Pretty incredible book, truly inspiring for anyone interested in Buddhism... I've been meditating for quite awhile, but I think that if you are new to meditation, and you want to know what it can lead to... read this... than you can go and dig the Sutra's, and all sorts of the great ancient Buddhist Texts. but ya, has anyone else read this???
hey wood stock, gonna get it this week when I go to barnes and fobble. Could you maybe give us your favorite quote that you were inspired by or thought about? Sounds like a great book!
I gotta say when he talks about the book of tea on pg. 67 its a really cool quote... but the whole book is full of incredible quotes... its pretty great. Tell me whatcha think when you get done with it!
"Dharma Bums" is a Fab read,and i agree with Padme,it is in my opinion better than "On the road".It is full of wisdom & inspiration.At one time i would read it every year,(and i have not tired of it even now!).I would highly endorse this book to anyone seeking an alternative lifestyle. Peace&Love
I read Dharma Bums many years ago. I want to thank you for reminding me that it would be a great idea to reread it.
Dharma Bums is a pretty great book, but it's not extremely informative when it comes to Buddhism. Kerouac's half crazed zen musings don't really illustrate Buddhism too well, but only the main cores of the subject with which the intellectual West is fascianized. You should read some real Buddhist texts to see if you can really get into it. Just remember to never take it too seriously. One of my favorites is The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (a slightly more modern interpertation) by Sogyal Rinpoche or anything Zen. If you're into Kerouac you should consider some Zen koans. Google with provide you with more than enough websites that contain them.
It's on my list. i picked up On the Road a few weeks ago and kinda forgot about it, so after i finish that or decide to abandon it, im giving dharma bums a go. but on the topic of buddhism i really liked this book What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula. very clear and i found a lot that i identify with even though im not buddhist
i agree with padme and SR: also for me dharma bums is better than on the road!probably because i like zen philosophy but the structure of the book, as i remember it, seems me better...you are right SR, it would be a great idea to reread it... sorry for my english but i'm italian and i speak better french bye
I love the book. It's like the mature version of 'On the Road.' The birth of the Beat Generation can probably be traced back to those two books. Both books triggered an entire generatin to go traveling under the open sky, while studying the dharma.
Well, I always took Dharma Bums as Kerouac's way of portraying zen rather than telling the reader about it. In that way, the book is zen...it really makes no sense.
