How to Make Mala Beads

Mala beads, or ojuzu, are Buddhist prayer beads. Traditionally, a string of Mala beads has 108 beads and is wrapped around the left wrist. They are often used as a focus for meditation to many Buddhist traditions. In some traditions, the Mala is used to keep track of mantras as they are chanted. This article will explain how to make mala beads.

Things You'll Need

• 108 10-mm wood or stone beads one 12-mm wood bead one 8-mm wood or stone bead 4 feet nylon twine 1 beading needle 4 feet embroidery floss Scissors Locking pliers or clamp Dremel tool 4-inch square of cardboard

Instructions

1. Choose your materials, and lay them out before starting. Beads should be made from a natural material, not plastic or acrylic. Stone beads may be used, but keep in mind the weight of the finished Mala when choosing stone beads. Your large bead, also known as a Guru or Buddha bead, will need to be wood so you can drill a third hole in it.
   Choose a color of embroidery floss that will work with your beads and the nylon twine you use for stringing. Black is a popular choice.

2. Start by creating the Buddha bead. To make this bead, using the locking pliers or clamp and secure the bead with the hole channel parallel to the workbench. Wearing safety goggles and gloves, hold the clamp steady. Drill a hole into the bead with the Dremel tool until it enters the existing hole channel. Be careful not to drill all the way through the bead. Set the bead aside for now.

3. String the nylon twine on the beading needle. String the first 10-mm bead and tie in place. Tie it on loosely as you will be untying it later. Continue stringing the remaining 107 beads onto the twine. Do not allow the twine to twist up as this will cause the Mala to tangle later.

4. Carefully thread the twine through one of the side holes in the Buddha bead and out the center hole you just drilled. Remove the needle. Untie the knot on the other end of the prayer beads. Attach the needle to the untied end and thread it through the other side of the Buddha bead then through the center hole. Finally, thread both ends through the 8-mm bead. Tie in a square knot.

5. Cut a 2-foot length from the embroidery floss. Take the 4-inch square of cardboard, and wrap the embroidery floss around it. Try and keep the floss smooth and neat as you wrap. Snip the looped floss at the bottom of the cardboard square, making a small stack floss that is 8 inches in length. Using the ends of the twine that emerges from the last bead, tie another square knot around the center of the bundle of embroidery floss.

6. Fold the floss back over the knot, hiding it in the center. To complete the tassel, take the remaining 2 feet of floss and wind it 1/2 to 1 inch down from the top of the tassel several times. Tie a knot, and push it under the wound floss. Trim loose ends from the twine and floss. Smooth the tassel and make sure the ends are even.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use larger beads but keep in mind it will add to the length of the Mala, Some Buddhist traditions use different numbers of beads in their Mala. Make sure you check what your tradition uses first.

• Be careful when drilling with a Dremel not to let it slip. You may wish to make a dent with a nail where you wish to drill your hole in the Buddha bead to avoid slippage. Always use proper safety precautions when using power tools.

Resources

• An introduction to the different Mala designs of several Buddhist traditions