Hanlu Temple · Notes
Bodhi seed or sandalwood?
There is no best material for prayer beads. The usual advice is the least romantic one: pick a strand that feels right in the hand and that you will actually carry.
What beads can be made of
Seeds and nuts, woods, stone, glass, bone, plastic. Each has a tradition and a price range, and the price is usually about rarity, not efficacy.
The two most often compared are bodhi seed and sandalwood — one is a plant seed, the other a wood, and they behave very differently.
What "bodhi seed" actually is
Not one tree. "Bodhi seed" is a trade category covering seeds of several species — bodhi tree, lotus, ruyi, star moon — sold under one name. They differ in texture, colour and how they age.
Seeds are light, warm to the touch, and darken with handling. They also crack in very dry air and can be attacked by insects, so they need occasional attention.
What sandalwood is
A fragrant wood, and the fragrance is the point. Real sandalwood is slow-growing and expensive; a great deal of what is sold as sandalwood is another wood, or a wood that has been scented.
Wood is heavier and cooler than seed, holds up better to daily use, and keeps a faint smell for years. It is also easier to fake, which is why price is a poor guide.
How to choose
If you want something light that changes as you use it, choose seed. If you want weight and a smell, choose wood. If you are buying for someone else, buy the cheapest honest strand you can find — the practice does not depend on the material.
In Hanlu Temple you can count a hundred and eight beads without owning any.
These are common explanations, not rules; local practice differs, and the temple in front of you has the final say. Hanlu Temple promises nothing and gives no medical, financial or legal advice.