How To Use Prayer Beads Malas In Tibetan Buddhist Meditation

Prayer Beads

Tibetan Buddhist prayer beads have a wide & varied history. Prayer beads are not one-of-a-kind to Buddhism, believers in Catholicism use prayer beads in the type of a rosary, & they say the rosary as they move their hands over each bead. Prayer beads were first used in Hinduism, in Hinduism they are called japa mala. Prayer beads are also used by Muslims. Believers in the Bahai faith also use prayer beads in their practices. Tibetan Buddhist prayer beads are often known as the Buddhist rosary or by the word mala. The word mala literally means a garland or strand & represents the unity of all things in Tibetan Buddhism.

A typical strand of Tibetan Buddhist prayer beads contains 108 beads. This practice of putting 108 beads on a strand of Tibetan Buddhist prayer beads came from Hinduism. Hindus began putting 108 beads onto each strand of prayer beads because there's 108 Hindu deities. Krishna also danced with 108 cow-herd girls & they is rumored to have had 16,108 wives. In Tibetan Buddhism, 108 prayer beads on a Tibetan Buddhist mala are important because there's 108 sins.
Tibetan Buddhist prayer beads come in other numbers besides 108. There's Tibetan prayer beads with 111 beads. In Catholicism some prayer beads have 10 beads on the strand, & other beads have 50 beads on the strand.

In Chinese & Japanese Buddhism practitioners also use malas with 27 beads. Malas with 27 beads, wrist malas, are usually used for prostration. Prostration is a technique for a Buddhist practitioner to rid himself of awful such as anger, envy, & greed & fill himself with compassion, peace, & love.

Tibetan Buddhist prayer beads are made from plenty of different materials including jade, wood, sandalwood, turquoise, etc. In Tibetan Buddhism & Hinduism Bodhi seeds are also used for prayer beads.

To make use of prayer beads you pass your fingers over each bead as you say a mantra. You ought to say the mantra as you count through each bead until you reach where you started. Prayer beads have a bigger bead in the middle so you will know when you have reached the finish.

Two times you start using your prayer beads, they become sacred. You ought to not let other people handle your prayer beads. Store your prayer beads in a special place & do not lie them on the ground. There's special prayer bead bags to hold your prayer beads so they won't be harmed.