'Tibetan Tales for Little Buddhas' is a gem of a book my daughter and I picked up from the library yesterday evening. At first, both of us were simply attracted to its beautiful cover.Then I was intrigued that a children's book has a foreword from His Holiness The Dalai Lama. I mean, I get that it is from Tibet, but it is just a children's book after all. Or so I thought.
In his foreword, the Dalai Lama says, 'I am sure these stories will bring joy to readers young and old.' And he couldn't have been more right. My daughter and I have been through the stories about three or four times already within one day and I am possibly more smitten by them than her. I also insisted that my husband as well as a visiting friend reads them, because I felt like I had to spread the joy!
Over the past few years I have been through a large number of children's books and I can safely say that most of them are a load of utter rubbish - even for kids. Some of them should have never been allowed to be written - I mean, did you know that the woodcutter who helped save Little Red Riding Hood's granny from the wolf's stomach, then stitched back its stomach with stones thrown into them? Or that in a version of Rumplestiltskin, he tore himself into two out of frustration? There are several such examples. Also, what's with all these useless women waiting for useless princes to come and rescue them from a variety of situations and then getting married and living happily ever after? Don't they have anything better to do?!
Closer home, the Panchatantra & Jataka tales are certainly better, but they too are filled with stories of deceit, jealousy, suffering and negativity. But each with some sort of a moral to go along, of course.
And then comes this book of tales from Tibet, with three beautiful stories accompanied by some beautiful illustrations by the Author Naomi C Rose herself. The stories talk about how one can overcome difficult situations simply by a change in one's mindset.
In the first story Yeshi's luck, Yeshi's wise father always question whether something is really good or bad fortune. How do you know what it is until all the events - until the very end - have unfolded? So he says 'Who can say what's good or bad fortune, give thanks for everything.' He keeps chanting 'Ohm Mani Padme Hung' or 'The jewel is in the lotus' bloom', referring to the strength and compassion that one can find in his own heart.
In the second story 'Jomo & the Dakini Queen', my most favourite of the lot, it is about how you have the ability to open your eyes wide and see beyond the obvious, to change your perspective - 'Lift your veil, my dear - I'm not what you fear' is the first line of a verse that comes often in this most mystical of the three stories.
And in the last story 'Chunda's Wisdom Quest', Chunda, the young monk sent out on a 'Wisdom Quest' by his teachers, forces himself to face his fears head on, instead of running away from them. He often falls back to the technique of breathing deeply to keep his head cool and fearless. My daughter and I had a fun time together breathing in... and out...in... and out.... trying the technique ourselves. Sure, I was aware of it before, but it was a first for her and she seemed to enjoy it.
I can safely say that the summary above does little justice to the book. It was not just messages but how they were brought across with the narratives and illustrations that makes the book a rather joyful read.
In short, the book made our day! Now all I want to do is visit Tiber and its people one day. Because really, the land that spins such tales for its young, surely would be beautiful.
498 more to go.
In his foreword, the Dalai Lama says, 'I am sure these stories will bring joy to readers young and old.' And he couldn't have been more right. My daughter and I have been through the stories about three or four times already within one day and I am possibly more smitten by them than her. I also insisted that my husband as well as a visiting friend reads them, because I felt like I had to spread the joy!
Over the past few years I have been through a large number of children's books and I can safely say that most of them are a load of utter rubbish - even for kids. Some of them should have never been allowed to be written - I mean, did you know that the woodcutter who helped save Little Red Riding Hood's granny from the wolf's stomach, then stitched back its stomach with stones thrown into them? Or that in a version of Rumplestiltskin, he tore himself into two out of frustration? There are several such examples. Also, what's with all these useless women waiting for useless princes to come and rescue them from a variety of situations and then getting married and living happily ever after? Don't they have anything better to do?!
Closer home, the Panchatantra & Jataka tales are certainly better, but they too are filled with stories of deceit, jealousy, suffering and negativity. But each with some sort of a moral to go along, of course.
And then comes this book of tales from Tibet, with three beautiful stories accompanied by some beautiful illustrations by the Author Naomi C Rose herself. The stories talk about how one can overcome difficult situations simply by a change in one's mindset.
In the first story Yeshi's luck, Yeshi's wise father always question whether something is really good or bad fortune. How do you know what it is until all the events - until the very end - have unfolded? So he says 'Who can say what's good or bad fortune, give thanks for everything.' He keeps chanting 'Ohm Mani Padme Hung' or 'The jewel is in the lotus' bloom', referring to the strength and compassion that one can find in his own heart.
In the second story 'Jomo & the Dakini Queen', my most favourite of the lot, it is about how you have the ability to open your eyes wide and see beyond the obvious, to change your perspective - 'Lift your veil, my dear - I'm not what you fear' is the first line of a verse that comes often in this most mystical of the three stories.
And in the last story 'Chunda's Wisdom Quest', Chunda, the young monk sent out on a 'Wisdom Quest' by his teachers, forces himself to face his fears head on, instead of running away from them. He often falls back to the technique of breathing deeply to keep his head cool and fearless. My daughter and I had a fun time together breathing in... and out...in... and out.... trying the technique ourselves. Sure, I was aware of it before, but it was a first for her and she seemed to enjoy it.
I can safely say that the summary above does little justice to the book. It was not just messages but how they were brought across with the narratives and illustrations that makes the book a rather joyful read.
In short, the book made our day! Now all I want to do is visit Tiber and its people one day. Because really, the land that spins such tales for its young, surely would be beautiful.
498 more to go.
Wow I have to look for this book
ReplyDelete:) let me know if you find it!
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