{"product_id":"the-story-of-the-buddha-isbn-9781645473138","title":"The Story of the Buddha","description":"\u003cb\u003eFor readers of mythology, an original and introspective journey through the life of the Buddha accompanied by 26 beautiful color illustrations and 8 meditations.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom longtime Zen teacher and poet John Tarrant, this is an  original retelling of the foundational myth of Buddhism—the life of the  Buddha. Told and retold for centuries, this story holds a special place in the  human legacy because it is, ultimately, an investigation of the nature of mind  and consciousness. Literary-minded readers and fans of myths and folklore will  be especially drawn to the Buddha’s encounters with kings, gods, heroes,  monsters, and wise teachers in his spiritual quest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this captivating narrative, the author leans into his memories of the  Egyptian and Greek myths he encountered as a child. “If we pour ourselves into  the story of the Buddha,” he writes, “we enter the journey from an unusual  place as far as myths go; we begin where the Odyssey ends.” The Buddha already  had everything—a palace, family, food, wealth—yet he was suffocating with  discontent. He needed to embark on a journey involving pain, searching, magic,  and personal discovery. This led to his awakening and the teachings that form  the basis of Buddhism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn Tarrant frames the story with an intimate, inquisitive introduction and  postscript that reflect his decades of studying koans and will resonate with a  broad readership. The story of the Buddha is personal—it becomes your own  story, opening an unexpected path to awakening. If you listen to the images  that arise in its telling, you can find where you are in life and where you  are headed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Buddha’s story becomes more personal with the concluding section of reflections  and eight meditations about his life drawn from the Zen tradition. The book’s  gorgeous full-color historical illustrations of characters and events in the  Buddha’s life enrich the narrative journey. This lovely little book is a  meaningful gift or addition to your own bedside or coffee table.“John Tarrant has a rare gift for lyricism and for opening out the depths that lie between certainties. In his hands, the story of the Buddha’s life becomes a suggestive poem and a spacious parable, wisdom tucked inside every clause. I sometimes think you could spend a lifetime with each paragraph here.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003ePico Iyer\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Half Known Life\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Can I make clear how great this book is? It is splendid, entrancing, breathtakingly beautiful, and, to use an overused but extremely appropriate word, enlightening. Reading it, I was in awe. ‘We call our pain our self,’ Tarrant quotes the Buddha. ‘We have things the wrong way round.’ In this personal, lyrical, and most compelling telling of the Buddha’s story, John Tarrant shows us how we can make his story our own.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eMark Epstein\u003c\/b\u003e, MD, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Zen of Therapy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A beautiful gift book for discovering the life and teachings of the Buddha.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eSpirituality \u0026amp; Practice\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Of great value for contemplation for those already well-versed in this story or even for those non-Buddhist seekers interested in a multilayered mythical tale that holds up a mirror for self-reflection.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eBuddhistdoor Global\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Tarrant recounts the Buddha’s life in his colorful new book. In this beautiful tome, which includes a rich collection of traditional Chinese and Japanese illustrations, the timeless tale is presented like a poetic meditation.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eLion’s Roar\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Filled with exquisite artwork from a variety of traditions. It reads like the wisdom of a longtime practitioner summing up all he has learned. . . . You may think you’ve read the story of the Buddha’s life and know how it informs your practice. You may think you know what koan practice is and how it fits into the history of Buddhism. You nevertheless need to read this book. It shows you the story in a whole new way. It’s a stunner.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTricycle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eJOHN TARRANT is a Zen teacher, writer, and poet who has studied  koans for over forty years. He is director of the Pacific Zen Institute, a  venture in meditation and the arts, and teaches culture change in  organizations. Tarrant holds degrees in Human Sciences and English literature  and PhD in Psychology. For twenty years, he was a Jungian psychotherapist  working on dream analysis. He is the author of several books, including The  Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul, and the Spiritual Life (Harpercollins, 1999)  and Bring Me the Rhinoceros and Other Zen Koans That Will Save Your Life  (Shambhala, 2008). He lives among the vineyards near Santa Rosa, California.","brand":"Shambhala","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303648252133,"sku":"NP9781645473138","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781645473138.jpg?v=1767741683","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-story-of-the-buddha-isbn-9781645473138","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}