Buddhists believe that the personal items of high lamas are an extension of the holy being’s body and akin to having the attained master’s blessings and presence at all times. For this reason, a high lama's personal items such as robes, socks and shoes are highly sought after for protection and blessings, and for insertion into statues and stupas.

In particular, the mala beads of high lamas are among the most highly prized of holy items. Great masters are rarely seen without a mala (Buddhist rosary) in hand, and they are continuously reciting prayers and mantras, which contain the essence of the Buddhas in the form of words.

This regular recitation of mantras, particularly during extended retreats during which millions of mantras are recited on the mala, energises the mala beads and imbues them with the energies of the various deities and practices that the high lama engages in. The blessings contained within the mala bead are further enhanced by the lama's virtuous motivation, his compassionate intentions, the power of his meditations, and the potent blessings of higher tantric practices during which the lama manifests or self-generates as the meditational deity.

When we touch or wear such a powerful holy item, or when we include it as part of our own mala and use it daily, it becomes a supremely powerful talisman that bestows tremendous blessings of protection and healing, and opens up our latent karmic imprints for spiritual progress and the development of higher attainments. The mala bead can also be used to bless others, to dispel negative spirits and entities, and to plant imprints to receive higher tantric practices in the future.