Nichiren Buddhists use "juzu" beads while chanting. Other Buddhist traditions use the longer, single-stand of "mala" beads. Can someone explain the WHY to me? I have recently read that the rubbing of beads during chanting is discouraged in some Nichiren sects (SGI members rub like mad). It seems mala beads would be easier to be used as counting beads (to keep track of daimuku or mantras) while juzu are easier to hold in your hands (and rub).
Malas also look very cool as a necklace. There's just no way to put on juzu.
Boiling it all down to what you wear,
Queen Lolo
In nichirenshu they wear the beads around their wrists during gongyo. I've taken to that too if I'm using a prayer book.It makes it easier to hold.
Philip
Posted by: Philip at March 27, 2005 07:41 PMPhilip & all -
Actually, one wears the juzu on the left wrist (double looped) when holding a drum, or in meditation. When holding the sutra book or generally chanting, they are double looped over the left hand, in the crook between the thumb and index finger.
When prayers are recited they are held with the parent beads held behind the knuckle closest to the fingertip of the middle fingers, and the loop of the beads held completely within the hands.
Most of this is from a practical point of view, although there are symbolic meanings for all of it. The "no rubbing" bit is because the juzu are mostly held in a way that makes rubbing them very awkward (looped around hand or wrist); and because the ministers conducting the service use the rubbing of their beads as a signal between themselves to begin or end a particular portion of the service.
Queen Lolo -
I have seen Nichiren juzu worn around the neck (by a minister no less); one must have a very large string to do so, however.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at March 28, 2005 05:57 AMYea, the "s" was a typo and I realized after I posted I didn't describe it well.
Philip
Philip -
Apologies if the reply sounded harsh - it was only meant in the spirit of correct information.
The other thing many people notice regarding juzu from Nichiren Shu are the colored tassels. Generally clergy are the only ones to have white tassels; everyone else has the (any other) color of their choice. Some of them can be quite beautiful.
The exception is the prison sangha we support. Due to regulations regarding gang colors, only black beads with white tassels were allowed into the unit, so all of those members have white-tasselled juzu.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at March 28, 2005 11:51 AMHi Mike-- where can I get these juzu with tassels? thanks!
Posted by: Ralf at March 28, 2005 04:05 PM... and where do you get juzu long enough to wear around your neck?
Posted by: Queen Lolo at March 28, 2005 06:35 PMRalf & Queen Lolo -
One set I purchased from the NBIC center (ebonywood/indigo monkeypaws) at:
http://www.nichiren-shu.org/books.html
The only problem here is that you would need to call Rev. Akahoshi and ask which colors and sizes he has in stock. I purchased mine at a booth he had set up in LA at the 90th Anniversary of the LA Nichiren Shu Temple.
The others I have were gifts, or old ones I sent off for restringing.
Here is another website which will show you some of the options (including monkeypaws). I can't tell size from here, though.....and I haven't ordered from here; I have friends who visit Japan often enough to take care of this sort of thing.
http://www.fujikawa.or.jp/%7ewakamatu/shuhin3.htm
You might also call Kaiundo in LA and ask Rick if he can import some for you; he has always been easy to work with. He doesn't have any juzu listed, but he will import things for people. His website is at:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~kaiundo/index.htm
Rick also carries a very nice nenju bag (holds juzu and service book) with the Odaimoku printed on it.
Hope this helps....
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at March 29, 2005 05:44 AMI saw your question on my blog but it seems more appropriate to try and answer here since you have made a blog about juzu...
In Nichiren Shoshu our juzu carry many different siginificances as you know and the beads are actually considered as one of the robes of Nichiren Shoshu...too complicated to go into here right now.
I believe Shakyamuni requested the number 108 to be used in prayer beads and ours comply with that in that the main circle consists of 108 of equal sized beads.
They have four extra small beads along the mother and father beads as you know.And some others at the tassel bits.
Longer beads would not be very convenient for us considering our one and only "mudra" is the gesshu. For that we hold the beads in the manner you already know.
For counting the Daimoku the beads would be held in one hand still crossed over in the middle and folded and we would count along one side only skipping the small boddhisattva beads up and down not crossing the mother or father beads.
It is very easy...and it is convenient too to move after one up and down session the extra strand of ten beads up to know where you are.
Usually we do not use them in this way any longer as now we have clocks to time the amount of Daimoku.
If I want to be exact however I still use the old fashioned method.
In Nichiren Shoshu the layity do not use beads with the long strands at the end of tassels. For the Priesthood they represent the Priests not holding the benefits of their chanting for themselves but instead let them "flow" out into the world to benefit the people. There is a distinction in the roles as you might be aware and we do our bit outside as it were and the Priests work within to protect the teachings. Different roles same aim.
Because the beads are treated as sacred instruments they undergo an eye opening ceremony and we never treat them in haphazard manner nor would we use them as jewellery around our necks etc.
They are for introducing ourselves to the Buddha and not for posing.
Currently I am using a set made out of ebony wood with the boddhisattva beads and mother and father bead being out of red aventurine. I have many pairs (right now one ebony and crystal, one boddhiseed and jade, one shikimi tree etc.) and keep changing according to mood. I have a bit of a fetish about them I guess...each time I am in Japan I get a new pair.
I still have my very first pair of juzu which are very old and threadbare now. I use them once a year on my anniversary of my practise!
Best, Jussi.
Posted by: jussi at March 29, 2005 03:37 PM
Thank you, one and all, for taking the time to post your replies. I have learned a lot!
By the way, I was kidding about wearing mala (or juzu) beads.
(Well, sort of.)