Suirinbashira are the outer circle of pillars that divide the exterior pillars from the core *moya 母屋 in a large two-storied type pagoda *tahōtō 多宝塔 with a square first story, cylindrical form above and square pyramidal roof *hōgyō yane 宝形屋根. If the tahōtō is very large, it is called *daitō 大塔.
An example that has suirinbashira is the Konpon Daitō 根本大塔 (24 m square) at Mt. Kōya 高野, Wakayama Prefecture. The Buddhist altar *shumidan 須弥壇 is in the center surrounded by four octagonal pillars; surrounding the altar area is a circle of moya pillars that separates the core from the outer aisle formed by the suirinbashira. The suirinbahira corresponds to the pillars on the perimeter of an ordinary tahōtō. A *mokoshi 裳階, a pent-roofed aisle one bay deep surrounds the pagoda. It has square pillars that form five-bays on each side.
a) *shumidan 須弥壇 b) mokoshibashira 裳階柱 c) suirinbashira 水輪柱 d) moyabashira 母屋柱