Please
let me introduce you to Daruma, a favorite good luck charm in Japan. This squat little red doll represents
Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism.
Most information about him and his teachings are legends. He was an Indian sage who lived in the fifth or sixth century AD and introduced Chan or Zen Buddhism to China. It was said that he was a pious monk who
introduced a form of meditation that involved “gazing at cave walls.” Some legends say that he meditated for nine
long years in China and his arms and legs atrophied and fell off. That is why in Japan Daruma dolls are simple
round figures like this.
Daruma
dolls are sold everywhere in Japan in sizes from less than an inch to over
three feet tall. Mine is three inches
tall. Darumas are sold without the eyes
painted in. When starting new ventures in
life, such as getting married, starting a new job, or at New Year’s, people buy
a doll, make a wish and paint in the left eye.
The doll is then placed on the home altar or on a shelf where you will
see it and remember your wish. When your
wish comes true, you paint in the right eye while giving thanks. That is called “Me ga deru” or “both eyes pop
open,” a Japanese phrase meaning victory, success or attainment of a goal or
wish.
I
painted in the left eye of my Daruma when I began teaching my first college
course in 2006. Even after teaching for
33 years I was nervous about moving up from the secondary level. I happily painted in the right eye when my
students’ evaluations gave me high ratings.
Two of those students later went to Japan with us and they are still our
friends.
Daruma
dolls were first developed in Japan in the sixteenth century and used
through the ninetenth century as a charm to ward off smallpox. In those days, the smallpox god was said to
like the color red, so the common folk tried to please the deity in hopes of
averting illness or being granted a speedy recovery. Smallpox disappeared after vaccination was
introduced to Japan in the late nineteenth century. But the bright red Daruma dolls remain
popular as one of Japan’s most popular talismans of good luck.
The
Daruma eye-painting custom is probably based on a much earlier Buddhist ritual
called Kaigan Kuyo (eye-opening
ceremony) in which a newly made Buddhist statue was consecrated by an
officiating priest who would paint in the pupils of the statue’s eyes. It was believed that at that time the essence
or soul of the deity would enter the statue.
When the Great Buddha of Todaiji was dedicated in 752 AD 10,000 people
celebrated the eye-opening ceremony conducted by Bodhisena, a priest from India.
For
more information: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/daruma.shtml
