A shrine in which relics of the Buddha are kept. The centre is a raised temple which is usually surrounded by a series of terraces. Originally, a tumulus or burial mound enshrining relics of a holy person - such as the Buddha - or object associated with his life. Over the centuries this has developed into the tall, spired monuments familiar in temples in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Burma; and into the pagodas of China, Korea, and Japan.