THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT-2011
The Wish Fulfilling Daruma Doll
A favorite souvenir of tourists visiting Japan is the Daruma doll, a round, usually red, papiermache figure with big empty eyes. When you get your Daruma doll, you make a wish or think of a goal, and paint in one eye. When the wish comes true or the goal is reached, you paint in the other eye. The doll is also a symbol of determination. Tip it over and it quickly goes upright again. The Japanese saying is:
"Seven times down, eight times up."
Daruma (Bodhidharma) was an Indian priest who founded Zen Buddhism in China. The legend is that he meditated so long without moving that his arms and legs fell off! And that's determination!