Dharma Bums-great song to VY
The Dharma Bums were a US garage band which consisted of 4 members: Jim, John, Jeremy and Eric. They formed in 1987 in Oregon and came up with several albums… each of them getting better every time! They would perform everywhere, and sing about subjects covering rape, environmental issues, adolescence, suicide… and even Dharma.
Phil Void was the songwriter who started the group, and he himself is a long-time student of Tibetan Buddhism. He was very involved with fundraising efforts to rebuild Tibetan monasteries in India. Gradually, his songs started 
mostly revolving around Tibetan culture and religion… he would write songs about specific Dharmic subjects such as Guru Rinpoche, Vajra Dakini, samsara etc… how interesting!!
They traveled all over the world to perform, and even had Nirvana following them on tour to be their opening act!! This is until Nirvana themselves started gaining fame themselves of course hehe
I have added one of the songs which I love the most from their album… it’s called Vajra Dakini. Take a listen… it’s very cool, new-age and different. Enjoy the song…it is to Vajra Yogini…
Tsem Rinpoche
http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/VajraDakini.flv
”Nirmanakaya Yeshe Tsogyel ridiing across the Lhasa plain” they sing….neat…as Yeshe Tsogyel is here depicted as an emanation of Vajra Yogini. As you know, Nirmanakaya is the tulku or emanation body of an enlightened being…in this case Vajra Yogini. I really got addicted to this song years ago in Gaden when some visitor gave me the cassette tape…I was like wow!! Tsem Rinpoche
Big storm came to Prague, so listen to your music and thunder…Rinpoche
“Diamond Dakini…show me the way!” Thanks Rinpoche for this post..you really rock and show us the way!
I ve been a Nirvana’s fan since my school days, this is the first time I listen to Dharma Bums..I am now visualizing the how the music video will be like…Anime Version with Mother VY pouring down blesssing as she flies towards Kechara, every sentient beings reaching out to touch and grab whole of her blessings finally transform their mind and walk the rite path..Great music by Dharma Bum! BTW where to find their album?
Another cool Dharma song is Bodhisatva Vows by Beastie Boys and Shamabala by 3 Dogs Nite..
Dharma Bums rock. Good dancing music. I like dancing. Big thanks for sharing (so much) Rinpoche. So kind to all of us who follow your blog.
Thank you rinpoche
Its cool!! Thanks Rinpoche!! Im enjoying it
I love it!
Dear Rinpoche, this really rocks and make my morning! Thank you very much for sharing this. What a wonderful way to start the day, “Diamond Dakini show us the way please”. That i may practice more as days pass and use Dharma in my work and daily life.
Nice….like it. Thanks Rinpoche for sharing:-)))))
I got a chance to tour with Phil Void and the Dharma Bums! We played this song all over the place. As a result of the tour, I was able to see H. H. the Dalai Lama and I actually met H. E. Samdhong Rinpoche! It’s one of my favorites of Phil’s music. There are many Dharma Bums groups out there…the first part of your essay references another ‘Dharma Bums’ group from Portland, Oregon. This is a different band…just so you know. Phil Void’s Dharma Bums are from Woodstock, New York.
The lyrics of the song Vajra Dakini can be found in the following doclink: http://www.dharmabums.org/bumsbook.pdf
Vajra Dakini
Lyrics
Crystal Diamond Vajra Dakini,
To and fro you gently sway,
You ride the wind from Kanchenchunga
Diamond Dakini, show me the sway!
Nirmanakaya Yeshe Tsogyal
Riding ‘cross the Lhasa plains.
You come to me and let me know how,
Diamond Dakini, show me the way.
Love the music, love the song
INTERESTING FACT for those dieheart Nirvana fans out there !!
“Some biographers, such as Melissa Rossi, author of Courtney Love: Queen of Noise (ISBN 0-671-00038-1), and Poppy Z Brite, author of Courtney Love: The Real Story, write that Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain first met each other at a Dharma Bums concert in Portland—where Nirvana served as the opening act. Many in the local Portland scene had expected the Dharma Bums to be a big breakthrough “alternative” act of the Northwest music scene, but Nirvana, a frequent opening act for the Dharma Bums, was to become the symbol of the genre instead.” [Extracted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_Bums_(band)
Kind of ironic that Dharma Bum didn’t make it but Nirvana became the symbol of alternative music that shaped the songs of the 90s. Nirvana’s songs fueled one with anger and depression whereas Dharma Bum’s songs are about dharma.