DAIKOKU, DAIKOKUTEN, DAIKOKU-TEN
Daikokuten 大黒天 literally means “Great Black Deva”
God of Earth, Agriculture, Rice, Farmers, the Kitchen, & Wealth
Main Shintō Association = Ōkuninushi no Mikoto 大国主命.
Other Shintō Associations = Ōmononushi-no-mikoto 大物主尊
and also Ōnamuchi 大穴牟遅神 (Kojiki) or 大己貴神 (Nihongi).
Identities: Ōnamuchi = Ōmononushi = Ōkuninushi = Daikokuten
Ōkuninushi is the son of Susano-Ō-no-Mikoto

Origin India
Member of the Tenbu (Skt. = Deva)
One of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods
Associated Virtue = Fortune

SEVEN VIRTUES Japan's Seven Lucky Gods are a popular grouping of deities that appeared from the 15th century onward. The members of the grouping changed over time, but a standardized set appeared by the 17th century. In the 17th century, Japanese monk Tenkai (who died in 1643 and was posthumously named Jigen Daishi) symbolized each of the seven with an essential virtue for the Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu (1623-1650 AD). The seven virtues are: Candour (Ebisu) Fortune (Daikokuten) Amiability (Benzaiten) Magnanimity (Hotei) Popularity (Fukurokuju) Longevity (Juroujin) Dignity (Bishamonten) References: Flammarion Iconographic Guide - Buddhism

              
Click any image to enlarge
1. Daikoku, Date Unknown, Found on web, No data available
2. Daikoku, Hase Dera, Kamakura, 15th Century (circa 1412)
3. Daikoku, Private Garden, Kamakura, Early Showa Era
4. Daikoku, Zuisenji Temple, Kamakura, Muromachi Era

  
   All New, Sept. 17, 2017

Historical Notes
Male. Originally a Hindu warrior deity named Mahākāla (an emanation of Śiva; transliterated Makakara 摩訶迦羅), but later adopted into the Buddhist pantheon and appearing by at least China’s Sui 隋 dynasty (581-618) in Buddhist texts. In esoteric schools, he is also considered the masculine form of Kālī (i.e. Durgā), the wife of Śiva, or else a form of the war god Daijizaiten (another Japanese name for Śiva).

Daikokuten 大黒天 or Daikoku 大黒 is widely known in Japan as the happy-looking god of wealth, farmers, food, and good fortune, although in earlier centuries he was considered a fierce warrior deity. The oldest extant image of Daikokuten in Japan is dated to the late Heian period (794-1185) and installed at Kanzeonji Temple 観世音寺 (Fukuoka prefecture). The statue depicts the deity with a fierce expression, reminding us of his Hindu origin as a war god, as does the late-Heian sculpture of Daikoku at Kongōrinji Temple 金剛輪寺 (Shiga prefecture), which shows him dressed in armor. <See photos below>

However, since the early 14th century, Japanese artwork of this deity starts showing him as a cheerful and pudgy deity wearing a peasant’s hat (called Daikoku-zukin 大黒頭巾) and standing on bales of rice (tawara 俵), carrying a large sack of treasure slung over his shoulder and holding a small magic mallet. There are other forms, including a female form, but in Japan, the god is invariably shown standing on two bales of rice holding his magic mallet and treasure sack. Images, paintings, and other artwork of Daikokuten can be found everywhere in modern Japan, showing him alone, paired with Ebisu (considered his son in many traditions), or grouped with the Seven Lucky Gods. He appears on posters, key chains, mobile-phone accessories, toys for children, and many other commercial goods.
    
