buddhist teachings, it summarizes the “Four Noble Truths” of Western culture, which involve seeking sensory pleasure and overcoming obstacles to achieve this “happiness.” Throughout the book he outlines twelve steps of a Buddhist approach to addiction recovery. The first of these steps, based on the first of the Noble Truths, is to admit that “we are powerless in the face of our human weaknesses; to the point that sometimes we were unable to manage our lives" (Montagna 53).