Prayer Malas in Buddhism: Varieties, Symbolism, and Practice – Evamratna Skip to content
EvamratnaEvamratna
0

Prayer Malas in Buddhism: Varieties, Symbolism, and Practice

Circles of Mindfulness: The Symbolism and Practice of the Buddhist Mala

The prayer mala, or Buddhist prayer beads, connotes devotion, discipline, and unbroken continuity along the Buddhist path. It holds the bridge to the gap between the ordinary and the sacred and signifies a moment of intention, and it pauses the active flow of daily life—the prayer beads remind us to be present along the way. The mala, itself, reflects the experience of the Buddhist path, which is cyclical and embedded in the process of repetition and return, where the movement of progress is subtle, quiet, and continuous. They unite practitioners of diverse Buddhist traditions, from Tibetan monks reciting and chanting ancient mantras on the edge of a mountain to practitioners using it to observe silence. It is not simply an accessory; the prayer beads are a companion on the journey of awakening, a physical manifestation of lineage, heritage, and depth of symbolism. A prayer mala is much more than an object; it is a practice into which one enters, as it reminds us that we live mindfulness and compassion. Only through repetition can we know these realities, one by one, breath by breath, and moment by moment.

The Origin of the Prayer Mala: More than a Counting Tool

Tibetan Shaman Necklace
Click Here To View Our Himalayan Prayer Mala

Prayer Malas, a Buddhist and Hindu symbol, have origins in India dating back to the 8th century BCE. The term "mala" derives from the Sanskrit word for "garland," as the beads are joined in a continuous circle like flowers. They are representative of a cyclical, unifying, complete whole cycle of life. This is closely related to the Buddhist teaching on these same concepts in the ongoing, never-ending cycle of Life called samsara. As Buddhism spread globally, practitioners carried it with them on trade routes and cultural interchange and pilgrimage routes, where they would apply these in new physiological, cultural, and social practices. In Tibet it is often symbolized on or off, while in China and Japan, it became associated with local prayer practices. In Southeast Asia, malas were made of different scented woods like sandalwood and incorporated meditative practice with sensory experiences.

Prayer beads are not merely a counting device; they are intended for presence over efficiency. Each bead is a sacred pause, reminding practitioners to come back to the present moment. The moving of beads transforms counting into ritual and ritual into meditation, making the mala an extension of the practitioner's journey and holding it. This practice symbolizes discipline and devotion, inviting practitioners to engage in both ancient and modern rhythms. Surrendering to the circularity of the Japamala reminds us that spiritual practice is an endless cycle of returning, refining, and remembering, where each bead counts.

The Varieties of Buddhist Malas

Sacred Mala Beads
Click Here To View Our Sacred Mala Beads

Malas come in various styles, and each style can serve practical functions or symbolic purposes:  

1. 108-bead mala

  • This is also called the complete form.  
  • In Buddhist cosmology, it represents the number of earthly desires, or afflictions, that we need to release. Some schools of thought might recognize the number as being the summation of 36 emotions that define our past, present, and future; those 36 feelings together result in cycles of karma.   
  • Completing 108 recitations allows one to be mindful throughout all states of being.  

2. Mini Malas (21, 27, or 54 beads)

  • These are the portable, practical malas that often exist in our daily life when time is an issue.  
  • Traditionally, four rounds of a 27-bead mala equal one complete cycle of 108.   
  • Tibetan monks will carry these smaller beads around their necks and practice with them discreetly, allowing them to practice while going to and from the marketplace or other travel locations in their daily lives.

3. Wrist Malas

  • These are typically comprised of anywhere from 18 to 27 beads, which take the form of bracelets.
  • They serve dual purposes: a tool of prayer and a daily reminder, creating a mental and physical connection, resting and residing on the wrist as a heartbeat of practice.

The Materials of Prayer Malas

Woman with Prayer Mala
Woman with Prayer Mala (Photo From Shutterstock)

While malas serve their purpose as structures, they also hold significance in their materiality. Each material has importance and symbolic meaning, and practitioners often choose prayer beads that emphasize the qualities they want to cultivate during meditation. In all cases of it, the materials create intentions that honor tradition and knowledge, making it essential vessel for intention and contemplative companions. 

Below is a list of examples of materials and their meanings.

Material

Meaning and Qualities

Bodhi Seed Beads

The tree under which the Buddha realized enlightenment serves as a reminder of awakening itself.


Rudraksha Beads

Traditionally associated with clarity and focus, they are also a protection. Commonly found in the Himalayan regions.

Wood (Sandalwood, Rosewood)

Traditionally, it has grounding, calm, and peaceful qualities.

Gemstones (Amethyst, Jade, Turquoise, etc.)

Considered to have healing energy qualities, qualifiers are specific to the meditator's personal experience.

Bone Beads

Used in Tibetan traditions to denote impermanence and compassion; although this is a yak bone and not a human bone. Bones are traditionally used in malas.

The Symbolism of a Buddhist Prayer Mala

A1 Lapis Lazuli Mala
Click Here To View Our A1 Lapis Lazuli Mala

A mala is not just a random collection of beads—it is a highly organized spiritual object, and each part has meaning or purpose. The design itself is a teaching, reminding us that meditation is never separated from something symbolic and that even the smallest detail can contain the Dharma.

