Devadatta: Book 3 (Buddha)

The third book in the classic eight volume graphic novel series retelling the story of Buddha | from the godfather of the genre.In the third of the Buddha series | as Siddhartha embarks on his journey towards enlightenment | he encounters many influences; some forceful | like the monk Dhepa who believes that purity is only attained through ordeals of the flesh | and some inspirational | like the strange young acolyte | Assaji.Meanwhile | Devadatta | the young orphaned son of Bandaka | is forced along a cruel path. Choosing to reject humanity and compassion | Devadatta’s journey will mould him into Buddha’s greatest adversary.Originated in the 1970s | Buddha is Osamu Tezuka's unparalleled rendition of the life and times of Prince Siddhartha.Tezuka's storytelling genius and consummate skill at visual expression blossom fully as he contextualizes the Buddha's ideas; with an emphasis on | action | emotion | humour and conflict as Prince Siddhartha runs away from home | travels across India and questions Hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppression.Rather than recommend resignation and impassivity | Tezuka's Buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life | having compassion for the suffering | and ordering one's life sensibly | his approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew | namely | humour.