Inaki Relanzon / Monk standing infront of Shwedagon Paya, the most important buddhist place in all Myanmar, Yangon, Rangun, Myanmar, Burma. September 2009

Inaki Relanzon / Illuminated Shwedagon Paya, the most important buddhist temple in all Myanmar, Yangon Rangun, Myanmar, Burma. September 2009

Pete Oxford / Rhesus macaque {Macaca mulatta} temple monkey at Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu City, Nepal

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Prayer flags at memorial in Khumbu Valley, Sagarmatha National Park (World Heritage UNESCO). Khumbu / Everest Region, Nepal, Himalaya, October 2011.

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / Everest and Lhotse viewed from buddhist stupa, Sagarmatha National Park (World Heritage UNESCO). Khumbu / Everest Region, Nepal, Himalaya, October 2011.

Bernard Castelein / Aerial view of Chortens / Stupa (Buddhist sites) in millet fields, Tamang heritage trail, Gadlang, Langtang region, Nepal, November 2009

Bernard Castelein / Aerial view of Stupa / Chortens (Buddhist sites) in millet fields, Tamang heritage trail, Gadlang, Langtang region, Nepal, November 2009

Patricio Robles Gil / Buddhist shrine / stupa , Sagarmatha National Park, Khumbu, Himalayas, Nepal, December 2007

Colin Monteath / Snow covered chortens, near Panzi La, Kingdom of Zanskar, Himalaya, India

Nick Barwick / Shanti stupa, a Buddhist Peace Pagoda in Leh, Ladakh, North India

Colin Monteath / Zangdok Palrifo Brang Gompa, communication tower and chortens, Kalimpong, Sikkim Himalaya, India

Colin Monteath / Zangdok Palrifo Brang Gompa, tourist among chortens, Kalimpong, Sikkim Himalaya, India

Bernard Castelein / Gorsam stupa, Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, India 2005

Bernard Castelein / Gorsam stupa, Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, India 2005

Colin Monteath / Satellite tower and chortens, showing contrast between ancient and modern near Leh, Ladakh, northwest India

Toby Sinclair / Buddhist priest and prphaned Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) walk past village stupa, Pinnewela, Sri Lanka

Nick Barwick / Shanti stupa, Buddhist image depicting "defeating of evil", Leh, Ladakh, North India

David Cottridge / The eyes of Buddha on famous Swayambunath (Monkey temple) stupa, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Nick Barwick / Shanti stupa, Buddhist image depicting "enlightenment of Buddha", Leh, Ladakh, North India

Nick Barwick / Shanti stupa, Buddhist image depicting "death", Leh, Ladakh, North India

Pete Oxford / Rhesus macaques {Macaca mulatta} resting on Swayambhunath Stupa temple, Kathmandu, Nepal

Staffan Widstrand / Buddha statues at Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

Staffan Widstrand / Bodrath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Staffan Widstrand / Swayambhunath stupa detail, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Bernard Castelein / Chorten / stupa, eastern edge of Jharkot, Lower Mustang, Nepal

Bernard Castelein / Chorten, western edge of Jharkot, Lower Mustang, Nepal.

David Cottridge / Eyes of Buddha on stupa of Monkey Temple. Swayambunath, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

David Cottridge / Eyes of Buddha on stupa of Monkey Temple. Swayambunath, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Gavin Hellier / Swayambhunath Stupa eye detail on, Kathmandu, Nepal

Gavin Hellier / Bodhnath Stupa with Prayer Flags, Kathmandu, Nepal

Gavin Hellier / Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal (Monkey temple)

Nick Barwick / Shanti stupa, a Buddhist Peace Pagoda in Leh, with the Kangri Mountain range in the background. Ladakh, North India