This is a website specially designed by Lhiza M. Dela Torre of section CBD as a requirement for the Asian Civilization (HI 201) course.
It was last Friday (March 9, 2007) that I finally decided to visit a Buddhist Temple for our
project in Asian Civilization. I went to Seng Guan Temple, a Buddhist Temple at Binondo, Manila.
When I first entered the place, I was really uncomfortable with the smell of those red thin sticks
(I don't know what it is called) that they use every time they pray. It's then that I realized that
if I want to be converted to the Buddhism religion, I really have a long way to go.
As you enter the place, you will be welcomed with a Buddha figure enclosed in a glass cabinet. Then
exactly at the back of that is another figure, also enclosed in a glass cabinet, which resembles a warrior.
Then as you move further, several kneelers are lined up in rows. These are similar to the kneelers that the
Catholic churches use although the wood part is eliminated and each kneeler in that temple is designed for
single use only.
At the middle of the temple is a huge golden jar that holds the red thin sticks so the smoke that it
emits is smelled in the entire place - which really makes me dizzy. Parallel to it, and just several
feet away from its left and right side, is the container from where the Buddhists could obtain those sticks.
Meaning, it is definitely free for them and they could use as many as they want.
You will also see at the front most area of the temple an altar-like section where three figures, again
enclosed in glass cabinets, are placed. The middle figure is another representation of Buddha while at
its left and right side are two similar figures that looks like just another Buddha - based on my observation.
At the left side of those three figures is a book shelf containing several books of different sizes and
different content. I saw some that is written in Chinese characters so it is really hard to figure out what
it is all about. But there is this thin orange book, written in English, entitled "The Life of the Buddha".
As I browse through it, I saw some of the information about Buddha that I had known in my Asian Civilization
class.
At the right side is a steel table that holds 3 kettles and a lot of red cups. I asked one man what it is for,
and he said that it is just some sort of tea that Buddhists can drink inside the temple. He did not give further
explanations about what that thing is for so I just assumed that it has no relevance with their religion at all.
Maybe it is really just for normal drinking purposes and nothing more.
PICTURE & SIGNIFICANCE GALLERY