The Evolution
of The Pagoda
"At this time two men meeting him in his majestic
glory gave the Buddha their traveling provisions of parched grain and honey.
The Buddha told them what brings happiness to men and devas (gods); these two
men were the first two hear the the Five Commandments and the Ten Virtues of
Buddhism. When they had received the religious teaching they requested
something to worship. The Buddha gave them his hair and his nail parings. The
two men, about to return to their native country, begged to have a rule and
pattern for their worship services. Thereupon the Buddha took his three
garments, folded them into four, piled them on the ground, beginning with the
largest and ending with the smallest. Next he took his begging bowl and
inverted it on his garments. Finally he placed his beggar's staff on top and
said to them, "This is how to make a
stupa."'
Xuanzang by Sally Wriggins