Good source for practice items?
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Good source for practice items?
Anybody got a good source for items tailored to actual practice? In particular, I'm looking for malas in numbers *besides* 108.
Re: Good source for practice items?
Curious why you would want such a mala?
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Re: Good source for practice items?
Different activities demand different numbers of beads. Or at least, some sources say this.
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Re: Good source for practice items?
You could always string your own.
Alternatively, if the number you need is less than 108 like 21 or something just use a marker - a simple thread tied at the correct point would suffice.
Your question is strangely phrased, you make it sound like malas with 108 beads are not suitable for actual practice.
Alternatively, if the number you need is less than 108 like 21 or something just use a marker - a simple thread tied at the correct point would suffice.
Your question is strangely phrased, you make it sound like malas with 108 beads are not suitable for actual practice.
The antidote—to be free from the suffering of samsara—you need to be free from delusion and karma; you need to be free from ignorance, the root of samsara. So you need to meditate on emptiness. That is what you need. Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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Re: Good source for practice items?
Yeah - I didn't mean to suggest that 108 bead malas aren't suitable for practice. Just that most online vendors I've seen have a pretty limited selection of ritual tools, and seem to cater to new age sensibilities.
Anyway, I think you're right. I'll have to string my own.
Anyway, I think you're right. I'll have to string my own.
Re: Good source for practice items?
A mala should have 108 beads, plus the guru bead.nightbloom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:51 pm Yeah - I didn't mean to suggest that 108 bead malas aren't suitable for practice. Just that most online vendors I've seen have a pretty limited selection of ritual tools, and seem to cater to new age sensibilities.
Anyway, I think you're right. I'll have to string my own.
Potala Gate:
https://potalagate.com
Tibetan Spirit
https://tibetanspirit.com/collections/malas
There are others. as well, if you look around.
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Re: Good source for practice items?
My practice text does not specify a bead count, but I have read that malas for use with Lotus family activities should have 25. Beer says this in his encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols (and gives numbers for the other activities as well), but I believe I've seen it elsewhere as well. Thoughts? Also, material: red sandalwood is specified for my practice, but this tree is endangered, and I would prefer to substitute it with something else.
Re: Good source for practice items?
Nobody really uses malas with numbers other than 108nightbloom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:13 pm My practice text does not specify a bead count, but I have read that malas for use with Lotus family activities should have 25. Beer says this in his encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols (and gives numbers for the other activities as well), but I believe I've seen it elsewhere as well. Thoughts? Also, material: red sandalwood is specified for my practice, but this tree is endangered, and I would prefer to substitute it with something else.
Bodhi seed is acceptable for all practices, and at a practical level, having fewer things is always better than more things. I would only get a mala of different material if a lama told me that I should
Last edited by PeterC on Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Good source for practice items?
It’s not the size of the mala, it’s the thought that counts.
That said, 25 is an odd number for a mala.
That said, 25 is an odd number for a mala.
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Re: Good source for practice items?
Beer says 25 for Lotus, 60 for Vajra, 108 for both Buddha & Ratna families. Can't remember Karma family off the top of my head. But anyway, presumably he's getting this from somewhere. Maybe it's an Indian custom that died out or something.PeterC wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:34 amNobody really does malas with numbers other than 108nightbloom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:13 pm My practice text does not specify a bead count, but I have read that malas for use with Lotus family activities should have 25. Beer says this in his encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols (and gives numbers for the other activities as well), but I believe I've seen it elsewhere as well. Thoughts? Also, material: red sandalwood is specified for my practice, but this tree is endangered, and I would prefer to substitute it with something else.
Bodhi seed is acceptable for all practices, and at a practical level, having fewer things is always better than more things. I would only get a mala of different material if a lama told me that I should
In any case, thanks for the input, everyone. Last question, regarding material - would yak bone be a wildly inappropriate material for a mala dedicated to Kurukulla practices?
Re: Good source for practice items?
I think it is inappropriate for most if not all practices. For Kurukulla you should use a red mala made of red sandalwood, coral or maybe cornelian. However bodhi seed also is fine since it can be used for all practices.nightbloom wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:09 amBeer says 25 for Lotus, 60 for Vajra, 108 for both Buddha & Ratna families. Can't remember Karma family off the top of my head. But anyway, presumably he's getting this from somewhere. Maybe it's an Indian custom that died out or something.PeterC wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:34 amNobody really does malas with numbers other than 108nightbloom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:13 pm My practice text does not specify a bead count, but I have read that malas for use with Lotus family activities should have 25. Beer says this in his encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols (and gives numbers for the other activities as well), but I believe I've seen it elsewhere as well. Thoughts? Also, material: red sandalwood is specified for my practice, but this tree is endangered, and I would prefer to substitute it with something else.
Bodhi seed is acceptable for all practices, and at a practical level, having fewer things is always better than more things. I would only get a mala of different material if a lama told me that I should
In any case, thanks for the input, everyone. Last question, regarding material - would yak bone be a wildly inappropriate material for a mala dedicated to Kurukulla practices?
/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
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Re: Good source for practice items?
I made a smaller 27-bead mala for use when doing prostrations. A lot handier than trying to move a bead on a mala on the floor while prostrating as some other folks do. Probably not as as useful as tally clicker for that job though which I should probably invest in (they're very cheap).
