宋代寺院的轉輪藏是將佛教經律論庋藏於可以轉動的八面立體輪軸上，用人推動一匝，有如將佛經上的經文唸誦或抄寫過一樣。佛教寺院為信徒提供這樣便捷迅速的服務是要收取相當的金錢，故轉輪藏成為寺院經濟中的重要一環，為寺院提供儈眾粥食之費，比起一年只能收入二次的寺田更要實在。當然轉輪藏的建造所費不貲，除了藏殿、房廊外，還有藏軸、承軸的壽山福海，輪藏本身還要雕飾美輪美奐，媲美天宮樓閣，並以百寶裝飾，甚或有香煙、音效以助耳目之眩，用以吸引信徒前來轉動輪藏。輪藏上有藏神護衛，其中以三教合一形象出現的彌勒佛化身傳大士為最重要。宋代以禪院設置最多，律院、敦院則較少。 宋代除了佛教寺院有輪藏之外，道觀也有輪藏，其設置的目的和佛教寺院並無軒輊。宋代佛教寺院的輪藏以兩浙路最多，其次如福建路等也不少，這和地區的富庶有關，同時也與當地佛教較發達有密切的關連。 宋代轉輪藏實物尚有保存下來，設置輪藏的風氣也沿襲至元、明、清。同時道觀也仿寺院設置輪藏，其功能和目的與佛教輪藏實無軒輊。日、韓寺院受中國影響也有輪藏。

　　　　　The so-called "chuan-lun-tsang" 轉輪藏, literally "revolving-wheel-sutras", refers to a mechanical device which consists mainly of two parts: revolvable wheels and Buddhist sutras. The sutra are arranged layer upon layer. The volumes of Buddhist sutras are put on each layer. You turn the wheels and the wheels spin round. You will be charged for a certain amount of money for doing so. You will be, however, regarded as a good man or a believing woman who had just in a few minutes recited or copied all the scriptures on the bookstacklike wheels. An absolutely symbolical deed. Many a monastery in Sung times had such a device erected inside a splendid building built exclusively for this purpose. Questions arise. What for was such a pavilion built by a monastery? How was it constructed? When and where did it first appear in Chinese history? How many monasteries possessed such pavilions? Where were they? Which sect(s) did these monasteries belong to? How economically and financially important was such a pavilion to a monastery? How did such an institution develope after Sung period? And so on.