Authentic Timal Bodhi Seed Mala - All 3-Eye Seeds - 13 to 14mm - Rare Locality & Feature

Earlier this year in late March through early April 2025, I returned to Nepal continuing my practice of Buddhist Pilgrimage. Along the way, I hand-picked this item with other selected practice supplies, supports, and sacred objects.

This mala is one of the few I was able to hand pick while I was in Timal in from a local resident craft person. See the last image of me at the gateway to Timal, Nepal. This is an rare high-quality Timal Bodhi Mala as all 108 seeds are 3-Eye. This is not very common overall and even more rare being harvested in the small village of Timal.

The beads have an even and consistent rich medium brown color tone. This is larger sized mala with beads sized 13 to 14mm on average. The shape of the seeds are uniform and round. The integrity of the seed are very high and strong and it is laced with a 1.2mm red nylon braided cord with a golden yellow end knot. There is little to no trimming on the Bodhi Seeds.

The overall length is 28.50 inches or 72.39cm from the top to the bottom of the guru bead. From the top to the end of the mala cords is 29.75 inches or 75.55cm. The matching 3-Eye Bodhi Seed guru bead has an average size of 16mm.

I rarely find all 3-Eye Bodhi Seed malas anywhere in Nepal. However, to be able to acquire this from Timal is such a rarity. This such a special mala and would make an auspicious gift to your teacher, Dharma friend, or as a life long heritage mala for your lifetime.

This is a very rare Bodhi Seed mala from the small village of Timal in Central Nepal located about 5 hours southeast of Kathmandu by car. This year I was able to return and visit the Yarinak cave where Padmasambhava stayed and practiced. It was said Guru Rinpoche, on his journey back from Tibet, meditated there before moving to Pharping at Asura cave. Timal, Nepal is connected with Guru Rinpoche himself when he taught that Bodhi Seeds should be used for counting mantra. Additionally, it is said Padmasambhava defeated Tirthikas—sworn enemies of the Dharma near Yakinak cave. Afterwards he blessed the lands of this area. Over time the Bodhi Trees and the seeds of Timal have become deeply connected to Guru Rinpoche.

A research paper by Khem Raj Bhattarai and Mitra Lal Pathak published in the Indian Journal of Plant Sciences identified the Bodhichitta tree as a distinct species—Ziziphus budhensis—unique to central Nepal. The researchers believe that the tree, known locally as Buddhachitta, is found only in a small area of the Kavreplanchok district of central Nepal, and differs from other species of Ziziphus known to grow in Nepal and similar species identified in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Pakistan.

The Bodhi Seeds from this area are grown, harvested, and crafted into malas by the local people. This seller lives in and is a resident farmer and crafts person of Timal. One of the only ways to be for sure of the authenticity of a Timal Bodhi Seed mala, is to go directly to the source.

This is an extremely rare, high quality, and beautiful mala with a deep local connection to Guru Padmasambhava.
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Thank you for your visit and consideration.

Shipping fee covers handling and packaging materials cost.