Sri Lanka | 1 Rupee

Stupa in front of a Dharmachakra (wheel of life). The stupa (Sanskrit for heap) is an important form of Buddhist architecture, though it predates it. It is generally considered to be a sepulchral monument – a place of burial or a receptacle for religious objects. At its simplest, a stupa is a dirt burial mound faced with stone. The eight spokes of the Dharmachakra represent the eight parts of the path to wisdom and the end of suffering. Both are major motives of Buddhism.