At a wake, funeral, or memorial service, many people wonder how they should hold their prayer beads. In this article, we show how to hold prayer beads in each Buddhist sect, with illustrations.
In brief
How you hold prayer beads differs by sect. If you have informal single-loop prayer beads, which can be used in any sect, follow the informal style below. The styles shown here are the most common ones; depending on your sect or local custom, a different style may be used.
Informal (single-loop) prayer beads
Hang the prayer beads over both hands with your palms together, letting the tassel hang down. Illustrations ① and ② show two views.
①
②
Formal prayer beads for all sects
Hang the prayer beads over both hands with your palms together, letting the tassels hang down. Illustrations ① and ② show two views.
①
②
Jodo Shinshu
In Jodo Shinshu, the Honganji branch (Nishi Honganji) and the Otani branch (Higashi Honganji) hold prayer beads differently.
- Honganji branch: double the prayer beads and hang them over both hands with your palms together, letting the tassels hang down.
- Otani branch: hang the loop so that the main bead is at the top, and let the tassels hang over the back of your left hand.
Honganji branch
Otani branch
Jodo
In the Jodo sect, there are two ways to hold prayer beads: hanging them in front of your thumbs, or hanging them over your four fingers.
① In front of the thumbs
② Over four fingers
Zen (Rinzai and Soto)
The Rinzai sect uses prayer beads without a ring, while the Soto sect uses prayer beads with a ring.
Rinzai (no ring)
Soto (with ring)
Nichiren
Twist the prayer beads once, hang them over your hands so that there are three tassels on the left and two on the right, and put your palms together.
Shingon
Hang the prayer beads over the middle fingers of both hands and put your palms together.
Tendai
Hold the prayer beads between the index and middle fingers of both hands and put your palms together.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What should I do if I don’t know my family’s sect?
A. Use informal prayer beads, which can be used in any sect.
Q. Which hand should I hold prayer beads in?
A. When your palms are not together, it is customary to hold them in your left hand.
Q. Can family members share prayer beads?
A. Prayer beads are said to be a personal amulet, so it is customary for each person to have their own.
Q. What should I do if the cord is about to break?
A. We recommend having them restrung before the cord breaks.
Find the right prayer beads
We carry prayer beads for many different sects. If you are unsure which sect’s beads to choose, start with informal single-loop prayer beads, which can be used anywhere.
Read more: The History of Prayer Beads and How They Differ by Sect
