Page "Stupa" Paragraph 8

The stupa evolved into the pagoda as Buddhism spread to other Asian countries.

The pagoda has varied forms that also include bellshaped and pyramidal ones.

Today, in the Western context, there is no clear distinction between the stupa and the pagoda.

But in general stupa is used for a Buddhist structure of India or south-east Asia, while pagoda refers to a building in east Asia which can be entered and which may be secular in purpose.