Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1922-10-26
GOD OF WEALTH
Japanese Deity Whose Favor
Natur ely Is Sought.
Worshipers at His Shrine, However,
Arc Comparatively Few Consider
ing His 2eputsd Powers.

Japan's 'Seyea Gods of Good Luck"
are clan of deities from which phi
losophy, religion and superstition have
borrowed much o. their origin
They are a queer set of deities,
swept together from many incongruous
sources-Japanes Shintoism, Chinese
Taoism, Indian Buddhism and Brah-
manism. Orientals ali, but cosmopoIi-
tan Orientals!
They comprise, TO give them their
full names, EhlsG. DaIkoku, Benten,
FaburOpuju, Bashamon, Jurijin and
Hotel
A full discussion of their origin and
attributes would doubtless reveal how
slender basis the modern popularity
of these divinities has been reared on.
Their union in one group is the result
Of nothing more reconcile than
popular ignorance and confusion of
ideas. They themselves never chose
to be thus united. They reign in an
ideal state. for they have no king or
even. spokesman among them. Col
lectively they command perennial, per-
petuaI and everlasting interest. Indi-
vidUally they celebrate their own festi-
walls and each can boast of an entirely
different group in his train of dev-
otees.
On Dalkoku's birthday few of his
disciples will worship at his shrine at
Azabu and in Osaka. 1t seems so
strange TO say "a few for of all the
gods in the cycle Of japanese mythol-
ogy, in this material age. Daikoku, the
god of wealth. should find greatest
favor! But perhaps he has not proved
himself TO be gracious to suppliants
Perhaps efficacious influences have not
been felt in result of worship at his
shrines-or is it that even he, the god
of wealth, has failed to live up to the
extrayagant standard our present-day
civilization has set as a basis to con-
tentment?
Daikoku is a Hindu and Buddhist.
The word "Daikoku" means great |
hlackness," and when he first came
to Japan he was god of physique and |
frighful aspect with a face as black |
as night Since his naturalization |
DaikOIiu has thrown off some of his |
native characteristics and has adopted |
new mode of living, the chief of his |
models being Okukikushinomokoto, a |
famous god in the mythology of Japan. |
In the old records this god was |
represented carrying a large bag on
his shoulders. As there is a similarity |
ogy. in this material age, Daikoku, the
Japanese people somehow mixed up
the two characters and nodded them |
into one perfect deity who combines
the good points of both. Makhala |
(SanscriD was the original name by |
which he was known in India, where |
he was feared as god of destruction.
His immigration to Japan has changed
his incarnation to that of wealth and /
plenty.
He stands or sits on three bales of |
rice, having in one hand the usudeno-
kozuchi or the lucky hammer from
which he can produce anything in the
world he chooses to, from a palace
down to gold or silver, man or beast
He carries on his back bag full of
treasures of all sorts, while rats are
his earthly messengers and oftentimes
he is represented with one on either
side of him, waiting to do his bidding.
Daikoku is generally coupled with
Ebisu. the god of tradesmen. Though
they are of totally different birth.
race. religion, etc., they have been
linked together and one seldom sees
the one without the other in close
Although Diakoku is not
4 god TO whose shrine worshipers
flock, his popularity is told by the
number of metallic images of his
divinity which are bought and carried
IS amulets by people seeking wealth.
Shall we test this jovial little mans
powers? Go to his shrine and beseech
him to command a shower of gold or l
larry his image in our pocket and see
f we find IT gold-lined by night?
We are snobs-all of us-of one
,ind or another 1--WE don't care for
Money" say some haughtily, having
lone. II don't know how to spend my
money!" complains a millionaire. It's
0aikoku's turn to speak and if he but
'ould he would strip the world of its
and no doubt reveal a race
# human beings all alike in their
IIIaoinnca m him tho rod of wealth !