How do you use a mala?
Hold the mala in one hand and start at the bead beside the larger head bead. Say the mantra once and pass one bead toward you; repeat until you reach the head bead again, which is one round of 108. Many teachers ask you to turn the mala there rather than cross it. Customs differ; follow yours.
The general method is shared; the details (which hand, which finger, whether to cross the head bead) vary between lineages. Your teacher's instruction comes first.
Before you begin
Choose the mantra you were given, or one you return to. Japa's practice library has each text in its own script with a romanisation and what the words mean. Malas are strung in the sizes traditions use: 108 for a full round, 54 or 27 for half and quarter malas.
One bead, one recitation
- Hold the mala so it hangs freely, with the head bead, often called the meru or guru bead, nearest your hand.
- Start at the first bead beside the head bead.
- Say the mantra once, aloud, under the breath or silently, then pass one bead on.
- Keep going until you come back to the head bead. That is one round.
- For another round, many traditions turn the mala and go back the way you came, rather than passing over the head bead.
How many rounds
The number of rounds is set by your practice, not by the mala. Some traditions name one: initiated ISKCON devotees undertake sixteen rounds of the mahā-mantra a day. For most mantras, Japa records its own 108 as a suggestion, not a rule. Sikh simran does not require a mala at all, and in some Pure Land lineages the name is said without counting.
When you lose count
Losing your place is ordinary. The beads keep the round; to keep the rounds, some people move a marker or keep a tally. A counter app does the same thing: one tap a bead, a mark at the end of each round, and a total for the day.
Practise on paper
The printable mala tracker is a ring of 108 beads to tick by hand, starting beside the head bead, with a 27-bead quarter version, as a free PDF in A4 and US Letter.
Questions
Which hand should I hold a mala in?
Customs differ between lineages, and between Hindu and Buddhist practice, on which hand and which fingers to use. Follow the instruction you were given.
Should I count the head bead?
No. The head bead marks the start and end of a round and is not one of the 108.
Can I use a counter instead of a mala?
Yes. A counter keeps the same number a mala does. Japa's online mantra and japa counters work in rounds of 27, 54 or 108, and the app can add rounds you said on your own mala.
Read the texts
Sources
- Japa practice library: Om Mani Padme Hum, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Nembutsu and Waheguru (practice notes)
- Japa guide, Why does a mala have 108 beads?
Count it in Japa
Japa counts a mala on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch: one tap a bead, a haptic for each, an optional bell at the end of a round, and your rounds added up into a daily total. Prayed on your own beads? Add the rounds afterwards.
Counting is free and unlimited on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. No account, no ads, no subscription. Japa is an independent app and is not endorsed by any teacher, lineage or community.