shoudnt this be in the deception forums???

I believe they're called mala, and they're mainly used in mantra meditation and chanting in Zen. As you pass each bead, the mantra is repeated. The beads are usually in strings of 108 or smaller like half (54) and quarter of it (27).

Moreover, at Shaolin Temple, they're also given as gifts or keepsakes - reminders of the diligence in practice and training. However, I read that the second patriarch of Chan (Chinese Zen), Huike of Shaolin Temple, even used them as a weapon.

that sounds like something he would use ow, thanks, and yes this is a deception question but I have seen them in other games too, so I put it here for safety's sake