Daikoku is also considered a deity of the kitchen and a provider of food, and images of him can still be found in the kitchens of monasteries and private homes. This tradition is thought to have come from India and China, where images of Mahākāla (Daikoku's Sanskrit name) were placed in monastery kitchens to provide for the nourishment of the monks. In Japan, the practice is thought to have been introduced on Mt. Hiei 比叡 in the 9th century by Saichō 最澄 (767-822), the founder of Japan's Tendai sect. Saichō is also credited with introducing a three-headed form of Daikoku known as Sanmen Daikoku. In addition, says the Buddhism (Flammarion Iconographic Guides), “The main pillar of a house in the traditional Japanese style assumes the name of Daikoku-bashira 大黒柱 or ‘pillar of Daikoku,’ meaning ‘pillar of luck and wealth.’” <end Flammarion quote>

Daikokuten at Kanzeonji Temple 観世音寺 (Fukuoka prefecture)
Japan’s oldest extant wooden statue of Daikokuten. His facial expression is fierce.
Heian Era, Important Cultural Property, Wood = Camphor 樟材, H = 171.8 cm
Source: https://dazaifubunkafureaikan.or.jp/museum/b08.html

 
Daikokuten at Kongōrinji Temple 金剛輪寺 (Shiga prefecture), Heian Period, Painted Wood, H = 49.9 cm
Wearing armor and holding a sword, which reminds us of Daikokuten’s origins as a Hindu god of war.
Also holding treasure bag. Source = www.kongourinji.jp/precincts and www.biwako-visitors.jp

Modern statues of Daikoku are available for
online purchase at buddhist-artwork.com, our sister site

Six Forms of Daikoku
According to the 17th-century Butsuzou-su-i, there are six forms of this deity known as Roku Daikokuten 六大黒天. These forms became popular in the Edo period as bringers of prosperity. See black and white illustrations below.

1. Biku Daikoku 比丘大黒, a priest, mallet in right hand, vajra-hilted sword in left. Said to be Mahādeva (the Buddha in a previous incarnation); considered a guardian of the refectory.
2. Ōikara Daikoku 王子迦羅大黒, princely figure, sword in right hand and vajra in left; son of Śiva.
3. Yasha Daikoku 夜叉大黒, princely figure, holds wheel of law in right hand; subduer of demons.
4. Mahakara Daikoku-nyo 摩伽迦羅大黒如 or 摩訶迦羅大黑女, female, bale of rice on head; wears Chinese robe; a manifestation of the Hindu goddess Kālī, the wife of Śiva. Indeed, in esoteric cults, the Great Black Deva (Daikokuten 大黑神) is considered the masculine form of Kālī (Durgā).
5. Shinda Daikoku 信陀大黒 or 眞陀大黑, boy holding wish-granting jewel (Skt = cintāmaṇi) in left hand; the jewel is a symbol of bestowing fortune
6. Makara Daikoku 摩伽羅, with mallet in right hand and with bag slung over his back; stands atop a lotus leaf or (alternatively) bales of rice; the most common form in Japan; in modern times, nearly always shown standing atop two rice of bales and holding a magic mallet.
   
   For a few more details, see Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (sign in with username = guest).

Six forms of Daikoku as drawn in the 1690 Butsuzou-su-i. Scanned from the extant copy
held by the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library. Above numerals added by website author.

Statues of Daikoku are often paired with statues of Ebisu,
for Daikoku is considered the father and Ebisu the son.
Artwork of the pair can be found everywhere in modern Japan,
especially as members of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods.
Ebisu (Japanese origin) is the god of the ocean and fishing folk.
Daikoku (Hindu origin) is the deity of agriculture and rice.

Left Photo: Ebisu and Daikoku (bizen)
Middle Photo: Daikoku and Ebisu (bizen)
Right Photo:  L to R Daikoku, Ebisu, and Hotei (bizen)


Daikoku at left, Ebisu at right (bizen)

Thanks to Robert Yellin,
the owner of the above Bizen pieces

 
Above:  Two bizen sets taken from Yahoo auction photos
Left: Daikoko at left, Ebisu at right
Right: Ebisu at left, Daikoku at right

OTSU-E PAINTING
COURTESY MINGEIKAN
JAPAN FOLK CRAFTS MUSEUM
Otsu-e (also spelled Otsue). Edo Period Popular Paintings of Goblins & Deities in Japanese Folk Art.

