500
Why are there 108 beads in a mala (rosary)?
According to the Upanishads, a person will breathe 21,600 times a day. It is broken up into two parts, day and night. Therefore, during the day we breathe 10,800 times and at night we breathe 10,800 times. Because it is not practical for us to chant the name of God during every breath, we should chant them at least 108 times. Every time we chant the mantra its fruit is multiplied by 100. Hence, if we say it 108 times it will really equal 10,800.