The Guru Bead

A guru bead, also called the sumeru or 'mountain' bead. It is the focal point of the mala and, unlike all the other beads, takes no part in the cycle of counting or repetition. The mala itself, as it is turned to continue the count, is a pause for reverence. When the practitioner arrives at the guru bead while reciting their mala, they do not go over the bead as they continue the chant. They stop and respectfully turn the japamala to start again in another direction. This slight symbolic gesture carries within it many teachings—we honor both the teacher and teachings through respect, humility in practice, and acknowledgement of the spiritual journey; it is not a linear path with an ending point. As it turns back on itself, our practice invites us again and again to the essentials of awareness, compassion, and presence.

The Circle of Beads

The circular shape of the mala is similarly significant. An unbroken circle can seek to reflect the Buddhist worldview that all things in the universe are cyclical—life, death, and rebirth, or samsara. While using prayer beads is done with the awareness that the practitioner is consciously entering into this cycle, it is intended to awaken to something within that cycle. Despite the practitioner repeating a mantra with each bead, the experience is never the same twice; each time the practitioner cycles through the mala, their awareness shifts slightly, and the experience demonstrates how repetition is not falling into stagnation but transformation. In this way, the mala can be both a representation of samsara and a guide out of it.

The Tassel, Spacers, and Counters

Many malas are finished off with a tassel, with all the individual threads tied together at one point. This form is meant to signify unity; all those individual strands—like individual lives, like all our ways of thinking—come together in one source of completeness. Some malas in Tibetan traditions finish off with small counters made of tiny metal pieces, such as a small vajra or bell. Counters are also functional, as they assist the practitioner in keeping track of hundreds or thousands of recitations. Still, they also hold significant meaning: The vajra symbolizes unshakable wisdom, and the bell symbolizes compassionate awareness and has spacer beads, which are a different type of bead that provide breaks in the movement of counting. These breaks in rhythm remind the practitioner that meditation is not necessarily a linear process of trying to reach forward, but a resting in awareness.

The Practice: A Guide to Using a Buddhist Mala

Mala Beads Made of Bone
Click Here To View Our Mala Beads Made of Bone

The act of using a mala itself is straightforward, but its true complexity comes in the form of intentional awareness:

 1. Select your focus:

Choose a mantra, prayer, or breath practice. A common mantra is “Om Mani Padme Hum(the compassion of Avalokiteshvara).

2. Holding the Mala:

Traditionally, malas are held in the right hand. The beads rest on the middle finger, and the thumb moves bead by bead. The index finger is never used for it, as it is the ego finger and should always be left out of the practice.

3. Moving with Awareness:

Write down an intention before starting. For every bead you move, recite your mantra once. The beads will help anchor you if the mind drifts off. If something arises, you will notice it and move on by moving your thumb to the next bead. 

4. Honoring the Guru bead: 

Upon reaching the guru bead. Instead of crossing over the guru bead, you will turn around and start the counting process in reverse. This simple action represents humility and that we are never done learning and unlearning.

5. Taking the practice off the cushion:

Some practitioners choose to wear their mala during the day as an aid not only for prayer but also as a tactile reminder to be aware in the moment, such as when walking, speaking, or even breathing.

Expand your knowledge, read more on How to Choose the Right Jap Mala for Your Spiritual Practice.

Contemporary Interpretation of Buddhist Prayer Mala

Wood Mala Bead Necklace
Click Here To View Our Wood Mala Bead Necklace

In our world of constant distraction, Himalayan prayer malas retain their profound relevance. Contemporary practitioners sometimes refer to it as a "spiritual app," an elegant tool for our attention span, with the ease of repetition. But they aren't just like apps; they evoke human warmth, touch, and tradition. The beads on the skin create a rhythm that draws meditation into the body, rather than the mind, and reminds us that spirituality is not about leaving but about living and engaging with awareness. It reminds us that spirituality is never abstract. It is lived, bead by bead, breath by breath, cycle by cycle. A mala is at once highly personal and ubiquitously representative: it belongs to the practitioner and carries with it their energy, but it also deeply associates that practitioner with centuries of monks, nuns, and laypeople who stitched prayers and chanted mantras into the threads for millennia.

In some parts of the world, old malas have been preserved and treated with immense reverence. Some prayer beads are outsized and preserved as a fixture in a temple or museum. The smooth prayer beads today show the imprint of a devotion that lives on—not as a relic remembrance of the past, but as living and breathing witnesses of that devotion. Each beaten bead is storing the silent moments of clarity and distraction and whispered prayers of compassion, and they all serve to remind us that our practice is one of continuity.

Conclusion: The Mala as a Meditation Companion

The mala is a living participant in your spiritual journey, as it serves all of us with reminders that practice is simultaneous and non-linear. The Japa mala is a symbol that embodies enlightenment through small, incremental steps, with every bead representing the potential to change a life. The mala, or prayer beads, lovingly cradles the prayers of monks, travelers, and everyday people who are seeking peace and fulfillment. As a collective whole, they've created a hill of human perseverance and faith. Today, it may be found as sacred relics in small temples or on display in museums, showing us that the practice is alive and devotion travels to this time and place. Prayer Beads are a symbol of hope and continuity that teaches us that enlightenment cannot rest on a singular act of grace but is aided by the rhythm of staying, starting over when the mind wanders, and knowing that each small point of practice touches a ripple of compassion for this world.

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published..

Cart 0

Your cart is currently empty.

Start Shopping