1/11/2013

If you meet the Dharma/Daruma on the road, burn him.^*

100 Daruma (Dharma) dolls are burned during a rite to thank the talisman for the accomplishment of wishes at Maebashi Hachimangu shrine in Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on Jan. 9, 2013

Rest-of-the-story…

At the end of the year, all the Daruma figurines are brought back to the temple they were purchased from for a traditional burning ceremony. This ceremony, called the Daruma Kuyo is held once a year usually after New Years Day. After expressing gratitude to them, the old Daruma figurines are burnt together in a solemn display of marching monks reading of the sutras, and blowing of horns. The figurines are then set aflame—Dharma to burn—…more via Wikipedia–Daruma_burning...
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* “If you meet the Buddha on a road, kill him.” is the traditional Zen koan reminding you not to worship the Buddha. It’s not meant literally, but it’s rather to jar you into realizing the Buddha is no different from you and to remind you that life and death are the same.
Learn more at: dailybuddhism.com/archives/670