What is Jodo sect prayer beads?

There are male beads and female beads in the Jodo sect of Buddhism.
The prayer beads of the Jodo sect can be broadly divided into three types: daily routine prayer beads, 108 prayer beads, and solemn prayer beads.

Ordinary parishioners and believers may hold “daily prayer beads”, monks may hold “daily prayer prayer beads” for everyday use, and “shogon prayer beads” during ceremonies.
The “daily prayer beads” of the Jodo sect of Buddhism are not 108 beads, but they are in the form of prayer beads that allow you to count the number of Buddhist prayers. It is for practicing the Nembutsu by restricting your daily routine.
Therefore, in the Jodo sect, it is a rule for parishioners and believers to have authentic prayer beads, and there are many people who have authentic prayer beads.

Names and shapes of Jodo sect prayer beads

The prayer beads of the Jodo sect are not 108 beads, even if they are authentic prayer beads. The authentic prayer beads of the Jodo sect have a unique shape with two crossed rings, and both rings have “Oyadama” and “Omodama” respectively. In one ring, small balls called “Fukudama” are placed between “Omodama” and are lined up alternately. Two large and small metal rings and a tassels are connected to the ring containing the Fukudama. The number and size of the prayer beads for men and women are different, but they are made in the same format.

Prayer beads for men are called “Sanman Jodo” and those for women are called “Rokuman Jodo”. This is because when you count, you can chant 32,400 times for men and 64,800 times for women.

How to hold, use, and practice Jodo Buddhist prayer beads

When you recite the nembutsu, put the ring that does not contain Fukudama on your left hand between your thumb and forefinger, and roll it inward from the Oyadama one by one with your thumb for each recitation.
The loop containing the Fukudama is placed between the index and middle fingers of the left hand, and is turned forward each time the nembutsu is recited. When you put your hands together, hang the two Oyadama on your thumbs and let the tassel hang down toward you.

How to choose Jodo sect prayer beads

You can freely choose prayer beads according to your preference.
For men, choose from the 30,000 Jodo size, and for women, choose from the 8 sun size.
We recommend that you choose the rosary that you think is good, or your intuition that you are curious about this material.

Material of Jodo sect prayer beads

There are two types of prayer beads used in the Jodo sect: wooden prayer beads made from natural wood and prayer beads made from natural stones with a beautiful lustrous shine.

Prayer beads of Jodo sect made of natural wood and wooden materials

With wooden materials, the more you use them, the more you can enjoy the change in the texture of the material, such as the surface of the prayer beads becoming glossy or changing in a tasteful color.
The main materials used include ebony, rosewood, shoume, sendan, Siamese persimmon, and linden tree.
Fragrant wood contains sandalwood, and it is said that the scent has the effect of relaxing the mind and body.
Bodhi tree is one of the most famous wooden prayer beads. It is famous because Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
For this reason, bodhi tree prayer beads are more respected than other materials, and it is said in the scriptures that you can get “immeasurable fortune and the greatest benefit.” There are several types of Bodhi trees, such as the Seigetsubodaiju and Tenjiku Bodhiju.

Prayer beads of the Jodo sect made from natural and precious stones

Prayer beads, which are natural stone materials, are attractive because of their lustrous surface and various colors.
Each natural stone has its own effect and meaning, and there are many people who look for mala beads based on that meaning.
For men, tiger’s eye and blue tiger’s eye stones, which are famous for improving work luck and game luck, are popular materials.
For women, popular materials such as rose quartz and wisteria stone with feminine colors.
In addition, genuine crystal and onyx are popular among both men and women as standard materials.

Jodo sect prayer beads with natural wood and stones

Some Prayer beads are made of all natural wood and all natural stone, but there are also Prayer beads that contain both natural wood and natural stone.
It has the best parts of both materials, and the natural stone is accented, making it very popular.

Quality of Jodoshu Prayer Beads

The quality of Prayer beads depends on “Quality of materials”, “Quality of processing” and “Quality of tailoring”.
When all three of these qualities come together, they make great Prayer beads.
“Material quality” varies depending on the characteristics of the material, so it cannot be said that all products are of the same quality.
It changes depending on the uniformity of the color, the rank, rarity and beauty of the material.
“Processing quality” is through-hole processing and polishing processing. The through hole runs straight through the center of the material, and the finished thread is hard to break, which is a sign of high quality processing.
In addition, the ball polished in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, which is famous for its excellent polishing technology and beautiful polishing process, has a truly beautiful luster and shine unlike those processed overseas.
The “quality of tailoring” depends on whether or not it is a genuine Kyoto rosary made by a craftsman recognized in Kyoto, the home of rosary.
TokyoStore’s Prayer beads are genuine “Kyoto Nenju”. The careful tailoring, the difficulty of cutting the inner thread, and above all, the beauty of the rosaries is completely different from those of overseas products and non-Kyoto rosaries.

Care and storage of Jodo sect prayer beads

If you feel that the material of the Prayer beads is dirty or dull, use a soft cloth such as eyeglass wipes to gently wipe it off.
If you have a Kikubontenbo mala, and by any chance the tuft has a habit, boil water in a pot, and when the steam comes out, apply the steam and stroke the tuft to make it round. If you take it, it will return to its original beauty.

When you carry your mala beads, we recommend that you put them in a mala bag so that the material is not damaged.
However, if you keep the beads in the bag, the tufts will tend to get peculiar. When storing mala beads at home, please store them in a special box and keep them in a neat shape.