Buddha Chitta seeds change rural NepalCEFR A2
2 Nov 2025
Adapted from Sonia Awale, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Shreyashka Maharjan, Unsplash
A new market for Buddha Chitta seeds began after the Dalai Lama reportedly praised Nepalese seeds in Taiwan. Local research says seeds used to sell for NPR 2–5, but prices rose sharply after that endorsement and higher demand from China.
Beads are classed by number of faces and by size; one-faced and 7–8 mm beads are rarest. A 108-bead mala can cost NPR 1.5 million. Some farmers earned large sums, such as Singha Bahadur Lama, who made NPR 10 million from one tree and used the money to build houses and send his daughter abroad. Others later lost money when prices fell.
Difficult words
- seed — the part of a plant that grows.seeds
- prayer — a connection to a god or spirit.
- grow — to make a plant become larger.
- wealthy — having a lot of money.
- price — the amount of money needed for something.prices
- quality — how good or bad something is.
- area — a specific place or region.
- necklace — a piece of jewelry worn around the neck.necklaces
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the Dalai Lama's praise affected the seeds' price?
- What is the importance of Buddha Chitta seeds in Tibetan Buddhism?
- How do you feel about farmers becoming wealthy from these seeds?
