<Tr> <Th> Vietnamese </Th> <Td> Phù đồ </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Glossary of Buddhism </Td> </Tr> <P> A stupa (Sanskrit: "heap") is a mound - like or hemispherical structure containing relics (śarīra - typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation . A related architectural term is a chaitya, which is a prayer hall or temple containing a stupa . </P> <P> In Buddhism, circumambulation or pradakhshina has been an important ritual and devotional practice since the earliest times, and stupas always have a pradakhshina path around them . </P>

The importance of the stupa as a ritual building
find me the text answering this question