Message #71 - TAO STUDY Date: 08-07-96 00:28 From: D-Magi To: Pete@zip.com.au Subject: Re: doll houses & gods ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @PID: PDQMail v2.60 RE0185 Check out what PETE@ZIP.COM.AU wrote on 19 Jul 96 01:48:53: P> Pat writes, P> >I believe it is one of the "Seven Gods of Happiness", of P> >Japanese mythology. They all have plump ear lobes. Diakoku, P> >god of prosperity, carries a big sack on his back. Hotei (I P> >was spelling it incorrectly) Osho is a Buddhist priest of P> >Chinese origin adapted by Japanese mythology, as one of the P> >seven gods of happiness and long life. He has a big fat P> >belly and a bald head. He also has the plump earlobes and P> >the *big* smile. P> With the help of Pat's leads I've tracked down enough web material to P> confirm that my little fellow is indeed Hotei. Apparently the P> Japanese regard P> him as a kind of Santa Claus - indeed, give him a fur lined suit and P> a beard P> and he would be indistinguishable. I suspect this may be no P> coincidence, P> since the modern conception of a chubby santa is considerably more P> recent - P> as I recall, Coca Cola invented him in 1931 Well, I posted about the budda who gives gifts earlier - speaking strictly from the best of my memory - here is the actual story as it appears in my book. Hope you like it. Quoted from "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" "101 Zen Stories" Story #12 Happy Chinaman Anyone walking about Chinatowns in America will observe statues of a stour fellow carrying a linen sack. Chinese merchants call him Happy Chinaman or Laughing Buddha. This Hotei lived in the T'anf dynasty. He had no desire to call himself a Zen master or to gather many disciples about him. Instead he walked the streets with a bif sack into which he would put gifts of candy, fruit or doughnuts. These he would give to chilkren who gathered around him in play. He established a kindergarten of the streets. Whenever he met a Zen devotee he would extend his hand and say: "Give me one penny." And if anyone asked him to return to a temple to teach others, again he would reply: "Give me one penny." Once as he was about his play-work another Zen master happened along and inquired: "What is tthe significance of Zen?" Hotei immediately plopped his sack down on the ground in silent answer. "Then," asked the other, "what is the actualization of Zen?" At once the Happy Chinaman swung the sack over his shoulder and continued on his way. Well - that's the whole thing, though I know I have seen longer versions. Hope this helps you with your research into this Buddha. I believe I misnamed him before but got the story correct though a bit incomplete so i thought I would post this - it's one of my favorites. 93 D-magi --- DLG Pro v1.1u4/PDQMail v2.60 * Origin: Shades of Reality BBS <> (703) 691-2227 [28.8k/V.34] (93:9440/0) @PATH: 9440/0 9400/0 9000/0 9004/0