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Hindu Prayer Beads

Prayer beads or mala in Sanskrit, have a long history of use in the subcontinent of India. Buddhist prayer beads have their roots in Hinduism where the followers of Shiva would carry rudraksha seed bead malas for counting the repetition of their mantras or prayers. Malas are used by more than half of the worlds religions and from about five hundred BCE. Buddhist mala beads have been traditionally made from Bodi seeds. The Bodi tree, a type of fig, is said to be the tree the Buddha sat and meditated under for seven years. Sandalwood and other material were used as Buddhism spread. While wood is traditional material, stone, shell, glass and plastics are used today. Buddhist and Hindus use malas to this day, frequently the malas are so decorative that people not of those religions choose to wear them as adornment. Today malas can be seen everywhere from gift shops in five star hotels in Deli to the smallest and most humble villages and towns. The use of the mala not only aides in the counting of the prayer but the concentration of the energies conjured up in the process of the repetition and meditation on the sentiment of the mantra / prayer. It is believed the mala will embody the essence of all these energies thought time and use. The etymology of mala beads goes back to ancient India. Mala or Japa Mala is a Sanskrit word that was adopted into other Asian languages as the use of the beads spread. When the Romans invaded India they mistook the word japa for jap, the Latin word for rose. Upon returning to Rome, mala beads were referred to as rosarium and latter English rosary. Today people of many traditions and backgrounds use malas in their practice or simply for adornment.

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Tags: five star hotels, Hindu, mala, Prayer Beads, rudraksha seed bead malas

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