Jack Kerouac was the first of the East Coast Beats to discover Buddhism. At the library, Kerouac happened upon and began to read Ashvgosa's Life of the Buddha. The book, and especially one phrase within it: "REPOSE BEYOND FATE", inspired Kerouac to meditate for the first time. In his notebooks, he wrote that as he meditated he saw "golden swarms of nothing."

This experience was enough to start Kerouac on a pursual of Buddhism that would continue for years. He began to meditate regularly and read every book on Buddhism that he could find. Kerouac found great truth in the first two of the Four Noble Truths, which he interpreted as "All Life is Sorrowful" and "The Cause of Suffering is Ignorant Craving". (Kerouac, 3.) Kerouac also found charity and forgiveness which he found lacking in the faith of his background, Catholicism. Kerouac attempted to live what he thought to be a Buddhist life:

"...he settled into a life of rennunciation at Richmond Hill. He grew potatoes and beans in the backyard, swore off drinking and sex, and limited himself to one meal a day. He meditated, stuided Buddhism, and even considered writing a new Buddhist influenced version of On the Road." (Watsson 173.)

Kerouac soon introduced Allen Ginsberg to Buddhism. Ginsberg had already dabbled in Eastern spirituality, reading Zen koans while studying at Columbia, and more recently delving into books on Chinese painting and culture. Correspondence between Kerouac and Ginsberg centered around discussions of Buddhism. Kerouac - whom Ginsberg credits as his first Buddhist guru - sent Ginsberg a 100-page summary of Buddhism called "Some of the Dharma", along with other suggestions about Buddhist practice and meditation. Ginsberg, who throughout his life was constantly searching for spiritual fulfillment and truth, gradually began to adopt the tenants of Buddhism into this own life. Later, in 1962, Ginsberg would travel to India and Japan, seeking spiritual guidance and wisdom from Hindu gurus, Tibetan Buddhist priets and Zen monks. In a further deepening of his Buddhist spirituality, he adopted a regimen of daily meditation and took Buddhist vows.

Meanwhile, the poets of the San Francisco Renaissance were already immersed in Eastern religion, especially Buddhism and Taoism. Gary Snyder was especially influenced by Eastern traditions and spirituality. Snder was at an early age introduced to Chinese painting and poetry, and while in college studied Oriental languages. By 1952, when he moved to the San Francisco Bay area, Snyder had adopted a simple and austere life devoted to Zen meditation. Snyder became Kerouac's spiritual guide. He was "seen as a figure who was spiritual and happily innocent ... [who] actually practiced the self-sufficient life that Kerouac only romanticized ... Kerouac quickly elevated Snyder to 'the number one Dharma Bum of them all.'" (Watson 215.)

In 1956, Snyder set out for Japan for the next stage of his Zen journey. For the next twelve years he remained in Japan, studying Zen and writing poetry.

index - background: the beat generation - beat meets east - beat zen, beat tao - bibliography

1999, by j.r. aponte