Daruma and Bodhidharma: Related, But Not Quite

Daruma dolls are familiar symbols of perseverance in Japan, but how closely do they resemble the historical and legendary Bodhidharma? This story separates a popular Edo-period tale from older Chinese Buddhist traditions and traces the doll’s distinctive form. Explore Zen imagery, folklore and the changes that occur when a religious figure becomes an everyday object of good fortune.