Japa mala: Buddhist & Hindu beads
The japa mala (जप माला) is a counting strand of Indian origin, shared by Hinduism and Buddhism. Japa is the repetition of a mantra or a name of a deity; mala means “garland” in Sanskrit. It is one of the oldest documented forms of counting beads, and many other traditions trace much of their descent from it.
Structure and the number 108
The classic mala has 108 counting beads plus a separate, usually larger “meru” bead (sumeru, bindu) with a tassel. The meru is neither crossed nor counted: on reaching it, the strand is not passed over it but turned and worked back — preserving reverence for the “summit” of the strand.
The number 108 is held sacred in the Dharmic traditions, and many explanations exist for it — astronomical, numerical, symbolic; there is no single “official” account, and the exact origin of the number remains a matter of interpretation. Shorter malas are also common: 54 or 27 beads, told twice or four times respectively; wrist malas often hold 27 or 18 beads.
How it is used
The mala is held in the hand and moved one bead per repetition of the mantra, advancing the strand with the thumb. One full round of 108 repetitions ends at the meru bead, after which, if practice continues, the strand is turned around. Some traditions prescribe which fingers should hold the strand and which beads may be touched, but the specific rules differ between schools.
Materials
Traditional materials are rich in symbolism. In Hinduism, especially among Shaivites, rudraksha seeds (“tears of Shiva”) are prized; among Vaishnavas, the wood and beads of the sacred tulsi. In Buddhism, the seeds of the bodhi tree — under which the Buddha is said to have attained awakening — are widely used, along with sandalwood, bone and semi-precious stones.
History
Early traces of the japa mala lead to the Indian religious tradition of the mid-first millennium BCE. Buddhists adopted the counting strand from Hindu practice, and as Buddhism spread the mala dispersed across Asia — hence Tibetan, Indian, Chinese and Japanese forms (such as the Japanese juzu). In this way the japa mala became one of the principal “ancestors” of the world’s prayer-bead culture.