DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of resistant Hodgkin's disease Eligible subtypes: Lymphocytic predominance Nodular sclerosing Mixed cellularity Lymphocyte depleted Not otherwise specified Must meet 1 of the following conditions: Disease progression after at least 1 course of prior therapy on each of 2 regimens comprising combination chemotherapy or radiotherapy Less than a partial remission (PR) after at least 2 courses on each of 2 regimens Failure to achieve a complete remission (CR) after 6 courses of 1 or 2 regimens Relapse less than 1 year off initial therapy OR Diagnosis of intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) Eligible subtypes: Diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic Diffuse mixed lymphocytic-histiocytic Nodular histiocytic Diffuse histiocytic Diffuse undifferentiated Lymphoblastic Must meet 1 of the following conditions: Disease progression after 1 course of prior therapy Failure to achieve a PR after 2 courses of prior therapy Failure to achieve a CR after 6 courses of prior therapy OR Diagnosis of low-grade NHL Eligible subtypes: Diffuse well-differentiated lymphocytic Nodular poorly differentiated lymphocytic Nodular mixed lymphocytic-histiocytic Failure on second-line therapy administered for progressive symptomatic disease or organ compromise Measurable disease by physical exam, external imaging or scanning studies, or tumor markers No severe symptomatic CNS disease of any etiology History of prior CNS tumor allowed if no signs or symptoms at study entry Active CNS lymphoma (meningeal lymphomatosis) rendered disease-free by conventional therapies allowed Epidural metastases or discrete parenchymal brain lesions allowed if tumors can be encompassed in standard treatment fields Bilateral marrow core biopsy free of tumor and showing at least 30% cellularity Prior marrow involvement allowed if marrow is histologically normal at time of storage No significant skin breakdown due to tumor or other disease A new classification scheme for adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been adopted by PDQ. The terminology of "indolent" or "aggressive" lymphoma will replace the former terminology of "low", "intermediate", or "high" grade lymphoma. However, this protocol uses the former terminology.