Look closely at a Tibetan mala and you will find more than the 108 main beads. There is a larger bead where the strand joins, a few beads of a different colour along the loop, and often two short strings with small rings. Each part has a practical job.
The 108 main beads
These are the beads you count on. You move one bead with the thumb for each recitation, and one full loop is one round of the mala.
The guru bead
The guru bead is the larger bead where the two ends of the cord meet. It usually has three holes and is often finished with a smaller cap bead and a tassel or knot. It marks the start and end of a round and is not counted.
When you reach it, the common practice is to stop, turn the mala around and count back the other way instead of passing over it. The bead is often explained as a reminder of one's teacher.
Spacer beads
Many Tibetan malas have three spacer beads set after the 27th, 54th and 81st beads. They divide the loop into four equal sections. They are usually a different size, colour or material from the main beads, such as agate, turquoise or coral-coloured beads.
Spacers are not counted. Their purpose is to let your fingers know where you are in the round without looking.
Malas with spacers and counters
108-bead malas finished with spacer beads and counter strings. See all Tibetan malas.
Counters
Counters are the two short strings that hang from the mala, each holding ten small rings or beads. They often end in a small bell and a dorje. They are used to keep track of completed rounds.
- After each full round, slide one ring on the first counter. Ten rings mean ten rounds, usually treated as one thousand recitations.
- When the first counter is full, reset it and slide one ring on the second counter. Each ring there stands for ten rounds.
Counters can be moved along the cord. Many people place them after the 10th or 21st bead on either side of the guru bead.
The marker clip
Some malas also carry a small movable clip or charm. It is shifted one bead along the loop each time the second counter is full, so very large numbers of recitations can be recorded over weeks or months.
Do you need all of them?
For short daily practice, the main beads and the guru bead are enough. Spacers help with orientation, and counters become useful once you start keeping count of many rounds.
