Buddhist prayer beads and Buddhist Prayer Beads Mala are extremely popular in religious and spiritual accessories. Now, although we say Buddhist Beads, there is no single external feature of Buddhist prayer beads. They can be made from a wide range of materials and come in various shapes and colors.
But regardless of how they look, all of them are used to promote calmness and peace. That said, depending on the type of beads and their design, they can have various additional effects. In addition, you can also use Buddhist meditation beads/ prayer beads in a wide range of forms. There are classical Buddhist mala, Buddhist beads bracelets, Japanese Buddhist beads pendants, Tibetan prayer beads bracelets, guru beads, and many other forms.
The most common form is the Buddhist Prayer beads Mala. Therefore here we will mostly be referring to Buddhist Mala and Buddhist beads bracelets as a major accessory here. If you want to know more about Buddhist prayer beads, you can check out our article about the history of prayer beads!
With this cleared, let’s get started with our Guide to Buddhist Prayer Beads!
How are Buddhist Prayer Beads Made?
Earlier, we mentioned that these beads are made from many materials and come in many shapes, but have you ever wondered how they are made?
Most of the materials for our Buddhist/ Japanese prayer beads are rock, which is then carefully carved into a round shape to make Buddhist Mala easier. Naturally, the round is not the only shape for Buddhist mala bead since there are oblong Dzi stone beads and intricately carved skull beads.
Now while stones are indeed carved, there are many naturally round beads as well. Most naturally round beads are seeds, but there are exceptions, like pearls.
Once the beads are shaped into the desired shape or harvested from nature, they go through a process to increase their longevity and then are transformed into Buddhist Mala.
Now, since there are many Buddhist beads, you might have difficulty choosing the perfect beads.
So,
How to choose Buddhist Prayer Beads?
The answer to this question is not as complex as you may think. To choose the perfect beads for you, all you need to do is separate them into categories and then prioritize their categories. By the end of this process, you will be left with only a few beads.
You can segment the beads in any way you want. However, we have a few ways to separate/ choose Buddhist beads if you don’t know how to start. They are:
1) Colors
Tibetan/ Japanese beads can also come in various colors. You have blue beads from lapis lazuli and aquamarine, Green ones from jade, red beads from coral, and black beads from obsidian, rose beads like rose quartz, or mixed ones like tigers eye. Naturally, these are not the only colors in which you can find Buddhist beads.
You can choose the color purely for aesthetic purposes or their significance.
2) Based on Materials
As mentioned earlier, Buddhist/Tibetan prayer beads can be made from various materials. The first way to choose them is by separating them based on materials. A basic way to do this is by separating them into bone, seeds, wood, stone, and metal beads. After you complete this basic segregation, you can go into specifics.
Similar to colors, you can choose materials for their aesthetic or significance.
If you combine both the segregation by color and materials, you should have the beads that are perfect for you.
Now that you have chosen the Buddhist prayer bead, it’s time to discuss its benefits.
What are the benefits of Buddhist prayer beads?
Buddhist beads’ primary benefit is aiding you in your meditation. However, you will first need to transform it into a Buddhist Japa Mala necklace beads or Tibetan wrist mala bracelet. Through this transformation, you will gain access to Japa Mala Meditation.
There are many benefits to using Buddhist prayer beads in Japa Mala Meditation. Some of these benefits are:
1) Reduction of stress and enhancement of calmness
By using buddha beads in Japa mala beads meditation, you can get into deep meditation quicker and calm your nerves.
2) Better control over your thoughts and emotions
Humans have a lot of thoughts, and we feel a lot of emotions. However, not all of these thoughts and emotions are helpful for us. You get better control over your thoughts and emotions by using buddha prayer beads in your meditation practices.
3) Better focus and concentration
You can also gain enhanced focus and concentration with enhanced control over your thoughts and emotions and a better sense of calmness. When using Buddhist beads in meditation, you must focus on your breathing and bead count. Although you will find it hard initially, your focus and concentration will improve with time.
These three are the primary benefits of Buddha Beads. Naturally, additional side benefits will follow after these three primary benefits, like better sleep and improved work and social life.
But besides these benefits, are there other reasons to use Buddha prayer Beads?
Why Should you use Buddhist Prayer beads?
As we mentioned earlier, the primary use of Buddhist/ Tibetan prayer beads is for meditation in Tibetan Japa mala beads necklaces and Buddhist wrist mala bracelets. However, you can also use Buddhist prayer beads and Buddhist prayer mala as fashion accessories besides meditation
Along with the Japa mala beads necklace and wrist mala bracelet, you can use Buddhist prayer beads as a tassel and charm in your beads necklaces, string bracelets, and keyrings or guru beads on your beaded malas and some of the best beaded bracelets.
Although you can use Buddhist beads as jewelry and meditation/ spiritual accessories, you should be careful not to let them touch the ground.
Where to Buy Buddhist Prayer Beads Mala?
You can buy Buddhist beads bracelets throughout South East Asia, especially near the himalayan area in India, Nepal, and China. But if you want to order Buddhist prayer mala online, then Nirvana Mala is one of the best option for you. We are one of the best wholesalers and distributors of buddhist beads mala and wrist mala in Nepal along with many other religious, spiritual, cultural and meditational accessories.
In the end,
Buddhist beads are among the most versatile beaded accessories. You can use Buddhist beads as Prayer Japa Mala necklace, wrist mala, or tassels in pendants, necklaces, and keyrings. The best thing about these beads is that you can choose the perfect loose bead since there is such a wide range of beads.
We hope you found our guide to Buddhist prayer beads interesting. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
FAQ
Q: Is it OK to wear Buddhist beads?
A: Yes, it is. You can wear Buddhist beads regardless of who you are or where you are from. This is because Buddhist beads are simply a fashion accessory to aid you in your meditation, and you can wear them as a reminder of your goal.
Q: Why do Buddhist prayer beads have 108 beads?
A: There are a few reasons for this, and one of the best reasons is that, as per the traditional Buddhist belief, there are 108 mortal desires. Each Buddhist mala bead represents one of these desires.
Q: Which wrist do Buddhist beads go on?
A: You can wear Buddhist beads on both wrists. However, the right wrist is traditionally preferred over the left wrist because the left wrist is considered impure. So, although you can wear Buddhist beads on both wrists, it is still preferable to wear them on the right one.