Striped Agate Formal Prayer Beads Bracelet – Jodo Sect (August Birthstone)

Striped Agate Birthstone Bracelet – Formal Jodo Sect Prayer Beads

This one-of-a-kind piece pairs the star-and-moon bodhi seed with August's birthstone, striped agate, in the formal style of the Jodo sect — part of Kohgen Ojuzukan's original Sect & Birthstone series.

About the Materials

The main beads are made from star-and-moon bodhi seeds (hoshizuki bodaiju) sourced from Hainan Island, China — considered the finest grade available. The countless small black flecks on each seed are said to resemble stars in a night sky, while the single larger mark left by the stem is likened to the moon, together evoking the universe, which has long been regarded in Buddhism as the realm of the Buddha. The bodhi tree is also cherished as the very tree beneath which Shakyamuni Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. (Many other types of bodhi seed are also used in prayer beads, including kongo, tengen, kokuryu, hogan, maya, kogan, gogan, and antique star-and-moon bodhi.)

About Striped Agate, the August Birthstone

Striped agate (sardonyx) forms from clusters of tiny quartz crystals and is known for its distinctive banded pattern. Its vivid orange-and-white stripes give it a striking appearance. It is traditionally said to symbolize marital happiness and is also believed to bring good encounters to those who are not yet married, making it a stone long associated with love. The tassel on this piece is finished in a soft ash-pink tone to complement the stone's coloring.

About the Jodo Sect Formal Style

This bracelet follows the formal prayer bead design of the Jodo sect. Jodo-sect formal prayer beads are distinctive for their double-loop (wa-chigai) construction: one loop has 27 beads and the other has 20 (or 40), with 10 flat counting beads and 6 round counting beads attached. Unlike most other sects, the Jodo sect's formal beads do not use 108 main beads — yet the design allows for the highest recitation count of any style, roughly 30,000 for the men's version and 60,000 for the women's version.

Product Specifications

Item Number: 633v022000000
Parent Bead (Oyadama): Approx. 0.39 in (1.0 cm) – Striped Agate
Main Beads (Shudama): Approx. 0.20 in (0.5 cm) – Star-and-Moon Bodhi Seed
Sub Beads (Fukudama): Approx. 0.12 in (0.3 cm) – Star-and-Moon Bodhi Seed
Inner Diameter: Approx. 6.69 in (17.0 cm)
Note: As each bracelet is handcrafted from natural gemstone and bodhi seed, the exact grain and shade may vary slightly from the images shown. This is a one-of-a-kind piece.