"It just seemed like Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, because that's mainly what I've been exposed to, was a real solid organization of teachings to point someone in the right direction. Some real well thought out stuff." -Adam Yauch

Bodhisattva Vow, 1994

As I Develop The Awakening Mind I Praise The Buddhas As They Shine
I Bow Before You As I Travel My Path To Join Your Ranks,
I Make My Full Time Task
For The Sake Of All Beings I Seek
The Enlightened Mind That I Know I’ll Reap
Respect To Shantideva And All The Others
Who Brought Down The Darma For Sisters And Brothers
I Give Thanks For This World As A Place To Learn
And For This Human Body That I’m Glad To Have Earned
And My Deepest Thanks To All Sentient Beings
For Without Them There Would Be No Place To Learn What I’m Seeing
There’s Nothing Here That’s Not Been Said Before
But I Put It Down Now So I’ll Be Sure
To Solidify My Own Views And I’ll Be Glad If It Helps
Anyone Else Out Too
If Others Disrespect Me Or Give Me Flack
I’ll Stop And Think Before I React
Knowing That They’re Going Through Insecure Stages
I’ll Take The Opportunity To Exercise Patience

"Being a Bodhisattva is about strengthening yourself, so you can go on. Benefit where the benefit is needed. Come from a strong place in yourself and you really help people." -Adam Yauch

I’ll See It As A Chance To Help The Other Person
Nip It In The Bud Before It Can Worsen
A Change For Me To Be Strong And Sure
As I Think On The Buddhas Who Have Come Before

As I Praise And Respect The Good They’ve Done
Knowing Only Love Can Conquer In Every Situation
We Need Other People In Order To Create
The Circumstances For The Learning That We’re Here To Generate
Situations That Bring Up Our Deepest Fears
So We Can Work To Release Them Until They’re Cleared
Therefore, It Only Makes Sense
To Thank Our Enemies Despite Their Intent
The Bodhisattva Path Is One Of Power And Strength
A Strength From Within To Go The Length
Seeing Others Are As Important As Myself
I Strive For A Happiness Of Mental Wealth
With The Interconnectedness That We Share As One
Every Action That We Take Affects Everyone
So In Deciding For What A Situation Calls
There Is A Path For The Good For All
I Try To Make My Every Action For That Highest Good
With The Altruistic Wish To Achieve Buddhahood
So I Pledge Here Before Everyone Who’s Listening
To Try To Make My Every Action For The Good Of All Beings
For The Rest Of My Lifetimes And Even Beyond
I Vow To Do My Best To Do No Harm
And In Times Of Doubt I Can Think On The Dharma
And The Enlightened Ones Who’ve Graduated Samsara

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This song, from the fourth Beastie Boys album, Ill Communication, prominently features the chanting of several Tibetan Monks and proceeds from sales were donated to the Tibetan relief organization, Milarepa Fund, which the band created.  Adam Yauch’s film distribution company, Oscilloscope Laboratories, is also involved with several Buddhist projects, including Unmistaken Child (2009), a documentary film about the search for the reincarnation of the Late Great Mahasiddha Geshe Lama Konchog.  Additionally, the Beastie Boys were instrumental in organizing the Tibetan Freedom Concerts.

Adam Yauch, (also known as MCA, Nathanial Hornblower and Bloach) discusses Buddhism in these excerpts from Shambhala Sun Magazine:

“It just seemed like Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, because that’s mainly what I’ve been exposed to, was a real solid organization of teachings to point someone in the right direction. Some real well thought out stuff. But I don’t know, like, every last detail about Buddhism. (laughter)”

“I think the Dalai Lama is an amazing individual, but I think that Tibetans in general are really centered in the heart, coming from a real warm place. Real compassion. I think that all of the years that Tibet spent focused on Buddhism kind of affected the collective consciousness of Tibet and just kinda stayed in. It’s so deeply inlaid in the culture. It’s the closest thing that I’ve seen on the planet, as one culture, that really…the most advanced culture mentally, as opposed to our, uh, physical advancement.”

When asked about Bodhisattva Vow, here is what he had to say:

“It’s just understanding exactly what “Bodhisattva” and “path” are, I think. Because, the bottom line, I think, of the Bodhisattva path is doing what most benefits the totality of the universe, of all that is. And when you put yourself out there in a way that you aren’t really functional, then that is not going to most benefit the universe. You know, it’s just trying to get a feel, in your heart, for what’s going to most benefit the interconnectedness of all that is.”

“I do think that is a misconception of what the Bodhisattva vow is. Because a lot of people just mess themselves up by feeling like they have to “do” stuff for other people, all of the time, even when that’s not working for them personally. They have to include themselves in that overall picture of benefiting everyone. They have to include themselves as “beings”, and know that by being in their strongest place, that that is how they can most benefit the universe, most of the time. Being a Bodhisattva is about strengthening yourself, so you can go on. Benefit where the benefit is needed. Come from a strong place in yourself and you really help people.”

“Especially since we’ve been writing a lot of more positive lyrics and the music is going in a real positive direction, I wind up meeting a lot of really incredible people. Sometimes I’ll meet kids who’ll say, “Yeah! My mom is a Buddhist. I was raised as a Buddhist. I was raised in this Tibetan community,” or whatever. Some people just say that they like the lyrics, or that the lyrics strike them well. That feels good. That’s like the biggest compliment in the world; that just makes me feel like cryin’. Sometimes, when people come up to me and tell me that the lyrics, somehow, helped them or made them feel good, it’s just like, “Damn…” [looks down, pauses, obviously moved] What was the question again? (laughs)”

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Buddhism and Celebrity

Robert Thurman is seen hiking in Bhutan.

Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman suggests celebrities such as Adam Yauch may have an advantage in discovering Buddhism because they have had the opportunity to discover the limitations of material success (wealth, fame, etc.) to bring about happiness.

Anna Argasinski writes in  Buddhist Stars, “Buddhist monk turned professor, Robert Thurman, doesn’t find the trend of celebrities becoming Buddhist all that out of the ordinary. Celebrities have fewer illusions than the rest of us, who still imagine that worldly success is going to solve all of our problems.”

According to Adam Yauch in a 1995 Rolling Stone interview, “In a sense, what Western society teaches us is that if you get enough money, power and beautiful people to have sex with, that’s going to bring you happiness. That’s what every commercial, every magazine, music, movie teaches us. That’s a fallacy. Maybe there was some realization of that during that Licensed to Ill period.” The Beastie Boys blockbuster first album came out while Yauch was still in high school.

Argasinski  continues, “Celebrity Buddhists, Thurman contends, are in a very interesting position to practice Buddhism. They’ve already achieved great fame, success and wealth, and they’ve realized that those things alone can’t bring happiness, that, in fact, they can be a real pain. Many of these stars have looked to Buddhism because it urges and helps them to look inside themselves for treasures and pleasures, rather than depending on some sort of external success for gratification.”

“Tibetan Buddhism may be alluring to celebrities because it confronts egotism. Stars see Buddhism as a critique of the conventional notion of a rigid, unchangeable identity. Furthermore, Tibetan Buddhism is firmly bound in disciplines of the imagination. Because celebrities tend to be “artsy” types who are interested in exploring their creativity, Buddhism often appeals to them over more traditionalized Western forms of religion. Also, potential devotees aren’t required to undergo a religious conversion to benefit from the teachings.”

 

 

 

 

Buddhist Stars

Shambhala Sun Magazine

Rolling Stone