Sacred Object
Mala
Sanskrit: Mālā · Tibetan: ཕྲེང་བ།
The mala is a strand of prayer beads used across Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh traditions to count mantra recitations, most commonly strung with 108 beads — a number carrying its own layered symbolic significance across these traditions.
- Category
- Ritual implement
Material Culture & Craftsmanship
Malas are made from a wide range of materials depending on tradition and purpose, including rudraksha seeds (particularly associated with Shaiva practice), sandalwood, bodhi seed, and semiprecious stones such as lapis lazuli or turquoise in Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhist practice. A mala typically includes a larger "guru bead" marking the start and end of a full circuit.
Symbolism
The number 108 is explained variously across traditions — as the product of astrologically or numerologically significant numbers, as corresponding to a traditional count of afflictions to be overcome, or through other enumerations that differ by lineage and text.
Ritual Use
The mala is used to count repetitions of a mantra during meditation or devotional practice, with the practitioner moving a bead between the fingers with each repetition, allowing sustained recitation without needing to consciously count.