Quandry: I am very new to meditating and chanting, and have had no formal instruction in either. I've been raised in a protestant tradition, which leaves aside use of items such as malas/rosaries or statues/icons of any kind, as these are seen as temptations toward 'idol worship.' I may be overstating the matter, but because of being raised in this tradition I feel hesitant to introduce the use of a mala into my meditative practice or to bring a statue of the Buddha into my home. I am torn, because I feel a yearning to do these things despite my learned hesitation.
Response: The reader who wrote the above didn't ask a question but rather was posing a not uncommon quandry regarding malas/nianju and images of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
It's difficult when one is raised in a belief system that leads to discomfort with some of the practices in another belief systems that one feels drawn to. Perhaps viewing Buddhism as a teaching for ending suffering and for awakening to universal truths, and not as another religion would help a bit.
Buddhists use nianju or malas as a means to focus while chanting or simply to keep track of the number of recitations: sort of an early calculator. Many people like to set a goal for chanting, for example, 100,000 chants of "Amituofo." The longer nianju has 108 beads. Chinese nianju also have ten small counter beads. So in the past, people would use both the main beads and the counter beads to keep track of how many recitations they did.
I have to say that while I tend to be over the top in counting things, I don't use my nianju for this. My main use is when I am in a meeting or with someone who is asking me about something or simply with a group of people all speaking Chinese. ;-) I find using my beads helps me to concentrate while chanting. Having a habit of doing this, my body remembers "I'm moving the beads and chanting, so I should be calming down." So using the beads helps me return to the calmer state of my chanting. For me it's a memory aid.
Apparently, this also worked for my mother. Mom grew up at a time when if you left the house to go out, you needed to put on make-up and a bit of jewelry. One time she was at a very stressful christening. She had a collection of nianju and had slipped one on each arm that morning. She later told me that as the tension during the preparations had increased, she had taken off a nianju and began chanting. As the tension continued to increase, she took off the other one and was chanting with a nianju in each hand! She was used to seeing me chant by this time and being a very practical woman, did the obvious: if one nianju was calming, two had to be even more helpful.
So whether for counting or finding a sense of calm or chanting "peace" or a Buddha's name, ninaju are simply cultivation aids.
The Buddha and bodhisattva images are teaching aids. When I look at the serene image of a Buddha, I remember that if I want that same sense of tranquility and great ease with the world, I need to awaken. I'm not trying to become a deity, I'm simply trying to reach the perfect nature that is already within me. The two Pure Land bodhisattvas remind me that I need to be compassionate and temper it with wisdom. So I need to develop both as they are complementary.
That said, if someone prefers not to have a Buddha or bodhisattva image or is uncomfortable with one, a clear glass of clear water to remind us that we need to have a pure, calm mind will do very well as the sole object during meditation. Or a flower or incense or a candle can be used. Or simple sit in meditation without any cultivation aids.
Start with what feels comfortable. As the comfort level increases, something else can be added if so desired.