Antique sculpture "Daikoku". Made of bronze with patina. Japan, XX century.

Daikoku is one of the seven gods of fortune, the "Great Black". Originally was the Indian deity Mahakala. From the Indian pantheon, Mahakala moved to the Buddhist one, as one of the gods-protectors of the Buddhas from dark forces. In the seventh century, the Chinese monk Yijing, who went to India, mentioned in his travel notes the fact that he met two-armed statuettes of Mahakala, who is the patron saint of cuisine, in Indian temples. This fashion has taken root in China, where Mahakala also became the patron of the kitchen. In the ninth century China was visited by the founder of the Tendai school, Saicho, who brought a figurine of Mahakala to Japan. Since the name "Mahakala" meant "Big Black", in Japan the god became known as Daikokuten.

Daikoku dances and taps with his hammer; With each stroke of his magic mallet, wealth, happiness, health and love increase in the world. A bag of heavenly rice is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. The rat (or mouse) is Daikoku's assistant: it gnaws holes in his bag, and magical rice falls from the sky to the ground right into the hands of people.