YouTube Bullet Train's video: Japan Daruma Zen Buddhist figure - Japan Antique Roadshow

"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. Welcome! My name is Kurt Bell and I am delighted that you have taken some time to share a little of life with me. I'm available on Facebook and Google+ if you have questions or just want to chat and say hi. All links are listed below. I look forward to meeting you on-line. Have a great day! Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/softypapa Be my friend on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LylesBrother On Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/108027407488568902619/posts You can also reach me via email at the following address: softypapa@gmail.com ---- Credits Channel avatar "Bullet@Nagoya" used with permission by Creative Commons attribution license. Learn more about the photographer iwalk.jp at the following URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15173654@N02/ Channel Theme Music "One bullet left" used with permission by Glenn Burks. Discover more about the artist and their music at the URL below. https://soundcloud.com/the-catford-studio Royalty Free Music by http://audiomicro.com/royalty-free-music Sound Effects by http://audiomicro.com/sound-effects