How to Use Buddhist Prayer Beads (108 Mala)

Buddhist prayer beads (yeomju) are a string of beads you move one at a time while chanting or counting breaths, usually 108 beads plus one larger head bead (mother bead) that marks where counting starts. Support the strand with your left hand, pull one bead toward you with your right thumb for each repetition, and when you reach the head bead, turn the mala around and count back instead of passing over it. At Hapjang (합장), the online temple Goyosa, you can take out a 108-bead mala anywhere with the [Prayer beads] button or the B key.

Beads: 108 beads + 1 head bead
Materials: Bodhi seed · Rudraksha · Agarwood · Crystal
Chant to pair with: Namu Amitabul · Gwanseeum Bosal · Om Mani Padme Hum · One breath
One full round: About 4–9 minutes, depending on the chant
Where: Anywhere on the temple grounds, sitting or standing

Why do prayer beads have 108 beads?

The number 108 is often explained as the 108 afflictions (worries and cravings that trouble the mind), and turning the beads once around is done in the spirit of counting them and setting them down one by one. The head bead is the reference point for counting. Shorter beads worn on the wrist are called a wrist mala (danju), and their bead count varies by temple and purpose.

Why you don't pass the head bead

A widely taught method is to stop when you reach the head bead, turn the mala around, and count back in the other direction. Some explain this as not stepping over the head bead because it stands for a teacher or the Buddha, but it is not an official rule, and practice differs a little from temple to temple.

Tips for turning the beads smoothly

One bead per chant or per breath. Rest your mind on that single repetition rather than on the count.
If you rush, the beads slip out of your fingers. Go slowly, as if pulling each bead with the tip of your thumb over your index finger.
You can turn them sitting, standing, or walking slowly.

How to use a 108-bead mala

Hold Rest your left hand in front of your chest to support the hanging strand, and place the bead right next to the head bead between your right thumb and index finger.
Choose one thing Decide on a chant or mantra to repeat, or simply one breath per bead.
Move one bead Each time you chant once or breathe once, pull one bead toward you with your right thumb.
Continue to 108 If your thoughts wander, pause on that bead and pick up again from there.
Turn back at the head bead When you reach the head bead, don't pass over it; turn the mala around and count in the other direction.
Finish When you have gone around as many times as you like, loop the beads over both hands and put your palms together.

Try it in Hapjang

Tap [Prayer beads] at the bottom of the screen, or press B on a PC, and a 108-bead mala appears in your hand anywhere on the temple grounds. Drag along the strand to move one bead at a time; a quick swipe moves 3–4 beads at once. Beads move under your right thumb and turn back at the head bead. Choose from four materials (Bodhi seed, Rudraksha, Agarwood, Crystal) and four chants: Namu Amitabul (Homage to Amitabha Buddha), Gwanseeum Bosal (Avalokiteshvara), Om Mani Padme Hum, or one breath. On supported devices you feel a short vibration as each bead passes, and you can bring your hands closer to look. Other visitors can see you turning your beads and how many beads you have counted.

Enter the temple

Frequently asked questions

Which hand do you use for prayer beads?

Commonly you pull one bead at a time toward you with your right thumb while your left hand supports the strand. If that is uncomfortable, the other way around is fine too.

Is it wrong to pass over the head bead?

Many places teach you to turn the mala around at the head bead and count back. It is not an official rule, though, so it can differ by temple or teacher.

Can I use prayer beads if I'm not Buddhist?

Yes. Instead of chanting, you can move one bead per breath and use the mala simply as a way to count your breathing.

Last updated 2026-11-07