Aventurine Formal Prayer Beads Bracelet – Shingon Sect (May Birthstone)

Aventurine Birthstone Bracelet – Formal Shingon Sect Prayer Beads

This one-of-a-kind piece pairs the star-and-moon bodhi seed with May's birthstone, aventurine, in the formal style of the Shingon 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 Aventurine, the May Birthstone

Aventurine is also known as Indian jade. It is said to have a calming effect on the emotions and to help one open their heart to others; in ancient Tibet, it was revered as a 'stone of insight.' Aventurine is associated with the qualities of health, longevity, and virtue, and is believed to support a long, healthy, and happy life — making it a fitting gift as well.

About the Shingon Sect Formal Style

This bracelet follows the formal prayer bead design of the Shingon sect. It is said that the Shingon sect may have been the first in Japan to adopt prayer beads, so its formal design closely resembles the universal (hasshu-ken'yo) style used across sects. It typically has two tassels, front and back, strung on a red cord; the longer prayer beads carried on pilgrimages are based on this same Shingon-style strand, simply made longer.

Product Specifications

Item Number: 633v085000000
Parent Bead (Oyadama): Approx. 0.39 in (1.0 cm) – Aventurine
Main Beads (Shudama): Approx. 0.28 in × 0.12 in thick (0.7 cm × 0.3 cm) – Star-and-Moon Bodhi Seed
Accent Beads (Yotenma, ×4): Approx. 0.16 in (0.4 cm) – Aventurine
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.