A japamala, jaap maala, or simply mala is a loop of prayer beads commonly used in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. It is used for counting recitations (japa) of mantras, prayers or other sacred phrases. It is also worn to ward off evil, to count repetitions within some other form of sadhana such as prostrations before a holy icon. They are also used as symbols of religious identification.
Different types of Japa mala (prayer beads) selling in Varanasi, India
The Hindu god Brahma is shown depicted with a japamala in his hand.
The official imperial portrait of Qing Dynasty Empress Xiaozhuangwen with a mala
Kūkai (774–835), founder of Japanese Shingon, who brought some malas back to Japan from China.
Prayer beads are a form of beadwork used to count the repetitions of prayers, chants, or mantras by members of various religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Umbanda, Islam, Sikhism, the Baháʼí Faith, and some Christian denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Common forms of beaded devotion include the mequteria in Oriental Orthodox Christianity, the chotki or komposkini or prayer rope in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the Wreath of Christ in Lutheran Christianity, the Dominican rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Roman Catholic Christianity, the dhikr in Islam, the japamala in Buddhism and Hinduism, and the Jaap Sahib in Sikhism.
The image depicts several Christian prayer beads; from left to right are a Roman Catholic Dominican rosary, a Lutheran Wreath of Christ, a set of Anglican prayer beads, a Western Christian Pater Noster cord, and a Coptic Orthodox mequteria.
A misbaha, a device used for counting tasbih
Anglican prayer beads
Oriental Orthodox mequteria of 41 beads