Buddha Graphic Novel by Osamu Tezuka

I am reading the graphic novel series Buddha by Osamu Tezuka and in the fourth volume Buddha says, “Like trees, grass, hills, and streams, humans exist, as part of nature, so there is some purpose for which we live...tied to all that is. You, too, play a crucial part in that web.” He goes on to say “If you did not exist, something in the world would go awry” (359). This realization by Buddha is so important that he repeats it again (362), and then he reaches enlightenment.


I have often asked myself what the purpose to life is, and I think this is probably one of the better answers. I have no idea what crucial part I play in the web of life or what would go awry if I weren’t here, but I think it is good to trust that each of us does have a purpose in life, that if we did not exist the world would go awry. Buddha goes on to accept a deer as his first disciple, and this I think is important as well. All of life is sacred and humans are no better nor any worse than any other species or life form. As humans we have no more right to the bounty of Mother Earth than any other creatures and it is long past the time when we need to realize this and work at living in harmony with all of life. We do have the capacity to cause greater harm than probably any other species, so with that capacity comes the responsibility to act with greater love. Such are my thoughts anyway.