Chen Lan felt a bit displeased when Xu Mingxuan said that, so she replied, "Brother Mingxuan, what are you talking about? Who said I was going to wear them out? I'm picking out gifts for my mother-in-law and my mother, for Mama Liu and Aunt Cui, and for my little sister! I just don't know how many beads are appropriate for a bracelet, so I'm having trouble deciding."
Chen Lan shifted her body to make room for Xu Mingxuan to sit down, then asked, "By the way, Brother Mingxuan, sit down first. I have a question for you. Do you know why bracelets have different sizes and bead counts? Is there some special significance to it?"
Xu Mingxuan sat down next to Chen Lan and replied, "There are certainly considerations, Lan'er. Tell me more specifically, what do you mean by 'different'?"
Chen Lan picked out a bracelet with twelve beads, one with thirteen beads, and one with one hundred and eight beads from the pile and asked, "Brother Mingxuan, look, most of the bracelets in this pile are these three types! Do these bead counts have any special meaning?"
Xu Mingxuan was surprised that there was something Chen Lan didn't understand, so he decided to tease her. He smiled and explained, "Lan'er, you guessed right. Different numbers of beads on a bracelet do have different meanings. Let's take this twelve-bead bracelet as an example. In Buddhism, twelve beads represent the twelve links of dependent origination. 'Yin' in Buddhism means sowing a seed, that is, planting a good seed, as the saying goes. 'Yuan' means assisting the situation, like sunshine and rain."
Seeing that Chen Lan looked utterly confused, Xu Mingxuan continued to explain, "In simple terms, we can understand it as planting a good seed also needs sunshine and rain."
Chen Lan couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this and asked, smiling, "Brother Mingxuan, the meaning can be explained like that?"
Xu Mingxuan suppressed a smile and replied as if nothing had happened, "Of course, that's what it means! What else could it be?"
Chen Lan didn't understand Buddhist teachings, but she felt something was not quite right. However, she couldn't refute it and just mumbled to herself, "I didn't expect Buddhist principles to be explained this way. But why? Why do I always feel something is a little strange?"
Hearing Chen Lan's words, Xu Mingxuan couldn't hold back and burst into laughter, "Lan'er, I was just teasing you! Don't take it seriously! Actually, a twelve-bead bracelet symbolizes that one's life encounters are in their own hands, suitable for those who are confident and have clear goals in life. However, the twelve links of dependent origination mentioned earlier are explained in Buddhism as the arising and passing of all things in the world due to causes and conditions."
Chen Lan found this explanation much more plausible and said, "I knew it! How could it sound so strange just now? So it was Brother Mingxuan playing tricks on me!" With that, the couple burst into laughter again.
After they finished laughing, Chen Lan continued to ask, "Brother Mingxuan, what are the meanings of thirteen-bead bracelets and one hundred and eight-bead bracelets, and bracelets with other bead counts?"
Xu Mingxuan thought for a moment and replied, "In Buddhism, thirteen beads represent the thirteen powers. Buddhism believes that Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land of the West possess thirteen kinds of powers."
Chen Lan asked curiously, "Brother Mingxuan, what are the thirteen powers?"
Xu Mingxuan recalled and said, "When I was in high school in the capital, I saw it in a book in the library. It was a long time ago, and I've forgotten the name of the book. I can't remember most of its content. I can only recall the meanings of a few bead counts. I do remember this thirteen powers thing. Although I'm a bit fuzzy about the exact wording, I can still convey the general idea. Lan'er, let's agree that if I say anything incorrectly, please don't mind."
Chen Lan smiled and replied, "I don't mind, I don't mind. I don't understand this anyway, Brother Mingxuan, just keep talking!"
Xu Mingxuan thought carefully again and then said, "The thirteen powers in Buddhism are: the power of cause, the power of condition, the power of intention, the power of vows, the power of skillful means, the power of constancy, the power of goodness, the power of concentration, the power of wisdom, the power of much learning, the power of upholding precepts, patience, diligence, and meditative concentration, the power of right mindfulness and right contemplation for all insights, and the final one is the power to discipline sentient beings according to the Dharma. Also, because Buddhist pagodas have thirteen levels, a thirteen-bead bracelet symbolizes the completion of merit."
Xu Mingxuan finished in one breath and paused, seeing Chen Lan listening intently. He then continued to explain, "Bracelets with three beads represent the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Bracelets with six beads represent the six gates, referring to the six senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind, which are also known as the six senses and six faculties."
Seeing that Chen Lan understood, Xu Mingxuan continued to explain, "One hundred and eight beads represent the one hundred and eight kinds of afflictions in human life. Therefore, wearing a bracelet with one hundred and eight beads is to seek the 'Baiba Sānmèi' in Buddhism and to eliminate the one hundred and eight kinds of afflictions. It symbolizes a life free from worries, peace of mind and body, and it also has the meaning of a protective amulet. These one hundred and eight-bead bracelets are the most suitable for gifting, Lan'er. I suggest you give these one hundred and eight-bead bracelets as gifts."
Chen Lan didn't understand what "Baiba Sānmèi" meant, but she understood that people have one hundred and eight kinds of afflictions. She then asked curiously, "Can people really have that many kinds of afflictions? Brother Mingxuan, tell me, what are people's afflictions?"
Xu Mingxuan thought carefully again and asked, "Lan'er, do you know about the six roots?"
Chen Lan immediately replied, "Brother Mingxuan, you underestimate me! Of course, I know what the six roots are! They are the six senses and six faculties you mentioned earlier, which are often referred to as the six senses being pure in Buddhism. The six roots refer to eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and will."
Xu Mingxuan smiled and added, "That's right, those are the six roots. And within each of these six roots, there are three kinds of feelings: suffering, happiness, and indifference. The 'feelings' here refer to afflictions, totaling eighteen kinds of afflictions. Furthermore, each of the six roots also has three kinds of afflictions: good, bad, and neutral, which also sums up to eighteen afflictions. Adding these two sets of eighteen afflictions makes thirty-six afflictions. Then, adding the afflictions of the past, present, and future, it perfectly totals one hundred and eight afflictions."
Chen Lan found it surprisingly complicated to choose a bracelet as a gift. She decided to follow Xu Mingxuan's advice and chose one hundred and eight-bead bracelets for her mother and mother-in-law to wear for fun.