Indian television. The life of the Buddha has been adapted as a manga by Osamu Tezuka and this in turn has been adapted into animated film. Buddhist themes in contemporary media Since Buddhism and meditation became a part of popular culture in US in the 1970s, it has become common to see Buddhist themes expressed in contemporary mythmaking. The film series Star Wars, which was deliberately constructed as a modern myth on the Campbell model, features many Buddhist motifs. These include the Jedis who a mix of monk and warrior elite who meditate, and are asked to “be mindful of their feelings”. The 1999 film The Matrix features themes of illusion, reality, and freedom that are fundamental to Buddhism. See also Buddhist cosmology Buddhist deities Vedic mythology Hindu mythology Chinese mythology Japanese mythology Hindu deities Japanese Buddhist pantheon Notes References Articles containing video clips