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Book Review – Explore some graphic novels this summer!

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By Amanda Andrei Touch upon the history, folklore, and tenets of Buddhism and Zen with Musho By Amanda Andrei Touch upon the history, folklore, and tenets of Buddhism and Zen with Musho Rodney Alan Greenblat’s Dharma Delight, or take a tour of Japan, either…
By Amanda Andrei
Touch upon the history, folklore, and tenets of Buddhism and Zen with Musho Rodney Alan Greenblat’s Dharma Delight, or take a tour of Japan, either through the eyes of Christine Mari Inzer’s Diary of a Tokyo Teen or Florent Chavouet’s Tokyo on Foot.
Dharma Delight: A Visionary Post Pop Comic Guide to Buddhism and Zen is exactly as promised, an illustrated compendium peppered with vibrant comics, philosophical musings, and enchanting stories to explore and present the ideologies of Buddhism and Zen. Musho Rodney Alan Greenblat (Musho is his Buddhist name) starts with an introduction of his own journey into Zen, initiated by his many trips to Japan as a tourist. He discusses his understanding of dharmas, which are teachings of Buddha and the boundless lessons that occur around us every day. They could be as minor as “Toe Stub on Table Leg Dharma” which teaches us to turn on the light when walking in the dark, and as serious as “Wrong Decision Dharma” which teaches us to listen to our parents.
And that’s only the first four pages. Each page and section is chockful of information, whether extolling a pithy teaching of Buddha such as “Be a lamp to yourself and all beings, ” or detailing a two-page spread of the “Wow temple” (Musho’s conception of the ultimate space of peace and joy) , or recording a traditional Jataka Tale (ancient Buddhist folk parables) . It’s too much to take in at once on the first go – rather, keep this colorful compendium with you and revisit it often.

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