Ideally, a Buddhist temple must have certain symbols and facilities. These include a shrine room with a Buddha statue and statues of Buddha’s main disciples, a bo tree and a small shrine, a pagoda with relics, living quarters for the monks, a preaching hall, and a compound for people to gather and offer flowers. It is also customary to have a small deity shrine within the temple premises.

A matter-of-fact, anthropological description of a typical Sri Lankan temple.