I have always been conflicted about the classification of Buddhism. In many ways it is a religion, but at the same time the teachings are more like a philosophy than a pious faith. The simple honesty of Buddhism is refreshing; the simplicity of the Four Noble Truths is raw and common sense, unlike the noble claims of other religions, many of which are incoherent and unconvincing, but of course it all comes down to opinions. While reading about Buddhism has been fascinating, seeing it practiced in person is eye-opening, as the variations between the text and the real world make it a journey worth experiencing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay I recently went to see Houston's Teo Chew Temple, a Vietnamese temple with Cambodian-Chinese influences, which my grandmother visits every week. It is. By accompanying him this time, she helped explain to him the many functions of the place. The first thing the visitor notices is the architecture of the buildings: bright shades of red, white and gold adorn every pillar, sign and roof, complemented by ornate statues and sculptures. At first, the complexity made me curious, because my previous understanding of Buddhism led me to believe that one aspect of this philosophy was minimalism. Siddhartha explained how he moved from his riches to a much more down-to-earth lifestyle, devoid of lavish pleasures (Trainor 28). I would like to know why everything is so well decorated in Buddhism. However, this was only the first of the variations of Buddhism that I observed, but of course it all depends on one's interpretation. Upon entering the largest room of the temple, the visitor will see that the motifs from the exterior continue into the interior. The sites are rich in color and detail. In addition, a smell of incense welcomes us. There are several shrines in the great hall, and my grandmother tells me that each is dedicated to a different deity, equipped with large statues, and each represents a different virtue, such as wealth and love, among others. For this trip, she brought oranges as an offering to the Fortune Shrine, probably because she planned to buy lottery tickets this week. She describes to me how the offerings people leave can also be picked up by others who need them, which intrigued me a lot. It’s a great display of selfless generosity, and it arguably helps less privileged people come to this establishment. A little research after the trip revealed that Teo Chew Temple belonged to Mahayama Buddhism (Titthara, 2003). One element that always interests me is the plethora of gods that were there, as I always thought Buddhism was very human, meaning it was more about understanding oneself rather than involving higher beings in an individual's path to enlightenment. Is this part of Buddhism in general or just the Mahayama sect of Buddhism? Additionally, despite the number of visitors and monks present that day and the size of the room, it was considerably quiet; the tranquility most likely helps create a calm space and sanctuary for meditation, and I cherished the calm atmosphere. Besides the main room, there were also aisles and secondary rooms, the designs of which recall its Chinese roots. Another important structure housed the remains and memories of countless ancestors. Although I didn't actually enter that room, it was apparently filled with photos and tributes to lost loved ones, which.