Dharma Rap Masters

Here’s a fun headline:

Japanese Buddhist monks try to lure believers with fashion, rap music

A Google search for “rapping Buddhist” led me to these Dharma Rap Masters. Their site also has the lyrics to the Heart Sutra Rap, which begins:

Avora… master of compassion
His mind no longer thrashin’
Did some hard time lookin’ deep inside

Which still doesn’t compare to one of my favorite Beastie Boys songs, Bodhisattva Vow:

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
I’ll see it as a chance to help the other person
Nip it in the bud before it can worsen

…

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

Buddhism + Rap = Some potentially deep shit.