Seik Badi

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
Post Reply
User avatar
PsychedelicSunSet
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:04 pm

Seik Badi

Post by PsychedelicSunSet »

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with Seik Badi? Mala use in Theravada both interests and confuses me, and any input on the subject would be much appreciated.


:namaste:
User avatar
cooran
Posts: 8503
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Seik Badi

Post by cooran »

Hello PSS,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu-Budd ... #Seik_badi

They seem to be Burmese and used to keep track of mantra recitations in Samatha meditation.
I'm not certain how widespread their use is in other Theravadan countries.


With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
User avatar
PsychedelicSunSet
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:04 pm

Re: Seik Badi

Post by PsychedelicSunSet »

cooran wrote:Hello PSS,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu-Budd ... #Seik_badi

They seem to be Burmese and used to keep track of mantra recitations in Samatha meditation.
I'm not certain how widespread their use is in other Theravadan countries.


With metta,
Chris

Thank you for your reply, Chris. I had read that, but I was under the impression that Theravada didn't really use Mantra's. So I'm curious as to how this came to be/how exactly the mantras are used and which one(s) are/is used.


:namaste:
bodhigrind
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 3:20 am

Re: Seik Badi

Post by bodhigrind »

I also was pretty confused what the Theravada perspective was on malas and mantra beads like Seik Badi.

I found this page informative
http://www.usamyanmar.net/Buddha/Articl ... beads1.pdf

:namaste:
User avatar
Kim OHara
Posts: 5584
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:47 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Seik Badi

Post by Kim OHara »

bodhigrind wrote:I also was pretty confused what the Theravada perspective was on malas and mantra beads like Seik Badi.

I found this page informative
http://www.usamyanmar.net/Buddha/Articl ... beads1.pdf

:namaste:
Thanks, Bodhigrind - Interesting, and very much on-topic!

PsychedelicSunSet, it looks like those mantra practices have some Hindu inspiration. At the very least, it's clear that they are not pure orthodox Theravada as we understand it.
I'm not sure of the situation in Burma, but ven Gavesako has been exploring the little-known tantric side of SE Asian Buddhism in a long thread at http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10503 which may be of interest to you.

:namaste:
Kim
User avatar
Bhikkhu Pesala
Posts: 4647
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:17 pm

Re: Seik Badi

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

As far as I understand their use, they are just used as a counting device. Nothing to do with mantras, unless you think that reciting "May all beings be happy" or "Itipi so bhagava..." is a mantra.

The PDF explains it well.
BlogPāli FontsIn This Very LifeBuddhist ChroniclesSoftware (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
Post Reply