Care for Your Mala

 Mala Prayer Beads

Malas, in Buddhist cultures and communities, are frequently given as gifts, for example, to celebrate a birthday, marriage, or holiday. In Tibetan Buddhism, you may receive (or purchase) a mala when it is time to begin to formally count your prostration mantra recitations. They are also given as keepsakes and a source of protection to loved ones, of any denomination, and also work with healing and birthstones.If you have a spiritual teacher, it is traditional for you to request that he or she "bless" your mala, to ensure that your meditation practice is free from obstacles.

How to Bless Your Mala

You can "bless" your own mala by creating a sacred space, for instance- lighting a candle and then holding your mala over sage, incense or juniper smoke. While you are doing this, say a quiet prayer with an aspiration that your use of this mala may bring benefit to all. Malas become sacred objects to be treated with respect and taken care of. They should not be left lying around carelessly, placed on the floor or stepped on, and should be cleaned with a damp cloth, or even soaked overnight in warm salt water and kept in good repair. Malas that have damaged beads that are beyond repair should be disposed of properly  and are, in Tibetan Tantra, called "Dharma Waste" are sacred waste, because they hold blessings. They would be taken to a Holy Place or Shrine, where other sacred objects are, and offered to the shrine or buried, or... recycled into another mala reincarnation!

Mala Beads Bracelet Making

Do you want to make your own mala beads bracelet? Here is How!

Handmade 10MM Sandalwood Mala Beads Bracelet

Step 1: Get all accessories - a soft metal line, beads, guru beads and tower, strechable string. Usually, for kids, choose 6mm, 8mm or 10mm beads. For women, choose 10mm, 11mm and 12mm. For Men, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm or bigger size. There is no standard, you can choose what you like.

Step 2: String the Guru Bead. The Guru bead usually with three holes. So the most difficult step is to get through the guru bead. Fisrtly string the guru bead tower, and the second, please make the soft metal line a small hook. Then it can easily get through the hole at one side.

Step 3: After string the guru bead at one side, you can easily go on stringing the standard beads. You can string beads according to your wrist size.

Step 4: After string all beads, then you need to string the other side to the guru bead and tower. Please do as following pictures.

Step 5: After string all beads, then it is the time to make knot. How to make a pretty knot? Here we introduce the Chinese Endless Luky knot. I wrote another article before this about 

Chinese endless knot.

Chinese Endless Knot Chart.

Choosing a Mala

Choosing a Mala

A mala of 108 beads is used for general purposes by most practicing Tibetan Buddhists. A variation of the standard 108-bead mala is the wrist mala of 27 beads—four circuits total 108 mantra repetitions.

"The sacred number of 108 predates Buddhism, being the classical number of the Hindu names assigned to a deity or god. As a multiple of 12 and 9, it represents the nine planets in the 12 zodiac houses. As a multiple of 27 and 4, it also represents the four quarters of the moon in each of the 27 lunar mansions or constellations. 

The 108 beads also ensure that at least a hundred mantra recitations have been completed in a full rosary turning." 

Beads of bodhi seed generally are considered auspicious for any practice or mantra, and red sandalwood or lotus seeds also are widely recommended for universal use . 

Wood Mala~

Mantras for magnetizing should be recited using malas made of saffron, lotus seed, sandalwood, or other forms of wood includingelm wood, peach wood, and rosewood.

Red Sandalwood is the symbol of Brahma and blessed by Lakshmi. Rosaries of red Sandalwood are useful for propitiating the goddesses whereas of white are useful for the gods. Red sandal beads attracts abundance and prosperity, unfolds vibrant energy and gives bravery, strength and willpower.

Some beads, such as the ones made of lotus seeds, can be used for all purposes and all kinds of mantras. However, in Tibetan Buddhism, beads are recited for four different purposes:

1: Pacifying mantras should be recited using white colored malas such as crystal. These can serve to purify mind and clear away obstacles in one’s life, like illness, bad karma and mental disturbances.  

2: Increasing mantras should be recited using malas of Bodhi seeds, gold or amber. The mantras counted on these kinds of mantras, for instance, mantra of Yellow Jambhala, can "serve to increase life span, knowledge and merits".

