In Jack Kerouac's novels and poems he is always looking for something to believe in, be it himself, God, or something else. Surprisingly, he also manages to constantly escape at the same time. The fear of responsibility and conformity is present in most of his works; this is the reason for his elusiveness, and the constant desire and search for a path away from the traditional and boring family life leads him to Buddhism, which was then a new concept in America. Kerouac's new beliefs lead him to be zealously against lust, because it leads to the formation of karma: lust leads to birth, which leads to suffering, which leads to death, which leads to the continuation of the cycle. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In Dharma Bums, Ray Smith (Kerouac's pen name for himself) had "gone through an entire year of celibacy based on [his] feeling of lust was the direct cause of . He even claimed that he had "come to a point in which [he] considered lust offensive and even cruel." Due to the "absence of active lust," Smith had a "peaceful new life which [he] was greatly enjoying" (Kerouac Dharma Bums, 29). Robert A. Hipkiss addresses this topic when she affirms Kerouac's belief that “women hold an unholy and very earthly office. Women continue the cycle of karma" (Hipkiss 271). Smith, however, ultimately gives in to his sexual desire and "all the peaceful celibacy of [his] Buddhism [goes] down the drain" (Kerouac Dharma Bums, 30). Alvah (Allen Ginsberg) and Japhy (Gary Snyder) had convinced him to participate in their game of "yabyum", which is essentially a "Zen Free Love Lunacy [orgy]", where a young girl named Princess was the main attraction. Kerouac Dharma Barboni, 30). Before Smith retires that night, however, he meditates and finally "was greeted by no princess or the desire of any princess and the disapproval of anyone and [he] felt happy and slept well" (Kerouac Dharma Bums, 35) Kingsley Widmer attributes this indecision and paradoxical life to Kerouac's "guilty sexual fears" (Widmer 305), as he is "crudely virile and sexual and cannot help [himself] and [has] propensities lascivious and so on..." (Kerouac The Subterraneans, 3). In The Subterraneans, Kerouac temporarily yields to the "sweet return to the protective sanctuary and succor of the womb" (Tytell 272); however, he treats Mardou badly, a shy little black girl he temporarily loves, due to a lack of trust, and "also wanted another drink with a rowdy demon...". (Kerouac The Subterraneans, 105), which is what ultimately drives her over the edge. However, she stayed with Kerouac for quite a while, despite the recurring theme of "poor Mardou walking home alone, again, and the drunken maniac [Kerouac]" running away (Kerouac 101, The Subterraneans), which shows why Kerouac was attracted to her; “the women least likely to make demands on him are the most desirable” (Hipkiss 271). Eventually, Mardou gets rid of his "drunk maniac," which leaves him "crying for [his] lost Mardou and so stupidly because [he] had decided to throw her [himself] away" (Kerouac 103, The Subterraneans). Kerouac concludes that "there's a lover on every corner - they're all the same, boy, don't fixate on one" (Kerouac The Subterraneans, 110), which is preliminary to Buddhism as an excuse to avoid attachment. Mardou becomes one of "hundreds of girl-lovers, all betrayed or cheated in some way by [him]" (Kerouac Desolation Angels, 124). Part of the Dharma contains numerous rants about female sexuality and its dangers. Kerouac's fears about women's desire aresummed up when he states his belief that: "Men have been 'taken' from women, from beginningless times, --- this is how birth and ignorance continue --- Men do not realize that women are one's own rib of lust, self-lust, and in reality they are nothing but (like men) skin and bones with shit inside---Look at women carefully and see if I'm right----The Real Man shuns the women, has no children and seeks No Return in the sad wheel of life and death---He is constantly on his guard against lust, lust and greed---" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 170). Kerouac clearly illustrates here his belief that human beings are not constant, and he knows that "all [he] had ever known and would ever know was One" (Kerouac On the Road, 147). Because everything is impermanent, Kerouac instructs his readers to "instead of seducing women, control yourself / and treat them like sisters; instead of / seducing men, control yourself / and treat them like brothers. / For life is pitiful" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 175). He wants humanity to "put an end to human rebirth by abstaining from sexual intercourse" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 338). Kerouac also says to " . . . renounce... all lust for sex..." because there are "two things to do: eat and teach" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 77). He goes from sad to peaceful with conversations along the lines of :"...then suddenly he sees chickens in cages in the dark interior of the Chinese store, 'look, look, they're all going to die!' He stops on the street. 'How can God make such a world?' you all" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 151) and his assertion that "if jazz were deep, women couldn't play it" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 139). with and fear of women, and sexual desire arising in him, is mixed with Buddhism and beliefs in non-duality, meaning that all things are One, a central theme in Buddhism, and is expressed succinctly in his ABCs of Truth: A Creamy Thighs of a Beautiful Girl 3DB Child crying because he does not want to be born 3DC Corpse rotting in the grave (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 159). The internal struggle he expresses in many of his writings is due to the fact that his "final obstacle is an unripe sexual karma" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 162). He elaborates and justifies his imperfection in this area by stating that "sexuality [is] the most powerful force in / all nature because of its sometimes / fabulous pleasure, it is the very embodiment of Ignorance . . ." (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 198). Kerouac's faith in Buddhism includes the belief that one must "love all equally / All equally empty / Each a future Buddha" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma, 239). He also teaches that "lust is no different from /killing:- the squeal of the / murdered pig, the hoarse panting of the / sexers, is all vicious, fleshy / and blind, and subject to the devouring worm" (Kerouac Some of the Dharma , 198). When Tristessa offers herself to Kerouac, he rejects her and later thinks: "But what did I miss when I didn't receive that thrust of the lover's body, coming straight towards me, all mine, but it was a mess for the flesh" (Kerouac Tristessa, 55). Kerouac sees sex as causing “the terrible horror of birth and the impossible loss of the promise of death” (Kerouac Desolation Angels, 316), so it has the same end result as murder. ago; sexual reproduction creates life, which must end eventually, so both cause death, while one just takes longer and involves more pain. Kerouac was always looking for an excuse to avoid responsibility and see it all, and he found that Buddhism suited, 1980. 305-306.