Bearded Daruma - 4.7 inch Japan Zen Buddhist Bodhidarma

Description

"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 tore 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 this story and admire Daruma 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.  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 to remind them 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 dolls which have completed their jobs as perseverance role models are normally then brought to a temple to be burned during special ceremonies reserved for this purpose.

About the Listed Item

This hand-crafted, bushy-bearded Daruma is made in Shizuoka, Japan, by a small family workshop called Ichironsan, specializing in traditional techniques. Each figure is formed from papier-mâché on a hand-carved wooden mold, dried in the sun, and then cut and sealed with another layer of papier-mâché. The doll is hand-painted red with flesh tones, dark black beard and eyebrows, and golden accents, leaving the eyes blank for the buyer to fill in when pursuing a goal. Cleverly weighted, the Daruma always rights itself when tipped. In a time of mass production, this authentic Daruma offers a rare piece of Japanese culture, made near Mt. Fuji by a family business.

Approximate size:
Height: 4.7 inches (12.0 centimeters)
Weight: 5.1 ounces (145 grams)

Note: Each of these hand-crafted dolls is unique and therefore the authentic Daruma figure you receive will differ slightly from the doll photographed for this listing.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Please contact us anytime if you have questions or concerns about purchases made on this site.

• By Email: dinnerbytheriver@gmail.com
• By Phone: +1 949-466-0864
• Ship From Address:
  Art Hills Yada 501
  4-1 Yada, Suruga Ward
  Shizuoka City, Shizuoka
  Japan 422-8002

RETURN POLICY

• Eligibility: To be eligible for a return, the item must be unused, in its original condition, and returned within 60 days from the date of purchase.
• Return Process: To initiate a return, please contact us via the email or phone number above and within the specified return period. You will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.
• Return Shipping: Customers are responsible for the shipping costs associated with returning the item, unless the return is due to a product defect or error on our part.