White Agate Formal Prayer Beads Bracelet – Jodo Shinshu Sect (June Birthstone)

White Agate Birthstone Bracelet – Formal Jodo Shinshu Sect Prayer Beads

This one-of-a-kind piece pairs the star-and-moon bodhi seed with June's birthstone, white agate, in the formal style of the Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhism) 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 White Agate, the June Birthstone

Agate takes its name from its resemblance to the appearance of a horse's brain, and this piece uses the pure white variety, white agate. Agate is regarded as a stone symbolizing love, said to strengthen the bonds of family affection. It is associated with marital happiness and good fortune in marriage, and is believed to support a warm family life while still allowing each partner to keep their own individuality. Here, the pure white agate is paired with a matching white tassel for a clean, unified look.

About the Jodo Shinshu Sect Formal Style

This bracelet follows the formal prayer bead design of the Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhism) sect. One tassel side has 20 counting beads attached, while the other side has none and instead features a distinctive knot known as a renyo-musubi, said to resemble a butterfly with open wings — a defining feature of Jodo Shinshu prayer beads. There is no fixed rule for the total number of beads, and the design is not bound by strict conventions; the beads are treasured simply as a ritual implement used when pressing the palms together in prayer.

Product Specifications

Item Number: 633v073000000
Parent Bead (Oyadama): Approx. 0.39 in (1.0 cm) – White 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) – White 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.