Daikoku Shaving Fukurokuju, 18th Century
Demonstrates the happy and humorous natures of these two members of the group of Seven Deities. Daikoku is the deity of prosperity, while Fukurokuju is the deity of longevity. Daikoku is almost naked, clothed only in a loincloth and wearing a red hood. Holding a razor in his right hand, he must climb a ladder in order to shave Fukurokuju's head, since it is so elongated. The painting illustrates the human qualities of deities, who seem less than godlike in such poses, showing that the immortals have as many foibles as ordinary folk.

NOTES OF CONFUSION
KUBERA, MAHAKALA, & DAIKOKUTEN, THE GREAT BLACK ONES
There are many similarities between Daikoku, Mahakala (Great Black One), and Kubera (Hindu god of wealth). In Japan, Daikoku is associated more closely with Mahakala. He is not, to my knowledge, considered a manifestation of Kubera, as some site readers have suggested. In Japan, Kubera is better known as Tamonten or Bishamonten. Kubera is the Hindu god of darkness, treasures, and wealth, and guards the north. His color is BLACK, and he is sometimes called the "Black Warrior." In India, his symbols are the flag, the jewel, and the mongoose. In Japan, his symbols are a jewel and a serpent. The Kinnaras (Kimnara) are celestial musicians with human bodies and horses' heads, officiating at the court of Kubera / Kuvera. In China, Buddhist monks claim that the Taoist deity of the Kitchens, Zao Jun, is in fact a Kinnara. In India, and Hindu legends, the Kinnaras are birds of paradise, and typically represented as birds with human heads playing musical instruments.

Daikoku and Kubera thus share the following associations -- the color black, the kitchen, and wealth. Yet, to my knowledge, in Japan, Daikoku is not known as Kubera, and Kubera is not known as Daikoku. Nevertheless, it is not impossible that some localities in Japan consider Daikoku to be a manifestation of Kubera or vice versa. However, with no concrete evidence to underpin this association, I will continue to consider Daikoku and Kubera as independent and separate deities despite their overlapping iconography. For more on Japan’s various kitchen gods, click here.

 
Left: Wooden statue of Daikoku (c. 1412), Hase Dera Temple, Kamakura
Middle: Same wooden statue of Daikoku (c. 1412), Hase Dera Temple, Kamakura
Right: Same wooden statue of Daikoku (c. 1412), Hase Dera Temple, Kamakura

MORE ABOUT KUBERA / KUVERA
Daikoku originates from the Hindu deity Mahakala, the “Great Black One.” Mahakala in turn may have originated from another Hindu deity named Kubera (Kuvera), the latter closely associated with the color black and wealth. The situation gets even more complicated, for Tamonten (also known as Bishamonten), the chief of the Four Heavenly Kings and the guardian of the north and winter, is also considered a primary emanation of Kubera / Kuvera. Says Meher McArthur, the curator of East Asian Art at the Pacific Asia Museum (Pasadena):

• “According to the writings of a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, images of a seated god holding a bag of gold were placed at the doorways of monasteries and were anointed with oil by worshippers. The oil turned the statues black, and so the figures were known as Mahakala, or “Great Black One.” The bag of gold is an attribute of the Hindu deity Kubera, the God of Wealth, so the deity may have originated as Kubera. In Nepal, images of Mahakala closely resemble Kubera and may be one and the same deity. In Japan, Mahakala is worshipped as Daikoku or Makiakara-ten, the “Great Black One” in esoteric Buddhism. But since the 17th century, the deity became better known as Daikoku or Daikokuten, the God of Wealth, and one of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin).” 
  
