Hotei

Hotei, the Seven Fortune of Joy, has long appeared as a fat Zen monk wearing Buddhist beads, with his belly exposed, his head bald, and his earlobes fat. His name comes from the sack he always carries with him. Often, the sack has inside it whatever the person he wishes to help most needs. Most often, that is candy or small gifts for the children who follow him wherever he wanders, children he makes sure to protect from harm.

A famous Zen story is told about Hotei. Hotei was traveling, as he always does, giving children candy from his bag and only asking for a penny from monks or lay practitioners he meets. One day, a monk recognized him and asked, “Hotei, what is the meaning of Zen?” Hotei dropped his bag. “How does one realize Zen?” Hotei picked up his bag and continued on his way.

Scions have reported meeting Hotei all over the world. Often he appears as a friendly, fat, and bald man, but wherever he is, he is smiling and giving gifts to children. His Scions don’t always appear as he does, but they are those who can see the good in any situation, and see the long arc of time bending towards goodness. Many work in service industries, as volunteers, even monks, priests, or nuns. A very special group of Hotei’s Scions work in child protective services or as foster parents taking care of children that others have not.