Use and Terms of Prayer Beads by Culture

Submitted by Tirgereh

For our uses, we may find the Hindu rosary called the baijanti mala ('Flag or standard of Visnu'), is most familiar since it consists of five gems to symbolize the five elements of nature:
 

                Sapphire                Earth
                Pearl                   Water
                Ruby                    Fire
                Topaz                   Air
                Diamond         Ether or space (Spirit, Akasha)

The rosary is often used in the initiation ceremony for children, where as young as age six, they are admitted into the worship of Visnu.  Usually made of tulsi wood, the rosary is passed around the necks of the candidates by the guru who teaches them one of the sacred formula:

'Homage to the divine son of Vasudeva'
'Homage to the adorable Rama'
'Adorable Krishna is my refuge'

In the monasteries a novice is instructed not to lose his beads, for if he does so he will be allowed no food or drink until he recovers them or until his superior gives him another set.  Perhaps to ensure against this, beautifully embroidered bags are
created, often in the particular shape called a gaumukhi or cow's mouth.  Once placed within, the familiar mantra the Gayatri from the Rigveda is repeated:

Tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah pracodayat.

Let us adore that excellent glory of the divine Vivifier: may he enlighten our understandings.

This prayer is so important that a Brahman may obtain beatitude simply by repeating the Gayatri three thousand times, whether he performs other rites or not.  Certain guidelines are given to ensure that the correct color of beads is used for the direct purpose of the prayer.  A few samples:
 

        For the honor of a goddess              coral
        In honor of Nirgun Brahma               pearls
        For the fulfilment of wishes            rudraska seeds
        For the obtaining of salvation          crystal
        For subduing the passions               turmeric (wooden)

The Sikhs have a rosary consisting of knots.  It is made of strands of wool, knotted together at intervals for 108 knots total.  There is another form of rosary made from iron beads, arranged into intervals and connected by slender iron links.  The most original
rosary to them, however, is a bracelet containing 27 beads called Lohe ka Simarna and will contain a tribal mark of identification.  The Saktas use dead men's teeth and other relics on their rosary bracelets.

Two rosaries made of snake bones are tied to a musical instrument called a nag-daman ('subduer of snakes') to sanctify it.  This instrument is sometimes worshipped and the beads of the rosaries hung on it are often used to cure diseases by tying it onto the wrist of a sick individual.  In some instances, a rosary may be tied to a turban and a special garur-mantra to cure snakebites.  A faqir may cure ague by tying a bead from such a rosary around the wrist of a person who has been snake bit.

Another medicinal use of rosaries is found in the Sakti sect called putr jiwa ('which gives life to sons').  It is composed of oval beads made from very plentiful, lightly colored seeds.  When a man wants sons he will recite:
 

O Govina, son of Devaki,
lord of the universe,
give me a son,
I have taken refuge in thee.

Other uses include the protection against the evil eye with a rosary made from pink wool and 213 very small beads, plus the terminal and to lose weight, small black seeds are used.
 

Buddhist.
The following Buddhist 'Forty-two Points of Doctrine' speaks of the rosary: 'The man who, in the practice of virtue, applies himself to the extirpation of all his vices is like one who is rolling between his fingers the beads of the chaplet.  If he continues taking hold of them one by one, he arrives speedily at the end.  By extirpating his bad inclinations one by one, a man arrives at perfection."

The Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhists use a knot created with two strings which in turns hangs from another main string and is said to resemble the ancient Chinese character for 'man', being one of the set characters that represented the attributes of
Buddha.  Buddhist rosaries are believed to have been of Brahman origins and the number is the most popular 108 beads. This is said to be the same number of the mental conditions or sinful inclinations, which are overcome by reciting the beads.  This number has even more significance to Buddhism, since 108 Brahmans were called to Buddha's birth to tell his destiny.  In
Burma, the footprints of Buddha have 108 subdivisions, the sacred writings of Fahgyur contain 108 volumes. In China the white pagoda at Peking is encircled by 108 columns and 108 is the traditional number of punishment blows for malefactors.  In Japan, at the bommatsuri or bonku (festival of the dead), observed from July 13 - 15, 108 welcome fires are lighted on the shore and 108 rupees are given in alms. In India, poorer people may use wood, pebbles, berries or bone and only contain 30 to 40 beads.

