伽蓝来自于梵语的“samghārāma (सँघाराम)”，也音译作「僧伽蓝摩」“僧伽蓝”。「僧伽」（samgha）指僧团；「阿蓝摩」（ārāma）义为「园」，原意是指僧众共住的园林，即寺院。

被誉为“文学版清明上河图”的北魏传世之作《洛阳伽蓝记》中描述伽蓝是“花果蔚茂，芳草蔓合”之地。

根据唐朝贞观年间由西域返唐朝的玄奘法师所注大唐西域记里面记载：

可知伽蓝就是僧人念经聚集的地方，就有如我们现代所称呼的寺庙一般。

Shichidō garan is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed by the word shichidō(七堂), literally meaning "seven halls", and garan(伽藍), meaning "temple". The term is often shortened to just garan. Which seven halls the term refers to varies, and it is also pointed out that 七堂 is possibly a misinterpretation of shitsudō(悉堂), meaning a complete temple. In practice, shichidō garan often simply means a large temple with many buildings. See below for more details about what are the possible seven buildings included.