"The Dharma Bums"

Right from the start of his novel The Dharma Bums, Kerouac explores the notion of what he considers to be a "Dharma bum", providing examples of specific individuals for whom he considers the term to be a particularly apt description. He states that he considers himself to be a "religious wanderer", as well as :

"An oldtime bhikku in modern clothes wandering the world...in order to turn the wheel of True Meaning, or Dharma, and gain a merit for myself as a future Buddah."

The "Dharma" element of the term "Dharma bum" can therefore be considered to relate to Buddhist spirituality and seemingly the desire to obtain fulfillment through the pursuit of spiritual goals. The "bum" element of the term refers to Kerouac's decision to live sections of his life as a down and out on the street, as for Kerouac the down and out were almost saintly.

The concept of the "Dharma Bums" is especially relevant to the beat movement, as it is tied in with some of its key concepts. Kerouac is able to find pleasure in the lowliest of lifestyles, experiencing "one of the most pleasant nights of [his] life " after camping down on the beach and eating canned macaroni in the cold, with this notion of finding beauty in everything underpinning elements of the beat movement. The beats also sought to "view the wealth and power from the point of view of the down and out people on the street," something which Kerouac also attempts in The Dharma Bums.