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As a Buddhist monk, it's hard to become famous. But the Harvard-educated Ven. Haemin is an exception. His Twitter site has an enthusiastic following particularly among young people, regardless of their religious background. He has some 40,000 followers.

His book is mostly about how people can better handle conflicts that they face in daily life at work and at home. Though written by a monk, there is very little related to Buddhism. It reads like a self-help book, with soothing paintings placed in between the essays.

The 38-year-old뭩 unique background has caught the attention of the media as well as the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the nation's largest Buddhist sect. He served as a translator to Ven. Jaseung, head of the Jogye Order, during a trip to France last year.

Ven. Haemin pursued his master뭩 and doctorate degrees at Harvard Divinity School and Princeton University respectively.

He said he started to use Twitter to communicate with people. He is the first Korean monk to teach in the United States as a professor at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., a small liberal arts school.

He is known for fusing his religious studies with meditation practices.

--Do Je-hae - from Amzon