  <quoted from McArthur’s book “Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs & Symbols.” ISBN 0-500-28428-8, Published 2002 by Thames & Hudson. Click here to view or buy book at Amazon. >   
   
• Kubera (Kuvera), the Hindu god of wealth and buried treasure, is sometimes considered the king of the Yaksha. Yaksha are powerful earth deities. They guard the world's wealth, such as gold and silver.  In the same book, Meher McArthur says this: 

“In Tibet and Nepal, Vaishravana (Jp. = Bishamonten / Tamonten) is closely related to the God of Wealth, Kubera, who is considered to be his most important manifestation. It is possible that Vaishravana is the Buddhist form of the earlier Hindu deity, Kuvera, who was the son of an Indian sage, Vishrava, hence the name, Vaishravana. According to Hindu legend, Kubera performed austerities for a thousand years, and was rewarded for this by the greator god, Brahma (Jp. = Bonten), who granted him immortality and the position of God of Wealth, and guardian of the treasures of the earth. As Vaishravana, this deity also commands the army of eight Yasha (Jp. = Yaksa), or demons, who are believed to be emanations of Vaishravana himself. The most important of these eight are the dark-skinned Kuvera of the north and the white Jambala of the east. Each of these emanations holds a mongoose that spews jewels. In Tibet and Nepal, he is worshipped as the God of Wealth in all three manifestations: Vaishravana, Kubera, and Jambala. In many Tibetan and Nepalese images of Kubera, the deity is shown as a plump figure wearing a crown, ribbons and jewelry, and holding a mongoose, representing this god’s vistory over the naga (snake deities), who symbolize greed. As God of Wealth, Vaishravana (aka Kubera) squeezes the mongoose and causes the creature to spew out jewels.”  

Mahākāla-deva
Says the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (sign in with username = guest): “An important Tantric dharmapāla, considered to be a fully enlightened buddha. He is the Buddhist form of the Hindu god Śiva, taken into the Buddhist pantheon at the beginning of the second millennium C.E. As a dharmapāla, he provides protection from negative elements. Thus, despite his exalted status, Mahākāla is seen placed above temple doors, alongside and even below lesser deities. The Chinese pilgrim Yixing (671-695) reported seeing Mahākāla so placed in Indian temples, holding a bag of gold, which indicates that Mahākāla has long been associated with Kubera, the god of wealth. Mahākāla is largely a Tibetan and Mongolian deity, never having gained wide popularity in China. The Japanese form is likely to have entered from Mongolia, where he was introduced by the third Dalai Lama in the sixteenth century. In Tibetan iconography Mahākāla is often seen in a triumvirate with Mañjuśrī and Avalokitêśvara. The Tibetan pantheon includes over seventy forms of the god, both of Indic and Tibetan innovations. Among these some are considered world-transcendent, some worldly deities. His most commonly represented form is the six-handed ṣad-bhuja 六臂 Mahākāla. Reference=[Mikkyō Daijiten, 1453c]. Transliterated as 摩訶迦羅 (or 摩訶謌羅). [h.adams]”

“The great black deva 大黑神. Two interpretations are given. The esoteric cult describes the deva as the masculine form of Kālī, i.e. Durgā, the wife of Śiva; with one face and eight arms, or three faces and six arms, a necklace of skulls, etc. He is worshipped as giving warlike power, and fierceness; said also to be an incarnation of Vairocana for the purpose of destroying the demons; and is described as 大時 the “great time” (-keeper) which seems to indicate Vairocana, the sun. The exoteric cult interprets him as a beneficent deva, a Pluto, or god of wealth. Consequently he is represented in two forms, by the one school as a fierce deva, by the other as a kindly happy deva. He is shown as one of the eight fierce guardians with a trident, generally blue-black but sometimes white; he may have two elephants underfoot. Six arms and hands hold jewel, skull cup, chopper, drum, trident, elephant-goad. He is the tutelary god of Mongolian Buddhism.  [J. Daikoku; M. Yeke-gara; T. Nag-po c'en-po, CMuller; Soothill, Hirakawa].” <end quote from DDB>

