A japa mala — the string of beads used for counting mantra repetitions — has 108 beads plus one guru bead, across Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions and across materials from Rudraksha to sandalwood to sphatik to bone. The number is so consistent that it has attracted many explanations, and the tradition is comfortable holding several at once.
The traditional explanations
Astronomical. In classical Indian astronomy, 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions) × 4 padas (quarters) = 108; or 12 rashis (zodiac signs) × 9 grahas (planets) = 108. The number thus represents the whole of the heavens through which the moon and planets move.
Sacred literature. 108 Upanishads are counted in the traditional list (the Muktika canon); 108 names of many deities are recited in the ashtottara-shata-nama hymns.
The body and breath. Some yogic texts count 108 nadis (energy channels) converging at the heart, and some traditions speak of 108 marma points. A day's breaths have been reckoned at 21,600, of which 108 × 200 is the arithmetic sometimes cited.
Mathematical. 108 = 1¹ × 2² × 3³, a number with a satisfying construction; 108 is also the sum of the first nine multiples of 12, and is hyperfactorial in a technical sense. Whether these properties were the reason for the choice or were noticed afterward is not recorded.
The circle. The interior angle of a regular pentagon is 108°; 108 is close to the ratio of the sun's diameter to its distance from earth in a rough classical calculation, and similar for the moon — a coincidence sometimes cited.
None of these is the "real" reason to the exclusion of the others. The tradition treats 108 as a number of completeness, and the explanations are ways of seeing that completeness.
The structure of a mala
108 beads, counted from one side of the guru bead round to the other.
The guru bead (also sumeru, meru or bindu): a larger bead, or a bead of different material, at the join, not counted, marking the start and end of a round. Tradition holds that one does not cross the guru bead; at the end of 108 the mala is turned and the count reverses.
The tassel or knot beyond the guru bead.
Spacers and counters. Some malas have marker beads at 27 or 54, and Buddhist malas often have counter strings.
Variants
Shorter malas of 54 or 27 beads (half and quarter) are used for convenience and worn as bracelets; the round is repeated to make 108.
Wrist malas of 18, 21 or 27 beads.
Malas of 1,008 for extended practice.
Malas of other counts — 100, 111, 12 — exist in particular traditions.
What the laboratory checks on a mala
The bead count (108 or a stated variant), the material and its identification, bead size and total weight, the guru bead's individual identification, and the condition of beads and thread. On a Rudraksha mala, a sample of beads is X-rayed for compartment count; on a sphatik mala, beads are checked for quartz against glass. The tradition's requirement that a mala be of genuine beads is what the report serves. Testing a Rudraksha mala; Sphatik (clear quartz): testing malas and spheres.
Frequently asked questions
Does a mala have to be exactly 108?
Tradition prescribes 108 for a full japa mala; variants are accepted for wearing and for shortened practice. A "108 mala" with 106 beads is simply short.
Is the guru bead counted?
No. It marks the start and finish and is not passed over.
Why are some malas 109 beads?
108 plus the guru bead, described as 109 by sellers counting all beads on the string.
Does the number matter for a laboratory?
The report states the count found. Whether it satisfies a tradition is for the practitioner.
Can a mala mix materials?
Yes; mixed malas exist in several traditions. The report identifies each material present and the number of beads of each.