noun
kurin; nine rings on a pagoda finial
A Buddhist architectural element: nine stacked rings on the spire (finial) of a pagoda, symbolizing the nine realms of existence or the nine virtues of the Buddha.
五重塔の先端にある九輪は、仏教的な意味を持つ装飾です。
The kurin at the top of the five-story pagoda is an ornament with Buddhist significance.
相輪 is the entire finial assembly atop a pagoda, which includes the 九輪 (nine rings) as its most prominent part.
From the components 九 (nine) and 輪 (ring, wheel), referring to the nine stacked rings. The term is a direct description of the object's appearance.