Greetings, Monks!

I have been using Daruma as a net nick and handle for many years. I typically attempt to register with Daruma before any alternates.

Daruma is a Japanese name for "Dharma" or more specifically, "Bodhidharma". There are many legends regarding the monk named Bodhidharma. He is sometimes said to be the bringer of Mahayana (Zen) Buddhism from India to China in the 5th Century C.E. According to some stories, he was a meditator in the most extreme sense of the word. He once sat facing a wall for nine years in a meditative state. He was very strict with his students, and would force them to spend long, long hours, (days? weeks?) out in the cold snowstorms in the mountains of China. He is the reputed author of "The Bloodstream Sutra/Sermon" (my favorite) among others.

Stories of his devotion to meditation include cutting off his own eyelids to stay awake during meditation! In addition to his credits regarding Buddhism, he is thought of by many as the founder of Kung Fu. Many modern martial arts systems trace their origins back to Bodhidharma. It is also legend that he brought tea to China.

My study and interest in Daruma/Bodhidharma stems from my penchant for religious studies and my ongoing practice of martial arts. More modern references to Daruma in Japan and throughout the world are usually focused around "Daruma Dolls" and using them for goal achievement.

-Daruma