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

Striped Agate Birthstone Bracelet – Formal Rinzai Zen Sect Prayer Beads

This one-of-a-kind piece pairs the star-and-moon bodhi seed with August's birthstone, striped agate (sardonyx), in the formal style of the Rinzai Zen 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 tiny clustered quartz crystals, giving it a distinctive banded pattern — here, a vivid orange and white striping that catches the eye. The tassel on this piece is finished in a soft ash-pink to complement the stone's warm tones. Agate is regarded as a stone symbolizing love, said to bring marital happiness and good fortune in marriage, and is also believed to bring good encounters to those who are single. It is thought to support a warm family life while still allowing each partner to keep their own individuality — a fitting gift for someone born in August.

About the Rinzai Zen Sect Formal Style

This bracelet follows the formal prayer bead design of the Rinzai Zen sect, based on a standard count of 108 beads. Even among temple parishioners, few own a set of the formal prayer beads, and practitioners do not hold them during zazen seated meditation. The design closely resembles Soto Zen prayer beads but without the metal ring. When held, the strand is doubled and looped over the four fingers of the left hand, with the tassel hanging down, while the hands are pressed together in prayer.

Product Specifications

Item Number: 633v035000000
Parent Bead (Oyadama): Approx. 0.39 in (1.0 cm) – Striped Agate
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) – Striped Agate
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.