Reliquary. A container for the bones of the Buddha *shari 舎利 placed in a stupa or pagoda. In Japan, the Buddha's bones were replaced with other precious materials or even grains of unhulled rice. Usually, the shari yōki was placed in or near a stone at the base of the *shinbashira 心柱 (heart pillar) at the center of a pagoda, although some are placed in other locations such as the top of the shinbashira. They are usually square, round or oval. Typically there were from two to six containers, each inside the next, with the protective outer one made of stone, then ceramic, wood, crystal, copper, silver and gold, with the innermost container usually made of glass. Shari yōki were sometimes buried along with shōgongu 荘厳具, implements from Buddhist altars that were then given the name shari shōgongu 舎利荘厳具.