If the Catholics have the rosary when imploring before Mama Mary, the Buddhists also have their own version which is called the Juzu beads. In Buddhism, it has a very profound value as followers believe that by using the religious material in their prayers, they will get hold of the huge benefit in changing earthly longings into illumination as well as in discovering that the trials in life is a doorway to emancipation.
Overview According to a twenty- sixth high priest by the name of Nichikan Shonin, a string of Juzu beads is a means of guiding an individual of average ability who is then compelled to enact ascetic practices. It is both symbolic and significant which is used by the Buddhists when they call on Buddha and the other names of their gods. Aside from that, the religious material is also utilized when counting the number of invocations being made as well as in reading the sutras of Buddhism.
The string of Juzu beads has always been used as a manner to draw more people of Mappo in close contact with the Three Treasures namely Buddha, Law and Priesthood. Treated with utmost care, the Buddhists have been considering it as one of the Three Robes necessary in living out their teachings. The other two are primordially dubbed as “kesa” and “koromo” but the religious material have been utilized by all the followers.
Meaning In the string of Juzu beads, one hundred and eight small circles are of similar size. As rendered by the different treaties such as the Annotations on the Great Concentration and Insight written by Miao- Lo, it represents how many are the carnal desires of a mortal human being. The whole of the religious material stands for the five characters of the Mystic Principle, the entity of the simple which is the philosophy every Buddhist should attain to obtain enlightenment.
The two large circles of the Juzu beads correspond to either mother and father, Ho and Myo, Taho and Shakyamuni or wisdom and reality. The roundness of the string of Juzu beads speaks of the Mystic Truth as well as the true body of each phenomenon. A certain Shakyamuni Buddha in his Seishi Bosatsu Sutra said that persons who use the religious material of small squares are not disciples of Buddhism. Nichiren Daishonin echoed in agreement telling that such individuals are members of the Jodo sect. In immersing yourself in the ways of Buddhism, you will learn that Buddhists will never separate the string of Juzu beads away from their bodies even for a moment because they strongly regard it to aid them in overcoming transgressions. Aside from that, the religious material is also dealt with the same level of respect with their gods.
