Expert: Alex Wilding - 9/21/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi
I was wondering with the prayer beads,what prayer's are said when using them? Can also ask you,I just bought prayer beads.And was wondering what would be the name of them.I've noticed that there are many different kinds of beads.My one's are brown wooden beads with a tossal at the end.


Thank you for yr time
Julie-ann

ANSWER: Hi Julie-Ann,
All sorts of things are counted on the beads, such as the mantra "Om Mani Peme Hum" - one for each bead, takes two or three minutes to do a round of 108.
You hold it in your left hand, resting over somewhere around the base of your index finger, and pull one bead towards you with your thumb for each count.
If they are plain brown wood, could they be sandlewood (like mine)? That has a nice perfume if you hold them near your nose, and it can last for many, many years.
It can get quite elaborate, with special beads for special purposes. If you are new to this, I'd strongly suggest you try a round of "the mani", perhaps when you get up in the morning or before you go to bed. It is said to be the sound of the Buddha of compassion.
I hope that helps a bit!

Alex W

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for such a quite reply.What does ''Om Mani Peme Hum" mean? If I may ask another question.What is it that a person needs to learn or do.In order to be able to say I am a buddha.

THANK U DEEPLY
Julie-ann

Answer
Hi Julie-Ann,
I only just noticed that you are in Kildare! I used to live in West Cork, though I've spent five years in Australia and one now in Italy since then.
Ah, what does it mean? This may seem odd, but that's not a question that can usually be answered. It's a bit like asking for what a particular piece of music "means". There are some things that can be said: Om is a syllable that starts almost every mantra, and marks the start of some "sacred speech". It is also associated, sometimes, with the body of the Buddha. At the end, Hum stands at the end of quite a lot of mantras: and is sometimes associated with the mind of the Buddha. The middle is more varied, and can be very long, as it can be associated with the speech of the Buddha. In this case, the particular form of the Buddha associated with this mantra, very, very popular in Tibet, is shown with four arms. One hand holds a white lotus and another holds a mala of crystal beads. His central hands hold a wish-fulfilling jewel. "Mani" means something like jewel, "Peme" is a form of the word from lotus. (It is spelt more like "padme", but Tibetans, who are the ones who have treasured this practice, pronounce it more like "Peme".) So the sound of the mantra is the sound of this compassionate Buddha, just as a statue might in some way represent the Buddha's body. You will see explanations on the Internet along the lines of "Hail to the jewel in the lotus" as an "explanation" of this mantra, but frankly they are just wrong.
How to become a Buddhist? Well, that depends on which *kind* of Buddhism you are drawn to – there are some very different types. But if you are interested in using a mala to recite a mantra, that probably means that you would be interested in Tibetan Buddhism. Here again there are some different kinds, and some are more trustworthy than others. It would be wrong of me to say anything negative about places that I don't actually know, but what I can do is recommend that you think about getting in touch with the Kagyu centre in Dublin - the link is http://www.buddhism.ie
I think that what you are talking about is coming to an understanding of what being a Buddhist is, and then going through the ceremony we call "taking refuge".
If you go to the site I mentioned above, you'll also see a link to the "mother centre" (sounds a bit like mothership, doesn't it?) which is in Scotland, and if you spend a little time poking around there you will find quite a lot of teachings of explanations. That will help you to find out whether that kind of Buddhism is "for you".
Good luck, and all best wishes
Alex Wilding