Why mala bracelets have 108 beads

If you are interested in spirituality, you couldn't miss the number 108. It is said to be a sacred number, present in many places around us.

You may have come across it in the 108 beads that traditionally make up Buddhist mala bracelets, while taking an interest in astrology, or studying mathematics...

In any case, you will be surprised by this impressive list of relationships with the number 108.

 

The 108 pearls of the mala bracelets

Mala bracelets are Buddhist or Hindu rosaries. They are traditionally used to meditate by reciting mantras, a bead corresponding to a repetition of the mantra. Today, they are worn a lot for their beauty and for the virtues of the stones that compose them.

Mala bracelets are usually made of 108 beads, or a multiple number, such as 27 for example. The question often arises: Why are there 108 beads on a mala?

Below are some of the many reasons that have been given to explain the 108 beads on mala bracelets. You will also find all the meanings that we have found for the number 108.

You can see how the number 108 is mysteriously present in our reality.

 

 

 

108, an ubiquitous number

8 extra beads: By making a practice of counting the number of repetitions of the mala, 100 are counted as completed. The remaining beads are supposed to cover any errors or omissions. The 8 are also considered an offering to God and the guru.

1, 0, and 8: Some say that 1 represents God or the higher Truth, 0 represents emptiness or fullness in spiritual practice, and 8 represents infinity or eternity.

The Sun and Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance between the Sun and the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.

The Moon and the Earth: The average distance from the Moon to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.

9 times 12: These two numbers have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 equals 108. Similarly, 1 plus 8 equals 9. And 9 times 12 equals 108.

The powers of 1, 2 and 3 in mathematics: 1 to the 1st power = 1; 2 to the 2nd power = 4 (2×2); 3 to the 3rd power = 27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

Harshad number: 108 is a Harshad number, which is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits (Harshad comes from Sanskrit and means "great joy")

Desires: It is said that there are 108 earthly desires in mortals.

Lies: It is said that there are 108 lies that humans tell.

Illusions: It is said that there are 108 illusions or forms of ignorance in humans.

Heart Chakra: Chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and it is said that there are a total of 108 energy lines that converge to form the heart chakra. One of them, the sushumna, leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to self-realization.

Sanskrit Alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each of them has a masculine and feminine character, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 equals 108.

Pranayama: If a person is able to be so calm in meditation that he can only take 108 breaths a day, enlightenment will come.

Upanishads: Some say that there are 108 Upanishads, texts of the wisdom of the ancient sages.

Sri Yantra: On the Sri Yantra, there are marmas where three lines intersect, and there are 54 of these intersections. Each intersection has masculine and feminine qualities, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra and the human body.

Pentagon: The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon is equal to 108 degrees.

Marmas: Marmas or marmasthanas are like intersections of energy called chakras, except that they have fewer lines of energy converging to form them. It is said that there are 108 marmas in the subtle body.

Time: Some people say that there are 108 feelings, 36 of which are related to the past, 36 related to the present and 36 related to the future.

 

Chemistry: It is interesting to note that there are about 115 known elements on the periodic table of elements. Most of them, about or more than the number 100, exist only in the laboratory, and some are only known for thousandths of a second. The number that exists naturally on Earth is about 100.

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is the moon, and the kalas are the divisions within a whole.

The Ganga River: The sacred Ganga River extends over a longitude of 12 degrees (79 to 91) and a latitude of 9 degrees (22 to 31). 12 times 9 equals 108.

Planets and houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.

Names of goddesses: It is said that there are 108 names of Indian goddesses.

Gopis of Krishna: In the tradition of Krishna, it is said that there are 108 gopis or servants of Krishna.

Silver and the Moon: In astrology, silver metal is said to represent the moon. The atomic weight of silver is 108.

Numerical scale: The 1 of 108, and the 8 of 108, added together, give 9, which is the number of the numerical scale, i.e. 1, 2, 3 ... 10, etc., where 0 is not a number.

Meditations: Some say that there are 108 styles of meditation.

The breath: Tantra estimates the average number of breaths per day at 21,600, of which 10,800 are solar energy and 10,800 are lunar energy. Multiplying 108 by 100 gives 10,800. Multiplying 2 x 10,800 gives 21,600.

Paths to God: Some suggest that there are 108 paths to God.

Smaller divisions: The number 108 is divided, for example, into one-half, one-third, one-quarter or one-twelfth, so that some malas have 54, 36, 27 or 9 beads.

Hinduism: 108 refers to the number of Hindu deities. Some say that each of the deities has 108 names.

Islam: The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to God.

Jain: In the Jain religion, 108 are the combined virtues of five categories of saints, including 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27 virtues respectively.

Sikh: The Sikh tradition has a mala of 108 knots tied in woollen thread, rather than beads.

Buddhism: Some Buddhists carve 108 small Buddhas on a walnut for good luck. Some ring a bell 108 times to celebrate a new year. It is said that there are 108 virtues to cultivate and 108 defilements to avoid.

Chinese: The Chinese Buddhists and Taoists use a mala of 108 beads, called su-chu, which is divided into three parts of 36 each. Chinese astrology says that there are 108 sacred stars.

The stages of the soul: the Atman, the soul or human center passes through 108 stages during the journey.

Meru: This is a larger pearl, which is not part of the 108. It is not related to the sequence of the other pearls. It is the quiding pearl, the one that marks the beginning and the end of the mala.

Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in Indian traditions.

Praiseworthy souls: There are 108 qualities of praiseworthy souls.

First man in space: The first manned space flight lasted precisely 108 minutes and was made on April 12, 1961 by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut.

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