The Living Journal - The Tibetan Mala Beads

The mala bead or the rosary beads in Sanskrit known as the “Japa Malas” are typically made with 18, 27, 54 or 108 beads. The important of Mala beads it gives you that focus and concentration on the mantras we are reciting, prostrations and meditation.

Mala beads or Buddhist rosary beads is a tool that we used for keeping count while reciting, chanting the number of times, counting the number of prostrations or mentally repeating a mantra of the name or names of a Buddha, Bodhisattva or deity. 

Tibetans also use their mala for blessing others, as it is believed the mala absorbs great power through deity mantra practice. The 108 mala beads is represents the words or the statements of the Buddha. In some other schools of Buddhism it means 108 account for human passions or human mistakes. 

The mala bead used in various methods and purposes depend on the mantras used, and mala beads are made from a variety of materials, most commonly wood. Preferred woods are sandalwood or sacred wood from the bodhi tree.

More expensive rosaries beads are made of precious and semi-precious stones, including pearls, rubies, crystal, amber, coral, or jade, or precious metals such as gold. They can also be made of seeds, animal bone (most commonly yak), and sometime even human skull. 

Mala beads that made of skull have the important principle and function. While the wrathful skull images in Tibetan Buddhism may seem scary, and the skulls are simply reminders of our mortality. Tibetans use skull beads and jewelry to remind them of impermanence. 

Skull mala beads help users contemplate the meaning of life and death during meditation. The Skull is reflects on death and impermanence and know that death is a fact and the closer that we can relate to death and embrace it the sooner we can start living with love and compassion and realizing that in this cyclic existence death will certainly when it is time. Live life  and embrace death. Recognition is the answer to the unavoidable passing of time and body.

In general, the traditional mala beads are used for all kind of purposes and for all kinds of mantras. The string that holds the beads together is usually made of silk, but is sometimes made of human hair. The materials and colors of the beads can relate to a specific practice. 

Mantras and chants are typically repeated hundreds or even thousands of times. The mala bead is used so that one can focus on the meaning or sound of the mantra rather than counting its repetitions.

One repetition is usually said for each bead while turning the thumb clockwise around each bead, when arriving at the Guru bead or the center bead; Tibetan Buddhists traditionally turn the mala around and then go back in the opposing direction. [I don’t cross over the Guru bead as advised by my Guru] but, some emphasize that this is not important. 

This repetition of the beads serves to remind practitioners of the teaching that it is possible to break the cycle of birth and death. Recite a very large number of mantras, Tibetan Buddhist males have bell and dorje counters (a short string of ten beads, usually silver, with a bell or dorje at the bottom). 

These counters are placed at different points on the mala depending on tradition, sometimes at the 10th, 21st or 25th bead from the Guru bead. Traditionally, one begins the mala in the direction of the dorje (skillful means) proceeding on to the bell (wisdom) with each round. 

In the Vajrayana traditions, the Tibetan Buddhists generally used the left hand for reciting or using the mala beads, and as well using a certain fingers, and either pushing or pulling each bead has a specific purpose and characteristic – whether for healing, protection, wealth, etc. 

Prayer beads are the attributes of certain Buddhist deities, an example is the four arms Chenrezig is often depicted holding a lotus and another hand is holding the rosary of 108 mala beads that representing the Bodhisattva's wish to help sentient beings conquer the 108 passions and attain enlightenment.

Thank you for reading and may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note*

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.