-This DZI was made and used to bring equilibrium to its owner when displayed and worshiped, in homes. -You can hold it in your hands during meditation (Mani DZI). - Mâlâ 108 Beads is made with faceted Himalayan Quartz. -On the center of the Vajra is engraved "Om Mani Pame Om". ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW CEREMONY APRIL 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5gkg-_pPMU -------------------------------------------------------------- All the DZI I sell receive a Purification and Awakening Ceremony by my friend and Tibetan Monk Jagdag. This Ritual is inspired by chinese "KAIGUANG" (開光). Kaiguang is the Chinese term for consecration of a statue of a deity. In Chinese, the literal meaning of Kaiguang is "opening of light". While it is often performed in the Buddhist and Taoist faiths. It is believed that if a statue dont go through KAIGUANG, it cannot be worshiped or used for performance, as the eyes are still "closed". -------------------------------------------------------------- More about "108": https://www.himalayanyogainstitute.com/what-is-so-sacred-about-the-number-108/ -------------------------------------------------------------- ----------SIGNIFIANCE OF "108"---------- >>> In Buddhism, according to Bhante Gunaratana[ this number is reached by multiplying the senses smell, touch, taste, hearing, sight, and consciousness by whether they are painful, pleasant or neutral, and then again by whether these are internally generated or externally occurring, and yet again by past, present and future, finally we get 108 feelings. 6 × 3 × 2 × 3 = 108. >>> Tibetan Buddhist malas or rosaries (Tib. ཕྲེང་བ Wyl. phreng ba, "Trengwa" ) are usually 108 beads; sometimes 111 including the guru bead(s), reflecting the words of the Buddha called in Tibetan the KANGYUR (Wylie: Bka'-'gyur) in 108 volumes. Zen priests wear juzu (a ring of prayer beads) around their wrists, which consists of 108 beads. All texts presumably once had a Sanskrit original, although in many cases the Tibetan text was translated from Chinese or some other language. >>> Japa mala, or japa beads, made from tulasi wood, consisting of 108 beads plus the head bead The Lankavatara Sutra has a section where the Bodhisattva Mahamati asks Buddha 108 questions and another section where Buddha lists 108 statements of negation in the form of "A statement concerning X is not a statement concerning X." In a footnote, D.T. Suzuki explains that the Sanskrit word translated as "statement" is pada which can also mean "foot-step" or "a position". This confusion over the word "pada" explains why some have mistakenly held that the reference to 108 statements in the Lankavatara refer to the 108 steps that many temples have. >>> In Japan, at the end of the year, a bell is chimed 108 times in Buddhist temples to finish the old year and welcome the new one. Each ring represents one of 108 earthly temptations (Bonnō) a person must overcome to achieve nirvana. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> In Hindu tradition, the Mukhya Shivaganas (attendants of Shiva) are 108 in number and hence Shaiva religions, particularly Lingayats, use malas of 108 beads for prayer and meditation. >>> Similarly, in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Lord Krishna in Brindavan had 108 followers known as gopis. Recital of their names, often accompanied by the counting of a 108-beaded mala, is often done during religious ceremonies. >>> The Sri Vaishnavite Tradition has 108 Divya Desams (temples of Vishnu) that are revered by the 12 Alvars in the Divya Prabandha, a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses. There are also 18 pithas (sacred places).[citation needed] >>> The Sudarshana Chakra is a spinning, discus weapon with 108 serrated edges, generally portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu. >>>The total number of Upanishads is 108 as per Muktikā canon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> In Jainism, the total number of ways of Karma influx (Aasrav). 4 Kashays (anger, pride, conceit, greed) x 3 karanas (mind, speech, bodily action) x 3 stages of planning (planning, procurement, commencement) x 3 ways of execution (own action, getting it done, supporting or approval of action). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----VAJRA----- >>> The Vajra, Sanskrit word (वज्र), meaning "diamond" and "thunderbolt", is an important symbol and a ritual instrument in Hinduism and especially in the Buddhist tradition vajrayāna ("way of the diamond") to which it gave its name. >>> In Buddhism, the Vajra (Standard Tibetan: dorje) is the symbol of Vajrayana, one of the three major schools of Buddhism. Vajrayana is translated as "Thunderbolt Way" or "Diamond Way" and can imply the thunderbolt experience of Buddhist enlightenment or Bodhi. It also implies indestructibility, just as diamonds are harder than other gemstones. >>> It represents the indestructibility and immutability that overcomes all obstacles. The name Dorje is also a male given name in Tibet and Bhutan, it becomes Dorj in Mongolia. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------WHAT IS A MALA---------- >>> The mala necklace. That extra-long beaded accessory has the look and feel of exotic beach vibes, yogi-surfer style, and mindful spirituality. But what does it actually signify and why does it have 108 beads? -----Why Are Mala Beads Used?----- >>> There has been a rise in people in western culture, especially among today’s spiritual-seeking nomads, wearing mala necklaces. With the rise of wellness travel, so too follows an increased popularity of this cultural necklace as a fashion accessory. However, most people who wear them are likely unaware of what it fully signifies let alone have used it for its traditional purpose: counting mantras in meditation. >>> The trend of wearing malas might be “new” to western travelers, but it actually dates back thousands of years. The history of prayer beads is believed to have originated in India around the eighth century B.C.E. Many of today’s religions also use beaded necklaces — mala, rosary, subha — to help meditate and recite prayers. The English word bead even comes from the Anglo-Saxon words bede and bidden which mean “prayer" and “to pray.” -----Is It Okay to Wear Mala Beads?----- >>> It’s good to note that you don’t have to be religious to wear or use a mala. It is important, though, to understand its use and respect its significance. >>> The beads in a traditional mala are rudraksha seeds, produced by several species of large evergreen trees associated with the Hindu deity Shiva. In the yogic tradition, the beads are used in japamala practice, reciting mantras in meditation. >>> A full cycle of 108 repetitions is counted on the mala so the practitioner can focus on the sounds, vibration, and meaning of what is being said. A simple and common example of a Sanskrit mantra often chanted at the end of a yoga class would be om shanti shanti shanti, which is a calling out to connect us with inner peace. -----Why Does a Mala Necklace Have 108 Beads?----- So why 108 repetitions? This is a question with hundreds of answers. The number 108 has seemingly limitless meanings across various philosophical, scientific, and religious beliefs. Some of the most interesting are: -Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, Shiva and Shakti. So, 54 multiplied by 2 is 108. -Heart chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna, leads to the crown chakra, and is believed to be the path to self-realization. -Sun and Earth: The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the sun. -Moon and Earth: The average distance of the moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the moon. -Planets and houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and nine planets. Twelve multiplied by nine equals 108. Powers of 1, 2, and 3: In math, 1 to the 1st power equals 1, and 2 to the 2nd power (or 2 x 2) equals 4, and 3 to the 3rd power (3 x 3 x 3) equals 27. Therefore, 1 x 4 x 27 = 108. -Harshad number: 108 is a Harshad number, which is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits (Harshad is from Sanskrit and means "great joy"). -River Ganga: The sacred River Ganga spans a longitude of 12 degrees (79° to 91°), and a latitude of nine degrees (22° to 31°). Again, if you follow the math, 12 multiplied by nine equals 108. 1, 0, and 8: Some say that one stands for God or higher Truth, zero stands for emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice, and eight stands for infinity or eternity. -Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come. -There is a 109th bead that hangs at the bottom of a mala, called either the sumeru, bindu, stupa, or guru bead. This often symbolizes the guru from whom the student received the mala or mantra, paying homage to the student-guru relationship. It is never counted among the repetitions but used as a marker for a start and end of a cycle.