Prayer Beads (Mala)

A mala is a string of 108 prayer beads, used in the Buddhist and Hindu traditions for thousands of years. The number 108 is not an arbitrary choice. It carries deep spiritual meaning and appears in many Eastern traditions, from the number of sacred sites in India to the 108 volumes of the Tibetan Kangyur, the collection of the teachings of the Buddha.

In practice the mala is used to count mantras. One bead, one mantra. The hand moves from bead to bead, the breath slows, the mind gathers. It is one of the simplest and at the same time most effective meditation techniques there is. No technical aid, no app, no screen. Only the hand, the beads and the stillness.

Malas are made from various materials, each with its own associations and meaning. Rosewood and sandalwood are considered particularly suited to meditation and compassion practice. Rudraksha seeds, the fruit of a tree that grows in Nepal and India, have been the preferred material for committed practitioners for centuries. Tiger's eye, amethyst, lapis lazuli and other gemstones are valued in the tradition for the particular qualities ascribed to them.

A good mala sits comfortably in the hand. It is neither too heavy nor too light. The beads are even, the cord strong, and the guru bead that marks the beginning and end is clearly recognisable.

At tibet-markets.ch we carry malas in carefully chosen materials, all handmade by Tibetan artisans in the Himalayas. Every mala we offer we have held in our hands and examined ourselves.