ABSTRACT
We begin with a definition: In Japan, a Daruma is a limbless figure (or doll) weighted so that it bounces back when knocked over. It is a symbol of persistence leading to success. Daruma is also an abbreviation for Bodhidharma, a mythical Middle Eastern priest said to have carried Buddhist practice and teachings to China about 500 BC. From there, the teachings traveled to Korea in AD 372 and eventually to Japan. Prince Sho¯toku proclaimed it the state religion of Japan in AD 594.
