Mahayana Buddhism originated in India and is believed to be associated with some of the oldest extant 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). Throughout its history, Mahayana Buddhism has spread from India to various other Asian countries such as "China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia" (Mahayana Buddhism). The Eastern States Buddhism Temple of America, Inc., founded in 1962, is the oldest Chinese Buddhist (Mahayana) temple on the East Coast of the United States. It was founded by Mrs. Annie Ying and financed by her husband, Mr. James Ying. The Ying family, originally from China, faced many immigration challenges when they came to the United States. They understood the plight of Chinese immigrants and sought to make those in the New York area feel at home by building the temple. In 1947, the quota of Chinese immigrants admitted at that time was only 105 Chinese per year due to the Immigration Act of 1924. After their arrival in the United States, the Ying family tried to settle in Pasadena, California. Soon 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 ended up encountering the communist revolution. Then they moved first to Hong Kong and then to Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Mr. Ying founded the Triangle Feather Company. In 1955, the Ying family emigrated to the United States for the second time. This, again, was not easy considering the Uni... in the center of the card... like 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 obtain spiritual benefits, usually at the site of important stupas that are regularly visited. The main chamber of the temple contains a huge Buddha statue. Along the walls of the chamber there are numerous paintings related to the story of the Buddha's ascension. Below each painting is a historical excerpt of the Buddha's ascension, and each painting is numbered and arranged chronologically along the walls. The tone these paintings set makes it clear that the Ying family, and indeed everyone involved with the temple, highly values ​​Mahayana traditions and philosophies..