Shantideva
How to Wake Up a Hero
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- 13,99 €
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- 13,99 €
Publisher Description
Readers of all ages will enjoy this retelling of a beloved spiritual classic. Playfully illustrated in traditional Tibetan style, the story of the monk Shantideva frames his inspiring lessons on the way of the bodhisattva superhero.
Shantideva: How to Wake Up a Hero is the retelling of Shantideva’s teachings before a surprised audience, who had thought he was useless and could only eat, sleep, and poop. Leading his listeners into a superhero training of different kind, he reveals the secret to perfect bravery and unbounded compassion and shows how anyone can develop them. You don’t need super-strength or magical powers, he says. You just need compassion and wisdom.
A dozen illustrations painted in traditional Tibetan style draw in readers to this work that will be treasured not only by Buddhist families but by anyone who aspires to become more kind and wise.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Townsend, in her first book for children, presents the teachings of eighth-century Indian Buddhist monk Shantideva, focusing on simple, concrete actions, like kindness and reconciliation, as habits that can change the world. In seven brief chapters, Townsend shows how Shantideva, who "liked to lie around sleeping when the other monks were studying," wins over a dubious assembled crowd. Framed in crisp red borders, Norbu's delicately detailed illustrations draw from the Tibetan tangka genre, bringing a traditional note to Townsend's decidedly contemporary language. As Shantideva shares his thoughts on anger, patience, attachment to earthly possessions, and other topics, Townsend compares the life of a bodhisattva a being who is "awake" (wise and kind) to that of a superhero: "Other superheroes have special powers or cool stuff, but anyone can become a bodhisattva." Clear, direct writing makes Shantideva's teachings accessible and meaningful ("If we take pleasure only in the rewards we get, it is like licking honey off a razor very sweet but also dangerous"), making this a strong jumping-off point for readers eager to explore Buddhist teachings in greater depth. Ages 5 up.
