Which term is used for a domed mound containing a relic?

Which term is used for a domed mound containing a relic?

• A. Stupa
• B. Pagoda
• C. Mausoleum
• D. Shrine

Answer: (A)

In Buddhist architecture, a stupa is the domed mound that serves as a reliquary monument, housing sacred relics. The hemispherical dome (the anda) sits on a base and is often capped by a harmika and a finial, signaling its function as a sacred repository and a focus for circumambulation. This form is specifically tied to containing relics or sacred objects, which is why it fits the description of a domed mound containing a relic. A pagoda, while originally derived from the stupa, is a later East Asian multi-tiered tower rather than a simple domed mound. A mausoleum is a monumental tomb for a person, not necessarily a relic-containing ritual monument. A shrine is a place of devotion that may or may not enclose relics in a domed mound.

In Buddhist architecture, a stupa is the domed mound that serves as a reliquary monument, housing sacred relics. The hemispherical dome (the anda) sits on a base and is often capped by a harmika and a finial, signaling its function as a sacred repository and a focus for circumambulation. This form is specifically tied to containing relics or sacred objects, which is why it fits the description of a domed mound containing a relic.

A pagoda, while originally derived from the stupa, is a later East Asian multi-tiered tower rather than a simple domed mound. A mausoleum is a monumental tomb for a person, not necessarily a relic-containing ritual monument. A shrine is a place of devotion that may or may not enclose relics in a domed mound.