Books : Dharma Punx
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 920
EAN: 9780060008956
ISBN: 0060008954
Label: HarperOne
Manufacturer: HarperOne
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 272
Publication Date: May 01, 2004
Publisher: HarperOne
Release Date: May 04, 2004
Sales Rank: 40484
Studio: HarperOne
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
Fueled by the music of revolution, anger, fear, and despair, we dyed our hair or shaved our heads ... Eating acid like it was candy and chasing speed with cheap vodka, smoking truckloads of weed, all in a vain attempt to get numb and stay numb.
This is the story of a young man and a generation of angry youths who rebelled against their parents and the unfulfilled promise of the sixties. As with many self-destructive kids, Noah Levine's search for meaning led him first to punk rock, drugs, drinking, and dissatisfaction. But the search didn't end there. Having clearly seen the uselessness of drugs and violence, Noah looked for positive ways to channel his rebellion against what he saw as the lies of society. Fueled by his anger at so much injustice and suffering, Levine now uses that energy and the practice of Buddhism to awaken his natural wisdom and compassion.
While Levine comes to embrace the same spiritual tradition as his father, bestselling author Stephen Levine, he finds his most authentic expression in connecting the seemingly opposed worlds of punk and Buddhism. As Noah Levine delved deeper into Buddhism, he chose not to reject the punk scene, instead integrating the two worlds as a catalyst for transformation. Ultimately, this is an inspiring story about maturing, and how a hostile and lost generation is finally finding its footing. This provocative report takes us deep inside the punk scene and moves from anger, rebellion, and self-destruction, to health, service to others, and genuine spiritual growth.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I recently finished Dharma Punx, and, although I was a little disappointed, I think my disappointment sprang from the fact that this book is a memoir, not a more educational approach. I realize this fact is clearly stated on the front cover, but I didn't realize it until I was about 70 pages in.
Anyway, I bought Dharma Punx after seeing it linked on Amazon from Brad Warner's book Sit Down and Shut Up. I loved Warner's book, and have nearly finished is first, Hardcore Zen. I feel like comparing these two books is a bit unfair, as it is not a particularly apples-to-apples comparison. I kept hoping during Levine's book that he would get around to talking about his Buddhist practice itself, not merely saying he meditated in one sentence, while spending the rest of the page describing his daily adventures with his friends or girlfriend.
I feel like Noah is hionest and straightforward about the hardships of his life, which I am sure is difficult, and I wholeheartedly respect that. However, I won't be buying his other book. For anyone looking for an interesting read, or maybe an overly simplified introduction to meditation or spirituality, Levine's book may suffice. However, if you're looking for an interesting, humorous, well written book about Buddhism which actually examines and explains Buddhist teacing, I would agree with the previous reviewer that Brad Warner's books are preferable (especially his first, Hardcore Zen, which focuses on Zen in a more basic ... Read More
Rating: -
There are certainly highs and lows of this book. The high points include the overarching narrative itself: confused drug addicted teenager with no future finally has a realization that brings him to helpful spiritual practice- he now spends his life helping those in his former position. To move us through the larger story, Noah Levine uses autobiography- a technique perhaps more engaging than what might have appeared as dry if the book was just buddhist philosophy. Besides, there are plenty of those books already- this one fills a certain niche that was previously lacking. Also, there is the extra "umph" the book has in relating these past experiences to punk rockers of all ilks who would find the message impossible to swallow from someone unfamiliar with their scene and background.
Now the "lows" of the book: Generally and bluntly speaking, something just doesn't add up. Noah Levine describes his early life living with irresponsible (and abusive it seems? i couldn't decipher) parents who seemed to care little for him or his well being. Noah also seems to imply that the other circumstances of his early life were rough- namely his neighborhood, rough and tumbly friends, etc. After reading the book I searched around a bit to find that his father is a buddhist teacher- hardly the working class alcoholic I had envisioned. Secondly, turns out his "hood" wasn't so shabby. This ties into later elements that don't seem to add up: Noah describes his hard life, his addiction, ... Read More
Rating:  -
This review based on the print version of the book:
I wish I could give this book 5 stars, but I can't. It's a great read, and I recommended it to a lot of my friends, but something is missing.
It's a very well written story of someone who should, by his own account, be dead by now, who pretty much hit rock bottom, and was saved by the Dharma. That may sound strange, but it's not a simple "I found X, and now I'm saved" book. The author found a better way to live, a quieter way to live, and to appreciate life. He could still do the (legal) things he enjoyed, and probably even enjoyed them more. Great story, great life lesson.
But I would have preferred if he would have put as much detail into his "awakening" as he did in his juvenile life. A minor knock to be sure, but something that stuck with me after I was done.
Rating:  -
I could not put this book down. From page 1 Noah grips us with the real struggles in his life, struggles that resonate. His inspired passion and fortunate intelligence allowed him to see doors as they opened. While he may not have taken advantage of his intuitive knowledge instantly (how human!) the reader is pleased to journey into calmer waters with the author as he documents his path, rough and rocky as it may have been. I applaud anyone who can know themselves and define their own truth. I'd recommend this read to anyone who has ever lived with their own dark side, had a day of angst, a moment of doubt or an instant of inspiration.
Rating: -
Dharma Punx is a raw, first-hand memoir which I am convinced is authentic, unlike certain other "memoirs" recently exposed as made-up fiction.
This book finally lets me into the mindset of the street punks I routinely encountered growing up in Berkeley - peers of mine who seemingly chose to be homeless. This book also provides excellent references to Buddhist resources (retreats, scholars, temples, ashrams, monasteries) around the globe.
Finally, this book explores mediation and realization/manifestation of one's life work, through the lens of a hardcore punk rocker, from a broken family in the Gen X era, an addict committed to recovery. This story has not been told like this ever before. It's a testament to Mr. Levine's allowing of his inner core of strength to lead his way, through the clouds of doubt and pain and the resulting self-destructive behavior which could have taken his life many times - and many of his very good friends indeed lost their lives.
This book is, to me, a successful manifestation of that commitment to live from a place of peace, self-forgiveness, compassion and the desire to serve. (Again, the author's personal identity is as a punk rocker, dedicated to sobriety, so the book does focus on his efforts to synthesize the punk aesthetic and politic with the 12 steps and the Buddhist/meditative life approach - which will not apply to every reader). NOT an easy life to choose, when so many of us just get into the rat race and ... Read More
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