3: Mantras for magnetizing are meant to tame others, but the motivation for doing so should be a pure wish to help other sentient beings and not to benefit oneself. To do mantra of Amitayus and Kurukulle, malas made of coral should be used.

4: Mantras to tame by force should be recited using malas made of bones of mahasiddhas. Reciting this kind of mantras with mala serves to tame others, but with the motivation to unselfishly help other sentient beings. To tame by force means to subdue harmful energies, such as "extremely malicious spirits, or general afflictions". Only a person such like Dakini that is motivated by great compassion for all beings, including those they try to tame, can do this.

Beads made of lotus seeds can be used for many purposes and for counting all kinds of mantras. 

Beads of Bodhi seed -

The Bodhi seed signifies the Buddha's attainment of enlightenment while seated under the Bodhi Tree.

'Moon and Stars Bodhi seeds' mala is made from rattan seeds, The bead itself is very hard and dense, ivory coloured (which gradually turns a deep golden brown with long use), and has small holes (moons) and tiny black dots (stars) covering its surface.

'Phenix Eye Bodhi seeds' mala is made from rattan seeds, The bead itself is very hard and dense, ivory coloured (which gradually turns a deep golden brown with long use), and has small holes (moons) and tiny black dots (stars) covering its surface.

Rudraksha seed aka King KongBodhi  seeds

'Rudraksha seed mala' Each seed displays 5 faces or Mukhi. In Tibetan Buddhism, Rudraksha seeds are often associated with the practice of Vajrakilaya or more wrathful pratices. According to the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, each mantra recitation is multiplied by 20 million when using a Rudraksha seed mala.

Rudraksha beads or Bone mala 

Mantras to tame by forceful means should be recited using malas made of Rudraksha beads or bone. Reciting mantras with this kind of Malas to tame by forceful means or subdue harmful energies, such as "extremely malicious spirits, or general afflictions" are made from Rudraksha seeds, or even human bones, but It is said that only a person that is motivated by great compassion for all beings, including those they try to tame, can do this~

Holy Bone

Holy bone malas are made from the bones of mahasiddhas or lamas and hand made by highly skilled lamas, therefore, they are extremely precious. The lama who makes the holy bone mala, will chant mantras while shaping the bones into beads and polishing them. The whole process of making a holy bone mala may take over one decade, hence there goes a saying in Buddhism: holy bone malas can bring peace to the dead and safety to the living. What the holy bone mala represents, in mundane words, is that life is ever-changing and death may knock at your doors in anytime, therefore, one should be diligent in his or her practice; in Dharmata chos nyid, is the emptiness.

Malas of Gold, Silver, Copper & Amber

Increasing mantras should be recited using malas of gold, silver, copper and amber. The mantras counted on these can "serve to increase life span, knowledge and merit."

White colored malas

Pacifying mantras should be recited using white colored malas. Materials such as crystal, pearl, shell/conch or mother of pearl are preferable. These are said to purify the mind and clear away obstacles like illness, bad karma and mental disturbances. Using pearls is not practical however, as repeated use will destroy their iridescent layer. Most often pearl malas are used for showing off or 'Dharma jewelry'.

About Tibetan Mala

Mala Praying Beads:

A Mala is a set of beads used for counting "mantras" which are the expression of a Buddha-aspect on the level of sound. The number of mantras gets counted to ensure certain meditation results will occur

In Tibetan Buddhism, traditionally malas of 108 beads are used. Doing one 108-bead mala counts as 100 mantra recitations; the extra repetitions are done to amend any mistakes. The materials used to make the beads can be different according to the purpose of the mantras beening used. These beads can be made from Bodhi seeds, Rudraksha seeds,  lotus seeds( called 'Moon and Stars' by Tibetan) , sandalwood, abelia, gold, silver, copper, iron, crystal, coral, ivory,  amber, coloured glaze, turquoise, giant clam, pearls and so forth, and even bones of a holy monk or revered lama..

Turquoise Mala

Bones Mala

Bodhi seeds Mala