I have always been conflicted about the classification of Buddhism. In many ways it is a religion, but at the same time its teachings seem more like a philosophy than a pious faith. The simple honesty of Buddhism is refreshing; the bluntness of the Four Noble Truths is raw and sensible, unlike the noble claims of other religions, many of which are inconsistent and unconvincing, but of course it all comes down to opinion. While reading about Buddhism was fascinating, seeing it practiced in person is eye-opening, as the variations from the text to the real world make it a journey worth experiencing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay I recently went to see Teo Chew Temple in Houston, a Vietnamese temple with Cambodian-Chinese influences, which my grandmother visits weekly. AND. Accompanying her this time, he helped explain the many functions of the place. The first thing a visitor notices is the architecture of the buildings: brilliant shades of red, white and gold adorn every pillar, sign and roof, complete with ornate statues and carvings. Initially, the complexity intrigues me, as my previous understanding of Buddhism led me to believe that one aspect of the philosophy was minimalism. Siddhartha expressed how he went from his riches to a much simpler lifestyle, devoid of lavish enjoyments (Trainor 28). I would like to know why everything in Buddhism is so beautifully decorated. However, this was only the first of the variations I observed of Buddhism, but of course it all depends on individual interpretation. Upon entering the largest chamber of the temple, the visitor will see that the patterns from the outside continue inside. The panoramas are rich in color and detail. Furthermore, the smell of incense welcomes us. There are several shrines in the large room and my grandmother tells me that each one is dedicated to a different deity, features large statues and each represents a different virtue, such as wealth and love, among others. For this trip, he brought some oranges to offer at the fortune shrine, probably because he planned to buy lottery tickets this week. He describes to me how the offerings that people leave can also be taken by others who need them, which intrigued me a lot. This is a great demonstration of selfless generosity and undoubtedly helps less privileged people to come to this facility. A little research after the trip revealed that Teo Chew Temple belonged to Mahayama Buddhism (Titthara, 2003). One element that still intrigues me is the plethora of gods that were there, because I always thought that Buddhism was very human, in the sense that it was more about understanding oneself rather than involving higher beings in an individual's path to the lighting. Is this part of Buddhism in general or just the Mahayama sect of Buddhism? Furthermore, despite the number of visitors and monks present that day and the size of the room, there was a remarkable silence; the tranquility most likely helps create a quiet space and sanctuary for meditation, and I appreciated the calm atmosphere. Along with the main room, there were also side paths and rooms, the designs of which were reminiscent of its Chinese roots. Another important structure housed the remains and memories of countless ancestors. Although I did not actually enter that room, it was apparently filled with images and tributes to lost loved ones, which I learned are an important part of Buddhism (Peggy, 2017). It wasn't something I had thought about before, but with the idea of ​​reincarnation, why are ancestors so important? It's a question.