Ava is a little girl who lives in the city with her friend Momo—a big, fluffy cat. One day, Ava and Momo meet a visitor from the forest. Through him, they get to meet new friends: the elephant, the monkeys, the bees, and others . . .
This project originally started as a personal gift to my daughter, so that she would get to know the forest monastics that I myself met as a child growing up in Sri Lanka (and whose community I was fortunate to join later in life).
Whether one admires their practices or not, the mere presence of the ascetic is an important reminder to us all that alternative, radical ways of looking at the world is possible. I have tried to engage with this topic in my academic writing on Buddhist forest monasticism (example), but always felt the need to reach younger readers as well. Perhaps this book might allow other children like mine get a glimpse of that enigmatic world.
Well, there are levels of “getting.” In foreign (meaning not Buddhist) countries most monastics live in houses that look remarkably like the ones the kids are living in. So I think it’s easy for kids to form the idea that monastics live lives very similar to themselves, albeit with a different wardrobe and hairstyle. And perhaps as they get older they start to know that monastics give up a lot of things (girlfriends/boyfriends, money, food at night) but it’s harder for them to imagine what monastics get out of the whole thing other than free food and shelter.
It’s good to educate the children, especially regarding nature.
I’ve been reading about the ‘Sacred Insects in Ancient Egypt’ today, they were greatly respected. Sacred Insects in Ancient Egypt - Synonym
Thank you, bhante. I’m afraid the commissioned illustrations are all included in the book. However, I am currently working on a chapter book for early readers, which will have a new set of illustrations. That will take at least a few more months to be ready though.
Nice. So far a very great work. If you keep up this kind of wholesome style the true Buddhist texts such as this will shine through. I feel like I caught a little bit of the balance of the Forest Monk’s Stream, and it has calmed me, and I didn’t even have to focus on anything complex. Sometimes the simple is the way to go.
