Mahayana Buddhism originated in India and is considered to be associated with some of the oldest known branches of Buddhism. The temple our group visited was dedicated to this philosophical way of thinking and its practices. More than half of all Buddhist practitioners participate in the Mahayana tradition, making it the largest Buddhist tradition in existence today (Buddhism Statistics). During its history, Mahayana Buddhism spread from India to various other Asian countries such as "China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia" (Mahayana Buddhism). Eastern States Buddhist Temple, Inc., founded in 1962, is the oldest Chinese (Mahayana) Buddhist temple on the east coast of the United States. It was founded by Ms. Annie Ying and funded by her husband, Mr. James Ying. The Ying family, originally from China, faced many immigration challenges when they arrived in the United States. They understood the plight of Chinese immigrants and sought to make people in the New York area feel at home by building the temple. In 1947, the quota of Chinese immigrants allowed at that time was only 105 Chinese per year due to the Immigration Act of 1924. After arriving in the United States, the Ying family attempted to settle in Pasadena, California. Right after World War II, when the United States was not the most hospitable place for Asians and some other minorities, the Ying family returned to China. They eventually encountered the communist revolution. They then moved first to Hong Kong and then to Taiwan. In Taiwan, Mr. Ying founded the Triangle Feather Company. In 1955, the Ying family immigrated to the United States for the second time. This, again, was not easy given the Uni...... middle of paper ... such as a begging bowl or robe, or important Buddhist scriptures. Memorial stupas are built to commemorate events in the life of Buddha or his disciples. Symbolic stupas are built to symbolize different aspects of Buddhist theology. Votive stupas are built to commemorate visits or to gain spiritual benefits, usually on the site of important stupas that are regularly visited. The main chamber of the temple contains a massive statue of the Buddha. Along the walls of the chamber are many paintings related to the story of the Buddha's ascension. Below each painting is a historical extract from the Buddha's ascension, and each painting is numbered and arranged chronologically along the walls. The tone set by these paintings makes it clear that the Ying family, and indeed everyone involved with the temple, places a high value on Mahayana traditions and philosophies..