Buddha in the Garden

This gorgeous and delightful picture book is the fourth in the award-winning "Chinese Legends" series. In this radiant retelling of an ancient legend, a small boy left at the gates of a Buddhist temple is adopted by the monks who live there. While the monks travel the world seeking enlightenment, the boy tends the temple garden. He befriends a blind monk who sits by the garden gate, too old to travel. One day the old monk tells the boy, "Buddha is in the garden!" and the boy, rapt with the prospect, runs through the gate. Buddha, however, is nowhere to be seen; instead, the boy finds an injured animal. This happens three times, and each time the boy finds a different creature to care for. In the moving conclusion, the boy discovers the true nature of enlightenment, to the surprise of the monks returning from abroad. Here is a classic and beautiful tale, powerfully rendered in incomparable artwork that pays homage to the spirit of the story.