“Prayer beads,” also known as rosary beads, mantra beads, or Buddhist beads, are a type of ritual implement used in spiritual practice. Today, prayer beads have become commercialized, and we can purchase a wide variety of them on the market. Many people believe that prayer beads are exclusive to Buddhism, but this is not the case. Throughout history, prayer beads have served as an important ritual implement in spiritual practice and have been used in many religions.
For example, Taoist prayer beads typically consist of 81 beads, symbolizing the 81 transformations of the Supreme Old Lord; Buddhist prayer beads usually have 108 beads, representing the elimination of the 108 afflictions of sentient beings; Islamic prayer beads have 33 beads, and rotating them three times yields the number 99, used to help believers recite the 99 names of Allah; Orthodox Christian prayer beads have 59 beads, used for reciting The Rosary of the Virgin Mary.
This article focuses solely on the origin and function of prayer beads within Buddhism. In Buddhist circles, prayer beads are referred to as “Buddha beads.” Regarding the origin of Buddha beads, we generally refer to the records in the *Wooden Bead Sutra*: The Buddha told the king, ‘If you wish to eliminate the obstacles of afflictions and karma, you should string 108 wooden beads and carry them with you at all times. Whether walking, sitting, or lying down, you should always recite the names of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha with a focused mind, moving one bead at a time.’“ The ”king” referred to in this passage is King Balarama, a ruler of ancient India. After King Bimbisara followed the Buddha’s advice, he began to use wooden beads to make prayer beads, using them to assist in reciting the names of the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—thereby eliminating the obstacles of afflictions and karma. From this, it can be seen that the use of prayer beads in Buddhism began at this time. However, it is worth noting that the original inventor of prayer beads was not a Buddhist (this topic will not be discussed further in this article).
Buddhist prayer beads are generally divided into three categories: holding beads, wearing beads, and hanging beads. Holding beads are used to assist in reciting Buddhist mantras by pinching them between the fingers. Wearing beads are worn on the wrist or arm. Hanging beads are worn around the neck. The most common type available on the market today is the wearing beads, commonly known as “wrist beads,” with 18 beads being the most prevalent. Buddhist prayer beads are typically made from precious and vibrantly colored wood, giving them an elegant and refined appearance. For example, the protective prayer beads prevalent in India are crafted from the rare protective wood.
The earliest recorded use of Buddhist prayer beads in Han Chinese Buddhism was by Monk Daozuo of the Pure Land School during the Tang Dynasty. According to The Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks, Monk Daozuo was highly devoted to his practice, reciting the Buddha’s name seven thousand times daily. He encouraged his disciples and followers to practice, using sesame seeds to count their recitations, placing one seed for each recitation. Over time, those who recited the Buddha’s name frequently accumulated as many as eighty to ninety shi of hemp seeds, while others had as few as twenty to thirty shi. Later, Master Daozuo taught the faithful to use wooden beads as prayer beads for counting, marking the beginning of the use of prayer beads in Han Chinese Buddhism.
In Buddhism, prayer beads are mainly used to count the number of times one recites sutras, chants mantras, or chants the Buddha’s name. They serve as an aid in focusing the mind and body and eliminating deluded thoughts. When choosing prayer beads, Buddhist disciples should first consider whether they are suitable for their own use. Whether they are held in the hand, worn around the neck, or hung on a string, it is best to choose beads that suit one’s own habits.
According to Buddhist scriptures, different materials used to make prayer beads yield different levels of merit. Iron yields five times the merit, red copper ten times, coral and agate a hundred times, wood a thousand times… Diamond yields ten thousand times, and the highest is bodhi, which yields immeasurable merit.
