Men's Juzu/Women's Juzu

[kendali]

Quickly: What is the difference between men's and women's juzu? Do the latter have "fancy" tassels and the former little flair? I'm going to a service this Sunday and the juzu that I've had for years have "fancy" tassels ... I don't want to take them with me if they're styled for women.

Also, what is the significance of 27 beads? My juzu has 27 onyx beads. There are also three "pearls" but I think I can guess as to what they represent (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha).

Thanks!

~kendali

[PadmaVonSamba]

Traditionally, a buddhist mala (sanskrit="garland") has 108 beads. Divide by 4 and you have 27.
I don't know anything about tassles.

[Starglade]

Traditionally, a buddhist mala (sanskrit="garland") has 108 beads. Divide by 4 and you have 27.
I don't know anything about tassles.

FWIW, the one that HHDL presented to a (male) friend of mine years and years ago has a turquoise-blue tassel on it. ::shrugs:: Seems to me if that's all right with HHDL, then other males can have tassels on theirs too.

[kendali]

Each tradition has its own customs. I was looking at the BCA's online bookstore and the juzu I could find that looked similar to mine are labeled as "women's."

I haven't seen/read about 108 bead juzu in Shin Buddhism.

I just found this: http://echoesofthename.net/2006/12/12/a ... u-o-nenju/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lay peoples’ juzu have 27 beads, 2 marker beads and a parent or ‘Buddha bead’ that has a special tassle-string. The tassle-string consists of a large loop and two ‘end’ pieces. The loop is seen to represent the cycle of birth & dying (samsara); and the end strings represent the ‘cutting’ or severing of the cycle of birth & dying (nirvana). (On womens’ and priests’ onenju there is often a more elaborate tassel). The formal juzu sometimes used by Jodo shin priests has 108 main beads and two ‘oyadama’ parent beads.

I'll use mine and peruse their gift shop afterwards.

[rory]

Kendali;
those sound like women's juzu so don't wear them if you'd feel embarrassed. Japanese sects have women and men's ojuzu, the women's being usually smaller and in pastel colours. My teacher sent me some Jodo ones and they were white & coral -typical female colors. Men usually get chunky and brown beads, which frankly I think is unfair and rather ugly.
I don't know the official reason Jodo Shinshu doesn't use a full 108 bead Ojuzu, but I suspect it has to do with Shinshu philosophy that one recitation is as valuable as a million.
enjoy your visit!
with gassho
Rory

[Shutoku]

There is a formal 108 bead Juzu most Senseis carry, but I don't think I've ever seen a layman with one.
In fact many don't even have 27 beads, but just the number that based on the size of the beads, fits the hands.
I have one given to me by my Sensei and it has 20 large bodhi seeds.
I have another with Jade beads and it has 27.
When I first visited my Temple I was given one with 27 white beads.

As noted above, since we do not count recitations of anything in Shinshu, the number of beads is only slightly symbolic, but not functionally important.

As far as women's versus men's, some of it will be about men generally having bigger hands, and otherwise just that some things tend to look more feminine, and other things look more masculine.

If you Juzu fits your hands and you like the appearance of it, it really doesn't matter.