Why 108?108 is considered a sacred number by several Eastern traditions, including yoga. Which is why for instance malas come as a string of 108 beads. A mala is used for counting as you repeat a mantra.Mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence. This number also connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. Such phenomena have given rise to many examples of ritual significance.