As regards good places for dharma items. Places seems to pop up and disappear a lot. I used to use Garuda Trading but it has gone out of business and my other main source, the online shop for Samye Ling, has paused due to the pandemic. For some things you could also try some of the big Chinese sites like aliexpress.com. The are generally cheaper than Western Dharma online stores but make sure you check for quality - although you can always return stuff that's not up to spec. Otherwise I think Malcom's suggestions are good. I also hear good things about pinklotus.co.uk in the UK.
As regards good places for dharma items. Places seems to pop up and disappear a lot. I used to use Garuda Trading but it has gone out of business and my other main source, the online shop for Samye Ling, has paused due to the pandemic. For some things you could also try some of the big Chinese sites like aliexpress.com. The are generally cheaper than Western Dharma online stores but make sure you check for quality - although you can always return stuff that's not up to spec. Otherwise I think Malcom's suggestions are good. I also hear good things about pinklotus.co.uk in the UK.
This is not the wrong life.
Re: Good source for practice items?
Different tantras and commentaries suggest different numbers of beads for various reasons, however in practice the instructions I have heard for retreat was 108 or 111 beads.
To add to the suggestions, I have found Tibetan Treasures associated with Chagdud Gonpa and Dharma Treasures associated with Vajrayana Foundation reliable.
To add to the suggestions, I have found Tibetan Treasures associated with Chagdud Gonpa and Dharma Treasures associated with Vajrayana Foundation reliable.
Re: Good source for practice items?
There are a couple of texts that say things like this, but it's not exactly widespread advice, as far as I know. There's at least one other text that says something very different from what you mention above. And I have never seen any lama using malas of fewer than 108. Now people can and do use all sorts of secret malas, but generally they are also 108 beads. I don't know of any text that goes against the general advice that a bodhi seed mala of regular length can be used for anything.nightbloom wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:09 amBeer says 25 for Lotus, 60 for Vajra, 108 for both Buddha & Ratna families. Can't remember Karma family off the top of my head. But anyway, presumably he's getting this from somewhere. Maybe it's an Indian custom that died out or something.PeterC wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:34 amNobody really does malas with numbers other than 108nightbloom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:13 pm My practice text does not specify a bead count, but I have read that malas for use with Lotus family activities should have 25. Beer says this in his encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols (and gives numbers for the other activities as well), but I believe I've seen it elsewhere as well. Thoughts? Also, material: red sandalwood is specified for my practice, but this tree is endangered, and I would prefer to substitute it with something else.
Bodhi seed is acceptable for all practices, and at a practical level, having fewer things is always better than more things. I would only get a mala of different material if a lama told me that I should
In any case, thanks for the input, everyone. Last question, regarding material - would yak bone be a wildly inappropriate material for a mala dedicated to Kurukulla practices?
Bones of any creature are not something I would use for any practice unless specifically directed to, an I can't think why someone would tell you to use that for a red lotus family dakini, that makes no sense.
Anyway life is a lot simpler if you have one set of implements you use for everything. Otherwise you start to get into collecting dharma bling.
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Re: Good source for practice items?
Have to agree with you here, Peter. It's very easy to caught up in all the stuff you are told you need to do Tibetan Buddhism properly. I know I have shelves full of stuff I bought that I don't use or rarely use anymore. I think I thought if I had all the gear then the practice would somehow be easier. It wasn't. And as the years progressed my practice has become more focussed and simpler. If only I had learned that lesson sooner. I'd saved myself a small fortune.
This is not the wrong life.
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Re: Good source for practice items?
I think I found the source for Beer's numbers. It is, as I suspected, an Indian scripture. Anyway - probably not an important thing to fixate on, and one's natural inclinations and experiences will undoubtedly vary, but carefully tailoring physical supports to one's practices can lend the latter strength.
Regarding yak bones - the mala I was looking at is painted red, with brass inlay. The color and general vibe seemed right, and you wouldn't necessarily realize it's bone just by looking at it. But I'm going to hold off on this one, I think, due to the wrathful associations.
Regarding yak bones - the mala I was looking at is painted red, with brass inlay. The color and general vibe seemed right, and you wouldn't necessarily realize it's bone just by looking at it. But I'm going to hold off on this one, I think, due to the wrathful associations.
Re: Good source for practice items?
The material and number for males is specified in tantrasnightbloom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:13 pm My practice text does not specify a bead count, but I have read that malas for use with Lotus family activities should have 25. Beer says this in his encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols (and gives numbers for the other activities as well), but I believe I've seen it elsewhere as well. Thoughts? Also, material: red sandalwood is specified for my practice, but this tree is endangered, and I would prefer to substitute it with something else.
Re: Good source for practice items?
Yak bone is an inferior substance. Don’t use.nightbloom wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 11:32 am I think I found the source for Beer's numbers. It is, as I suspected, an Indian scripture. Anyway - probably not an important thing to fixate on, and one's natural inclinations and experiences will undoubtedly vary, but carefully tailoring physical supports to one's practices can lend the latter strength.
Regarding yak bones - the mala I was looking at is painted red, with brass inlay. The color and general vibe seemed right, and you wouldn't necessarily realize it's bone just by looking at it. But I'm going to hold off on this one, I think, due to the wrathful associations.
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Re: Good source for practice items?
Yes. Mālas should only be made from substances prescribed in the tantras. They include, gold. silver, copper, iron, pearl, coral, crystal, human bone, etc. But in general these substances are for activities. Bodhiseed mālas are the ones for all activities and general use.