A string of small beads used for counting prayers made to a buddha or great bodhisattva， in English， rosary （aks!a-su^tra、 japa-ma^la， pa^sakama^la^）. The tradition of using rosaries in India predates Buddhism， as such implements were used earlier in Brahmanistic religions. Made of twenty-seven， fifty-four， or 108 beads. The number 108 is the number of afflictions; fifty-four is half of this， and twenty-seven is again half. Also written 念珠.