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The Legend of Daruma

"Life falls down seven times, yet gets up eight..."  This popular Japanese proverb is commonly associated with the Indian Buddhist sage Daruma.  Daruma is the more familiar name of the historical Buddhist monk Bodhidarma, who lived sometime during the fifth or sixth century AD.  Daruma is credited with the founding of the Zen sect of Buddhism, which he is reputed to have introduced into China during his travels there.  Some of the legends surrounding this figure include tales that he achieved enlightenment or satori only after meditating in a cave for seven years without blinking or moving his eyes.  Another story tells that his enlightenment occurred within a temple in China where he spent his seven years sitting in a room staring at a wall.  Apparently at some point during his long meditation Daruma became so overcome with fatigue that he cut off his eyelids in anger and tossed them to the ground.  These are reputed to have then sprouted into China's first green tea plants!  It is said that Daruma's long meditation caused his arms and legs to wither and fall off, leaving him as an armless, legless and eyelidless (yet enlightened) Bodhidarma...

The Japanese love the story of Daruma-san's efforts towards enlightenment and admire the sage for his spirit and determination, and each new year many Japanese will buy a paper-mache Daruma tumbler doll in order to enlist its services in helping them persevere towards their own goals or achievements.  The dolls are sold with unpainted eyes, allowing the new owner to paint in one eye to symbolize the start of a new goal or venture.  The doll is then placed in a prominent place within the home or at work in order to remind the owner to keep after their aim.  Japanese students especially utilize Daruma to motivate them with their studies; placing a one-eyed Daruma before them on their desk as motivation to work hard and make the grade.  Only after the goal is achieved will the owner then paint in the second eye, symbolizing a realized goal.  Daruma's which have completed their jobs as perseverance role models are normally then brought to a temple to be burned during special ceremonies set aside for this purpose.  The images above are various representations of Daruma found at a Zen temple near our home in Japan.

Research on Daruma:
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/daruma.shtml

Ichironsan Daruma Available from The Old Tokaido!

We are proud to be an on-line source of authentic Ichironsan Daruma tumblers made right here in Shizuoka, Japan.  Made by a seventh generation traditional paper-mache crafts family who live and work from their very old studio on Japan's historic Tokaido road, these hand-crafted Daruma figures are some of the highest quality available and represent a rare example of old style Japanese craftsmanship surviving in the modern world.  Click here to see a list of available Daruma tumblers and other items from the workshops of Ichironsan.

Related Features

	Japanese Buddhism in the Home Learn the history of how and why Japanese began to keep small Buddhist altars at home.  Click here
	Fudo "The Immovable" Fierce leader of protective Buddhist task force.  Click here
	Buddhist Prayer Beads Learn the history and function of these very special religious implements.  Click here
	Clean Mind and Body Japanese purification rites.  Click here
	Shinto Religion Japan's native faith.  Click here

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Last modified: 03/17/07