Wood statue of Daikoku in collection of site author
Early 20th century

SOURCES

• Butsuzō zui 仏像図彙 (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images). Published in 1690 (Genroku 元禄 3). A major Japanese dictionary of Buddhist iconography. Hundreds of black-and-white drawings, with deities classified into categories based on function and attributes. For an extant copy from 1690, visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library. An expanded version, known as the Zōho Shoshū Butsuzō-zui 増補諸宗仏像図彙 (Enlarged Edition Encompassing Various Sects of the Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images), was published in 1783. View a digitized version (1796 reprint of the 1783 edition) at the Ehime University Library. Modern-day reprints of the expanded 1886 Meiji-era version, with commentary by Ito Takemi (b. 1927), are also available at this online store (J-site). In addition, see Buddhist Iconography in the Butsuzō-zui of Hidenobu (1783 enlarged version), translated into English by Anita Khanna, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 2010.
• Handbook on Viewing Buddhist Statues 仏像の見方ハンドブック. By Ishii Ayako. A wonderful book. Published 1998. Japanese Language Only. 192 pages; 80 or so color photos. ISBN 4-262-15695-8.
• JAANUS. Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System. A wonderful online dictionary compiled by the late Dr. Mary Neighbour Parent. It covers both Buddhist and Shinto deities in great detail. Over 8,000 entries. Written in English, yet presenting all key terms in Japanese.
• Buddhism (Flammarion Iconographic Guides), by Louis Frederic, Printed in France, ISBN 2-08013-558-9, First published 1995. A highly illustrated volume, with special significance to those studying Japanese Buddhist iconography. Includes many of the myths and legends of mainland Asia as well, but its special strength is in its coverage of the Japanese tradition. Hundreds of accompanying images/photos, both B&W and color.
• Essentials of Buddhist Images: A Comprehensive Guide to Sculpture, Painting, and Symbolism. By Kodo Matsunami. Paperback; first English edition March 2005; published by Omega-Com. Above clipart in left column scanned from this book. Matsunami (born 1933) is a Jōdo-sect 浄土 monk, a professor at Ueno Gakuen University, and chairperson of the Japan Buddhist Federation. He received the government's Medal of Honor (褒章 hōshō), Blue Ribbon, for his achievements in public service. Says Matsunami: “Bishamonten protects from disaster and bodily harm. Daikoku satisfies the deisre for food. Benzaiten represents sexual desire. Hotei brings laughter, and Ebisu grants wealth.
• Tobifudo Deity Dictionary. Ryūkozan Shōbō-in Temple 龍光山正寶院 (Tokyo). Tendai Sect.
• Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (sign in with username = guest) 
• The Seven Lucky Gods of Japan, by Chiba Reiko. Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1966. Also see UCLA Center for East Asian Studies, Educational Resources from teacher Samantha Wohl, Palms Middle School, Summer 2000. See Wohl’s Materials List (based on Chiba Reiko’s book).

LEARN MORE

• Buy statues of Daikokuten or the Seven Lucky Gods. Our sister site.
• Kitchen Deities in Japan. This site.
• Pilgrimage to the Seven Lucky Gods in Kamakura. This site.
• Ivory Set of the Seven Luckies (missing Ebisu). This site
• Number Seven (Seiyaku.com) and Seven Lucky Gods in Tokyo
• Pilgrimage to the Seven Lucky Gods in Tokyo
• Ebisu & Daikoku by Alan Wiren (JapanVisitor.com)
• Ellen Schattschneider (Brandeis University). Iwaki Jinja Shrine. The oldest shrine in Fukushima Prefecture, reportedly built in 718 AD. It is a place of worship for many people in and around the city and Mt. Iwaki, where the shrine is located, is also known as the Ebisu-Daikoku-sama-no-Omiya.
• Black Mahakala -- God of War (ExoticIndiaArt.com)
• Black Mahakali -- Goddess of War (ExoticIndiaArt.com)
• White Mahakala -- God of Wealth (ExoticIndiaArt.com)
• Blue Mahakala -- Protector of Monasteries (ExoticIndiaArt.com)
  In Tibet, Mahakala is associated with the color blue.
• Shri Mahakala Deva (Religiousworlds.com). Tutelary god of Mongolia.
• Kali, Hindu Goddess (Wikipedia.org)

田の原大黒天 (Tanohara Daikokuten)
Lit. “Origin-of-the-Rice-Paddy Daikokuten.” See below photo.

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