Good source for practice items?

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nightbloom
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Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

Anybody got a good source for items tailored to actual practice? In particular, I'm looking for malas in numbers *besides* 108.
PeterC
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by PeterC »

Curious why you would want such a mala?
nightbloom
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

Different activities demand different numbers of beads. Or at least, some sources say this.
Bristollad
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Bristollad »

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.
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
nightbloom
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

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.
Malcolm
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Malcolm »

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.
A mala should have 108 beads, plus the guru bead.

Potala Gate:

https://potalagate.com

Tibetan Spirit

https://tibetanspirit.com/collections/malas

There are others. as well, if you look around.
nightbloom
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

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.
PeterC
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by PeterC »

nightbloom 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.
Nobody really uses malas with numbers other than 108

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.
KristenM
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by KristenM »

It’s not the size of the mala, it’s the thought that counts.

That said, 25 is an odd number for a mala.
nightbloom
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

PeterC wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:34 am
nightbloom 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.
Nobody really does malas with numbers other than 108

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
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.

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?
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heart
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by heart »

nightbloom wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:09 am
PeterC wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:34 am
nightbloom 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.
Nobody really does malas with numbers other than 108

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
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.

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?
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.

/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)
Knotty Veneer
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Knotty Veneer »

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.
This is not the wrong life.
jmlee369
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by jmlee369 »

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.
PeterC
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by PeterC »

nightbloom wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:09 am
PeterC wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:34 am
nightbloom 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.
Nobody really does malas with numbers other than 108

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
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.

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?
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.

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.
Knotty Veneer
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Knotty Veneer »

PeterC wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:55 amAnyway 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.
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.
nightbloom
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

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.
Malcolm
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Malcolm »

nightbloom 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.
The material and number for males is specified in tantras
Malcolm
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Malcolm »

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.
Yak bone is an inferior substance. Don’t use.
nightbloom
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by nightbloom »

Malcolm wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:36 pm Yak bone is an inferior substance. Don’t use.
Assuming this applies also to Nepalese water buffalo?
Malcolm
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Re: Good source for practice items?

Post by Malcolm »

nightbloom wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:55 pm
Malcolm wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:36 pm Yak bone is an inferior substance. Don’t use.
Assuming this applies also to Nepalese water buffalo?
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.
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