Burma.
The Burmese rosary contains 108 beads, as well.  On the completion of a prayer, the central bead is held and the votary would announce "Anitsa, Dukka Anatha" ('All is transitory, painful, and unreal').  These beads are said to be rolled leaves on which charmed words are inscribed.

Chinese.
The use of prayer beads far precedes the birth of Judeo-Christianity.  The earliest prayer beads find its home in Asia, where it dates back to antiquity. In the times of the Yung-ching-che, it is said that people used little cords with knots in them, with each
knot and each string color having its own meaning. The numbers and the distances of the knots appear to
be used instead of writing.

The full Chinese rosary includes 108 beads, with three dividing beads in a different size or color. There is also a smaller rosary of 18 beads, which corresponds to the 18 lohans (chief disciples of Buddha).  Sometimes the larger laity will be worn with
the smaller one at the waist.  The su-chu, as the rosary is called in China, is mainly used to keep track of prayers.  If these prayers are done in temple, the merit is greater for the votary.

The votary may prostrate himself and count off each of these by moving the rosary around his neck for each prostration.  If the votary is too ill to do this, a Buddhist priest or a set class of Taoist priest may be employed to do so for the votary.

Christian.
The introduction of the rosary has been assigned to several people including St. Aybert de Crespin, Peter the Hermit and St. Dominic.    Of the later, the Roman Catholic church has declared that Mary instructed him to teach the rosary as a guard against heresy and sin. Moreover, Christian mythology has it that the rosary was introduced into Europe at the time of the Crusades, having been 'borrowed' from the Muhammadans. The Lady Godiva of Coventry left her rosary to the monastery she founded.  Since her death was in 1070, the Crusades were not the introduction of the rosary.

Specialized industry of rosaries began by the 13th century in Paris and London.  Paternosters, as the rosary was then called, appear to have been in steady practice in early Christian times among Eastern Europe and Ireland.  This ascetic form continues in the Greek church to this day.  The term rosary did not appear until the 15th century.  In earlier times, the terminology included patriloguium, serta, numeralia, and calculi.  The term 'bead' itself means prayer in Anglo-Saxon (beade or bede).

During the middle ages, signet rings, cameos and brooches were attached to the rosaries.  Since this was considered extravagant, certain limitations were made to no one person could own more than three or fore and price limits were set.

One story has it that the rosary prayer beads were made on the Dominican rosary and the prayer created by Sister Maria Jaricott.  This method of prayer was approved in 1832 by Pope Gregory XVI.  Interestingly enough, the Feast of the Rosary was set on the 1st Sunday of October, falling close to Mabon and Samhain.

Attributing the invention of the rosary beads to St. Dominic has been problematic and the only evidence of this tale has been attributed to Alan de la Roche.  In his Apology, de la Roche explains that St. Dominic's preaching style and sermons form the tradition of the rosary.  This 'poor man's breviary' could have come about as a way in which the illiterate could keep track of Mary's mysteries, among various other theories.  The modern prayer was finalized in the early 15th century. (New Catholic Encyclopedia, #12)

Hindu (or Brahman).
The oldest reference to rosaries is found in the literature of India in the Jain canon.  The Brahmanical monks called these prayer beads by two names "Ganettiya ('the counter') and Kanachana ('gold' or 'bright and shining').  Later references give two additional names mata or malika ('garland') and sutra ('string').

It is generally accepted that the Hindus were the first to develop the rosary. In Sanskrit Japa-mala ('muttering chaplet') and smarani ('rememrancer') are prayed over by the pious Hindu not only to compute his daily prayers; he sets himself to repeat the names of his favorite god, and will continue doing so for hours.

The colors and types of the beads are quite important.  The tirhankaras (prayer beads) are believed to have been made in red, yellow, green, white and dark.  Red would have been represented by red coral, yellow by amber or golden beads, green
would have been symbolized by emeralds and white by silver, pearl or crystal.  These five different colors are used for the "repetition of mystical formuylae, charms, spells, and incantations, with a view to obtaining certain benefits from the deities.
Rosaries, could also have been used for harmful purposes, such as "injure hostile or obnoxious people, to disable them, to make them ill, to kill them, to subdue them, to obtain their affections, to make them
inert or to summon them."

Smaller rosaries called boberkhas were used when the usual number of beads was too expensive.  The numbering of the beads in these prayer strings would contain 6, 9, 12, 18, 36 or 54 beads, i.e. any
sub-multiple of 108.

