A spirited young prince longing to learn more about the world grows into a man on a quest to find the cause of human suffering in this first-of-its-kind graphic novel retelling of the life of Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism.
Prince Siddhartha lives in a beautiful palace in the heart of Kapilavastu. His father, the king, ensures that he has the best of everything—he just can’t go outside. He is locked up away from the city, away from anything that might cause him pain. He knows nothing of illness, aging, sorrow, or death, yet Siddhartha feels the pain regardless, and it instills a burning curiosity to understand the world outside—and the nature of human suffering.
Based on the life of the real man who was known first as a prince, then as a monk, and now as the Gautama Buddha, Enlightened is about one boy’s quest to learn the truth that underpins our endless struggle against suffering—and in understanding, break the cyclic existence that perpetuates it.
Sachi Ediriweera is an accomplished designer, filmmaker, and comic book artist. He is the writer and artist of the graphic novels Lionborn, which was the first English language graphic novel produced in Sri Lanka, and Enlightened. Apart from his design and illustration work, he has also built a career in filmmaking as a writer, producer, and director of acclaimed short films that have screened in numerous film festivals around the world. When he’s not drawing or writing his third-act plot twist, Sachi enjoys reading art books and comics, eating pizza, and overthinking cosplay ideas for comic cons. He divides his time between Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Dubai.
Sachi Ediriweera is an accomplished designer, filmmaker, and comic book artist. He is the writer and artist of the graphic novels Lionborn, which was the first English language graphic novel produced in Sri Lanka, and Enlightened. Apart from his design and illustration work, he has also built a career in filmmaking as a writer, producer, and director of acclaimed short films that have screened in numerous film festivals around the world. When he’s not drawing or writing his third-act plot twist, Sachi enjoys reading art books and comics, eating pizza, and overthinking cosplay ideas for comic cons. He divides his time between Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Dubai.
"A heartfelt and accessible coming-of-age story about finding and understanding one's place in the world. That it's about the the Guatama Buddha makes it all the more engaging and relevant."
— Jim Ottaviani, New York Times bestselling author of Einstein, Hawking and Primates
"Refreshing and meditative, this is an illuminating biography of the man and teacher, Guatuama Buddha."
— Nidhi Chanani, critically-acclaimed author of Pashmina
"Enlightened will be a wonderful introduction to both Buddhism and the Buddha to readers. This book belongs on any shelf that embraces and celebrates the wonderful spiritual diversity of our world."
— Thush Ponweera, author of I Am Kavi
" A beautifully drawn, well-paced, inspiring work."
— Chris Samnee, author of Joanna and The Unpossible Monsters
"An incredible exploration of the origins of Buddhism, delving into the life of Siddhartha and what pushed him to seek out answers about the world. This graphic novel is beautifully illustrated and adapted to give anyone interested a great gateway into learning more about other teachings and religions."
— Stephanie Cooke, author of Oh My Gods! and Paranorthern
"The book conveys complex concepts in an accessible way and will appeal to readers who are curious about the origins of Buddhism. Ediriweera’s atmospheric illustrations include monochromatic, soothing blue watercolor-style backgrounds, and single-color accents of brown and orange highlight the crisp linework.
Vividly rendered."
— Kirkus Reviews
Siddhartha’s metamorphosis from crown prince to the founder of Buddhism propels this straightforward graphic novel debut...[b]old linework and clean-cut panels depict Siddhartha’s struggle to reconcile the suffering of society beyond his privileged upbringing in this practical history of Buddhism, a philosophical primer."
— Publishers Weekly
