In Buddhism, prayers, chants and mantras are often counted using prayer beads called mala. Many religions utilize beads to keep tally of their religious practices: Catholics call it rosary, Hindu call it japa mala, Islam know it as misbaha or subha, and to the Buddhists, it is known as mala. The use of beads in prayer may have originated from the Hindu practices in India around the eighth century. The Buddhist mala, like the Hindu, usually consists of 108 beads traditionally made from the wood or seeds of the scared Bodhi tree. A number significant to both Hindu and Buddhist practices, the 108 beads found on a Buddhist mala are said to represent the vices or impurities one must overcome to reach Nirvana. Malas with differing numbers of beads
