Material: Phoenix Eye Bodhi Seeds/Buddhist Beads

Size: 12 mm / 108 beads

Description:

1. Composition and Plant Origin

- **Scientific Name**: The fruit of the Phoenix Eye Bodhi seed comes from a large tree called *Eleocarpus ganitrus*, commonly known as the "Dragon Eye Tree" or "Blue Fruit Tree," belonging to the Elaeocarpaceae family.

- **Origin**: Primarily grows in Nepal, northern India, Java Island in Indonesia, and high-altitude mountainous areas of Taiwan. The Phoenix Eye Bodhi seeds from Nepal are considered the largest and have the clearest patterns, making them the highest quality.

- **Appearance Characteristics**: After ripening, the outer pericarp splits open, revealing a deep blue hard kernel. The surface of the kernel naturally has "eye-like" pits with distinct protrusions on either side, resembling a "phoenix eye," hence the name "Phoenix Eye Bodhi."

- **Classification by Eye Size**: Classified according to the number of "eyes" (i.e., the number of recesses). Common types include:

- 1-3 eyes: Extremely rare, extremely valuable

- 6-9 eyes: Most common

- 10-18 eyes: Relatively common

- 20 or more eyes (even 30+ eyes): Extremely rare, considered a treasure.

2. Sanskrit Name and Orthodox Status in Buddhism

- Original Sanskrit name: **Rudrākṣa** (Lord Raksha)

- Rudra = another name for Shiva (the god of destruction)

- Akṣa = eye

- Combined, it means "Shiva's tears" or "Shiva's eyes"

- In Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism (especially Tibetan Buddhism), the Bodhi seed is considered an extremely sacred object.

- The merits of different eye sizes are detailed in Hindu scriptures such as the *Rudrākṣa Jabala Upanishad*.

- Many Tibetan Buddhist scriptures (such as the *Bodhi Seed Recitation Method*) explicitly list it as one of the legitimate materials for 108-bead rosaries, placing it alongside lotus bodhi and vajra bodhi as one of the three orthodox bodhi seeds.

3. Influence and Practical Application on Buddhism

- **Tibetan Buddhism**:

- Almost all high-ranking Tibetan Buddhist monks and masters (such as the Dalai Lama, the 17th Karmapa, and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche) wear rosaries primarily made of Nepalese phoenix-eye bodhi seeds.

- Many Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug masters use 108-bead phoenix-eye bodhi seeds as their primary rosary for mantra recitation and chanting.

- Different numbers of beads are associated with different deities, for example:

- 1 bead → Vairocana Buddha, Yamantaka

- 5 beads → Five Dhyani Buddhas

- 9 beads → Nine Vehicles, Machinpomo (Dorje Vajrakilaya)

- 14 beads → Kalachakra

- **Han Chinese Buddhism**:

- Traditionally, lotus seed (lotus bodhi) or star-moon bodhi beads are commonly used in Han Chinese Buddhism. However, in the past 20 years, phoenix-eye bodhi beads have become increasingly popular among Han Chinese lay practitioners due to their rarity, beauty, and strong energy.

- Many eminent Han Chinese Buddhist masters (such as some disciples of Master Hsing Yun and Master Cheng Yen) also wear phoenix-eye bodhi rosaries.

- Especially in circles practicing Pure Land, Chan, and Tantric Buddhism, phoenix-eye bodhi beads have become widely accepted.

4. Commonly Talked "Efficacy" Among Folk Believers and Practitioners (From a Belief Perspective)

(The following are traditional beliefs and oral traditions passed down among practitioners, not scientifically verified)

- Wearing Phoenix Eye Bodhi seeds is said to calm the mind, enhance concentration, strengthen aura, and provide protection against evil.

- Using Phoenix Eye Bodhi seeds during mantra recitation results in a particularly rapid increase in mantra power (especially for Vajrasattva, Cundi, and Kalachakra mantras).

- The higher the number of beads, the stronger the energy, but the more difficult it is to "nourish" it. It requires pure precepts; otherwise, it may attract obstacles.

Summary

Phoenix Eye Bodhi seeds are not ordinary plant seeds, but rather "Shiva's tears," imbued with extremely high sacredness by Hinduism and Buddhism (especially Vajrayana). In Buddhism, it is one of the few Bodhi seeds explicitly recognized in scriptures for making 108-bead rosaries, especially in Tibetan Buddhism where it is almost a "standard requirement." It is now becoming increasingly popular in Han Chinese Buddhism, with many practitioners considering it one of the most powerful and blessing-inducing rosary materials.

If you want to buy a string of beads, it is recommended to choose genuine products made in Nepal, with clear mesh count, and made from naturally aged fruit (not acid-soaked or carved with fake eyes). It is said that wearing them for a long time and reciting mantras will bring great merit and blessings.