The herald., 1922-07-20
God OF WEALTH
Japanese Deity Whose Favor
Naturally Is Sought.
Worshipers at His Shrine, However,
Are Comparatively Few Consider
ing His Eeputsd Powers.

Japan'S Seven Gods of Good Luck
are a clan Of deities from which phi
losophy, religion and superstition hav,
borrowed much of their origin.
They are n queer set Of deities
swept together from many incOngruOui
sources-Japanese Shintoism, CHINESE
Taoism, Inf.an Buddhism and Brah
manism. orientals all. but cOsmOpOli
tan Orien:als!
They comprise, to give them theiI
full names, Ebisu, DalkOku. Benten
Faburopuju, Bashamon, Jurijin anC
Hotel.
full discussion OF their origin and
attributes would doubtless reveal how
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
petual and everlasting interest. lndi-
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 80
strange to say "a few" for Of all the
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
extravagant standard our present-day
civilization has set as a basis to con-
tentment?
Daikoku is Hindu and Buddhist.
The word "DaikOku" means great
blackness," and when he first came
to Japan he was a god Of physique and
frightful aspect with face as black
as night. Since his naturalization
Daikoku has thrown off some Of his
native characteristics and has adopted
a new mode of living, the chief Of his
models being Okukikushinomokoto q
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
(Sanscrit) 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 a 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
propinquity. Although Diakoku Is not
god to whose shrine worshipers
flock. his popularity is told by the
number Of metallic images of his
divinity which are bought and carried
as 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
carry his image in our pocket and see
II we find 1t gold-lined by night?
We are snobs-all of us-Of one
kind or another I'VE don't care for
money" say some haughtily, having
none. 81 don't know how to spend my
money" complains a millionaire. It's
Daikoku's turn to speak and II he but
could he would strip the world of its
snobbism and no doubt reveal a race
Of human beings all alike in their
allegiance to him, the god Of wealth