I'm searching through my entire long list of all my posts, looking for something in particular, and keep getting sidetracked by various old discussions, including this one. I hope that at least a few of you share my interest in this topic and perhaps have something new to add since two years ago...

My first awareness of Buddhism came courtesy of a favorite author, Jack Kerouac. I realize that some folks don't take Kerouac seriously, for any number of reasons, but I always have and still do.

I'm interested in what anyone, especially any actual Buddhists out there, might have to say about "Some of the Dharma," "The Scripture of the Golden Eternity," and "Wake Up: The Life of The Buddha."

I'm aware of the opinion, held by some, that this writer's awareness and presentation of Buddhism might be insufficiently serious. I, on the other hand, feel pretty strongly that the brand of "beatnik Buddhism" that emerged in the mid-20th century (courtesy of Kerouac, Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, and others) has been a very significant element in the ongoing evolution of American culture, Western Civilization, and indeed the entire world.

Here's an intresting-enough paper of the subject:

http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/Miscellaneous/KerouacBuddhism.html