The Dharma Bums

In Jack Kerouac's novel, The Dharma Bums, the main character Ray Smith meets Japhy Ryder who lives a simplified life. Japhy lives in a shack where he lacks items such as chairs that many people take for granted. He does not want more than he can handle and Japhy only wants to handle what he needs to survive. Ray notes that even Japhy's meals are simple yet delicious. Japhy is careful to only cook what he needs and to take only as much food as he needs to live. Kerouac introduces the idea of a simpler, non-materialistic lifestyle in The Dharma Bums, which is a significant and long lasting movement. Before the 1950s, most Americans either lived middle class lives, or aimed to live that lifestyle. That was considered the norm for the times and middle class families were seen as successful contributors to society. Someone below middle class could be seen as lazy or not in the right mindset as the majority of others. The concept of living off less was seen as pointless. By introducing the character Japhy, Kerouac reveals an alternative to a materialistic lifestyle. Japhy does not seek happiness in items or statuses. Instead he seeks experiences, relationships with others, and his own personal happiness.…

The power of silence can cut through anything, but who says this? Our family members, friends, society? Is this what is best for us? To keep quiet and not speak our minds in fear of the consequences? Our reputation could be at stake if we say the wrong thing at the wrong moment. If our curiosity is not aloud to get the best of us how are we to learn? When society gets ahold of you it is difficult to escape its grasp. In “Alone on a Mountaintop,” by Jack Kerouac, it explains how he tries to…

In Hinduism, there are many different ideas that one can live by. For example, there is Dharma, Karma, Samsara, Ahimsa, Moksha, etc. Dharma is the idea that everyone has a role that they need to fill in the universe. Dharma is a good idea to live by because it would make everyone want to fulfill their role in life, leading to a more complete and better society all around. If everyone followed the idea of Dharma, the world would be near perfect because everyone would be doing what needs to be…

Although, a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the definition of the word dharam or dharma is not within the scope of this work, a brief exploration of the meaning of this word, in conjunction with the meaning of Islam and the Arabic word for religion, dīn, is fitting and…

This is because of the fact that the ways of enlightenment were different for each. After achieving enlightenment, “Buddha traveled, preaching the Dharma in an effort to lead others to and along the path of enlightenment. When he died, it is said that he told his disciples that they should follow no leader” (Hesse 127). The idea was that everyone’s path is their own and simply following a leader who has already achieved enlightenment does not guarantee one’s own path. It is that everyone has…

Unity in diversity’ is the motto of our nation. India is a diversified country with many languages with many cultures and the people also different from one state to another. India’s is called as ‘Hindustan’ as it was full of Hindus once upon a time. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni employs myth in her novels to show the people how culture, tradition, religion and ecology play an important role in the lives of man. Myths are the stories that are based on tradition, culture and religion. They are not…

explains “Dharma is therefore based on the sustainable and just use of resources for fulfilling needs. Ecological balance and social justice are intrinsic to right livelihood, to dharma” (Shiva 375). Shiva implores the understanding of the destructive trend humans, specifically industrial corporations, are following and will keep following if changes aren’t made. Shiva is trying to have readers gain an understanding in the negative impact they are having on the earth, but she is also hoping to…

Dagchen Sonam Rinchen, the Sakya Head, was then a boy of only 16 years old. Well, Who would have thought in his or her wildest dream that, some 300 hundred years later, a local spirit of Dol region would one day occupy the highest and undisputed Dharma protector throne of Gelukpa School? Shugden followers assert that he is a Dharma protector who appeared for the sole purpose of protecting Gelug doctrine. He has the blessing and the recommendation of Tsongkapa. If that is true, why was he not…

teeth are modified placoid scales with an outer layer of enamel, dentine and a central pulp cavity; similar to humans. (Whitenack, L.B (2008) The number and rows in each jaw vary from 5 to 15 and may differ from species to species. Some sharks like the bull shark can have up to 50 rows. The skin of gums in sharks acts as a conveyer belt, which arranges an easy replacement of the lost teeth by developing new ones. As a front tooth is broken or worn down, it falls out and is replaced by a tooth in…

I used robe a pretty deep guy. I watched foreign films, read Nietzsche, and stayed up all night -contemplating jazz I was Jack Kerouac living in a fire but on top of Desolation Peak. I was Gary Snyder seeking enlightenment in a Buddhist monastery in Thailand. I was Ken Kesey. Juni Hendrix, and Timothy Leary all rolled up into one gigantic Incas of pseudo•intellectual adolescent, fancy boarding school beat poet wannabe. I was a moron. I blew off my homework, not because I was lazy, but because I…