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Pha That Luang, the holiest wat, pagoda, and stupa in Laos, in Vientiane; Phra Pathommachedi the highest pagoda or stupa in Thailand Nakhon Pathom, Thailand; Shwedagon Pagoda, a 98-metre (322 ft) gilded pagoda and stupa located in Yangon, Myanmar. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four Buddhas ...
In the Western context, there is no clear distinction between a stupa and a pagoda. In general, however, "stupa" is the term used for a Buddhist structure in India or Southeast Asia, while "pagoda" refers to a building in East Asia that can be entered and that may be used for secular purposes. However, use of the term varies by region.
The term is most common in Buddhism, where it refers to a space with a stupa and a rounded apse at the end opposite the entrance, and a high roof with a rounded profile. Strictly speaking, the chaitya is the stupa itself, and the Indian buildings are chaitya halls, but this distinction is often not observed.
The initial function of a stupa was the veneration and safe-guarding of the relics of Gautama Buddha. The earliest archaeologically known example of a stupa is the Relic Stupa of Vaishali located in Bihar, India. [1] [2] In accordance with changes in religious practice, stupas were gradually incorporated into chaitya-grihas (prayer halls).
The World Peace Pagoda was built by Japanese Buddhists for about US$1 million; near the stupa is the gravestone of a monk who was murdered by an anti-Buddhist group while the building was being built. [12] The Ramagrama stupa contains the relics of the Buddha and it remains untouched in its original form. [13]
Chedi (Thai: เจดีย์) – also known as a Stupa it is mostly in the form of a bell-shaped tower, often accessible and covered with gold leaf, containing a relic chamber. Prang (Thai: ปรางค์) – the Thai version of Khmer temple towers, mostly in temples from the Sukhothai and the Ayutthaya period.
Situated between the trade routes of India, Tibet and China, Nepali architecture reflects influences from these cultural strongholds. The pagoda architectural tradition figures prominently among Hindu temples in the country. In contrast, Buddhist temples reflect the Tibetan tradition of Buddhist architecture and the stupa features prominently ...
In Kashi (Varanasi) where the Buddha Kassapa passed, a stupa was built to honour his place of passing and to house his relics. Initially, there was a great difference of opinion on what should be the size of the stupa and of what material it should be built. Construction of the stupa was begun after these issues were finally settled.