The number of the beads differs greatly by Hindu sect.  A worshipper of Siva is to use 32 beads or double that.  A votary of Visnu was to use 108 beads, as is the Saivite rosary including one or more terminating beads.  Some rosaries featured several
hundred beads, regardless of the sect.

Japan.
The Japanese rosary is the most complicated, each sect must have its own special rosary.  The sho-zuku-jiu-dzu is the only common one throughout the sects.  This rosary includes 112 beads, divided in to two equal parts by two large beads called the upper and lower parent.  The materials differ greatly as to the fashion or wealth of the votary.  These common
rosaries are used at the kano, ki-to and goma.  In the first, the rosary is slowly raised and lowered from the forehead to the chin as the requests are repeated.  The rosaries may also be rubbed energetically, although the Orthodox schools refrain from this activity, as it is perceived to be too extreme and vulgar.

The later involved tying the rosary to the end of a sword upon which the dai-moku or original prayers of the sect and other incantatory prayers are inscribed.  The sword is held in the right hand of the monk as he repeats the first article of the creed and
makes nine passes with the sword.  These passes are roughly corresponding to the written character which means 'Mysterious!  Wonderful!', although other patterns may be used.  These nine passes called ku-ji wo kiru make the beads slap against the sword in rhythm and are thought to break the spell.  These monks must first be certifies with 100 days of special and severe training in the winter.

In Japan, the rosary may also be hung in a tea-room to symbolize its wealth and history.  It is said that soldiers carried rosaries in the Russo-Japanese war.  The dead are also gifted with a rosary about their wrist, regardless of whether they are going to be
buried or cremated.

Judaism.
In the modern era, the rosary has lost all religious use, but finds its origins from the Turks and Greeks. It was used on High Holy Days and Sabbaths when no manual labor was permitted.  These prayer beads usually numbered in 32 beads, but some have been found containing 99.

Korea.
The Buddhist rosaries of Korea have 110 beads, the extra two larger ones are at the beginning or head to divide the rosary into two parts.  Each of these beads is dedicated to a deity and every bead on the rosary has its own name.  At the end of the prayer, the votary would put down the rosary and recite:

Oh! The thousand myriad miles of emptiness, the place which is the midst of the tens of hundred myriad miles of emptiness, the place which is in the midst of the tens of hundred myriads of emptiness, eternal desert where the true Buddha exists.  This is eternal existence with Tranquil Peace.

There also exists a small rosary that if used everyday in the four states of "going forth, remaining at home, sitting and lying down", the votary will be able to envision the land of bliss within his own heart.

The material of the beads tells the votary how many virtues he will attain.  To count them once, is tenfold virtue.  If the beads are lotus seeds, thousandfold.  If the beads are crystal, ten-thousandfold.  If the beads are made from the Bodhi tree, just the grasping of the rosary will bring the votary blessings incalculable.

Muhammadan.
The followers of Islam use a rosary of 99 beads, with a terminal bead called the imam ('leader').  These 99 correspond with the names or attributes of God, sometimes the imam is considered to be Allah.  This rosary is divided into three parts with 33 beads in each, usually by a bead of another material or shape or by tassels.  There is a lesser known variety of rosary with 101 beads to correspond with the 101 names of the prophet.  The tasbih, as the Muhammadan rosary is called in Persia and India, and the subhah ('to praise, to exalt') in Egypt are presently used by older or more devout Muhammadans.

The use has been tracked back to the time of the Prophet himself, although some leaders feel the rosary is an abomination and not sanctioned by the Quaran.

South America.

The highest development of knots as a means for aiding the memory and keeping records comes from South America, where the quipu (A Peruvian word for 'knot') serves as a means of communication in a highly organized society.

Tibet.
The rosary in Tibet is called phreng-ba (pronounced theng-wa) and is considered essential to the Lama's dress.  It is worn by the laity of both sexes.  The prayer is called the tan-c'e ('to purr') because prayers are suggestive of the purr of a cat.  The 108
beads on the main string are explained by the repetition of a sacred spell 100 times and the extra 8 are to ensure that there is no omission or breakage in working the spell.  The three terminal beads to the rosaries are called the 'retraining beads' or
dok-'dsin and symbolize the Buddhist trinity.  Again color comes in to play as it should correspond with the complexion of the god or goddess.  Tara, for example, has a blue-green face and a rosary dedicated to her would be made of turquoise.  Tam-din would have a red rosary, and a yellow amber rosary would be used for Vrisravan.