A pendant-shaped electronic counter that can play Buddhist sutra chants Photo: Taobao
Chinese Buddhists no longer need to kneel down on a hassock with a string of prayer beads - now they have the help of electronic counters while doing their daily sutra chanting.
A variety of such counters are on sale on e-commerce platforms like Taobao in China. Many have lotus patterns or the Chinese character for "Buddha."
Users press a small button every time they finish chanting a sutra and a small screen will display how many times the user has completed them. Some expensive ones, with a small loudspeaker and a built-in card reader, can also play Buddhist chants.
Some counters look like a pendant or a real ring with jewels. Sellers can also tailor sutra words or names on the counter. The prices usually range from 30 yuan ($4.36) to 100 yuan.
A seller on Taobao told the Global Times that most of the buyers are young and middle-aged believers. He said he had sold over 300 of the counters in the past month.
Electronic counter that can connect sutra-chanting data to a WeChat mini-program. Photo: Taobao
The counter can connect to a WeChat mini-program via Bluetooth and update a Buddhist's routine sutra-chanting data online. Users of the mini-program will enter a ranking, which propels them to finish their daily "homework," according to a product introduction on Taobao.
Buddhist groups may set a number of chants for all members to reach, and "the mini-program is convenient as it can set an online group and record their collective homework," said the Taobao seller.
Some believer groups buy the counters in large amounts for their members, he said.
One buyer left a comment: "Bought this for my mom and she loves it very much. Portable and cute!"
Netizens have expressed surprise at the counters, as many thought chanting should be done with prayer beads made out of wood or jewelry.
"Well it's the internet age. Buddhists also keep pace with the times," said a net user on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo.
"It is amazing! I've seen people pressing this little thing on the subway but I thought they were memorizing English vocabulary!" said Weibo user "Canon in D Major."