When a lay parishioner visits a Buddhist temple, he or she usually carries
a Buddhist rosary. It marks a parishioner versus the occasional visitor
and is considered a necessary item of proper attire. For most Japanese,
not wearing a rosary when putting the hands in prayer or reverence
seems to be improper. Likewise, the official webpage of the Sōtō Zen
school instructs lay followers to not forget prayer beads when attending
funerals or memorial services. Parishioners should further put a rosary
on the lowest shelf of their home altar, ready to be used during prayers.
Also, the members of the choirs singing Buddhist hymns at Sōtō temples
wear short rosaries while singing and playing a bell. Thus, prayer
beads serve “as sources of identification,” to borrow John Kieschnick’s
words. The rosary is an especially interesting object because—besides
the robe or o-kesa—“prayer beads are kept closer to the practitioner than
any other ritual object. They become physical evidence of faith, devotion,
and practice.”
In contrast to Tendai, Shingon, or Pure Land clerics, Sōtō clerics rarely
use prayer beads in ritual settings. Moreover, images of Zen masters usually
do not depict monks or nuns holding prayer beads; instead, a fly-whisk
or another kind of staff signifies their status as a Zen cleric. Therefore,
Buddhist rosaries are typically not associated with Zen. Nevertheless,
prayer beads have been used for various purposes in the Sōtō school
as well.