Format: MLA Format Required Content: Field research and supplementary research Length: 1800-2000 Words, Not Including Your Works Cited Page Double –Spaced, 12-Pt Font, Arial Or Times New Roman Font Sources: 3 Academic Sources Minimum Works Cited Page required At the top of your paper, please include the name of the place you visited, the date you visited, and the names of any people you may have interviewed. Also include the particular sect of the religion. [If you visited a Muslim mosque, was it Sunni or Shi’ite? If you visited a Jewish synagogue, was it Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform? If you visited a Buddhist temple, was it Theravadan or a Mahayana sect?] You may want to ask this when you call to find out if you visit is acceptable. Full details below: For the Site Visit, the student must perform field research by attending a religious service outside of their own religious tradition. For this assignment, I’d like you to immerse yourself in something unfamiliar (example: Christians should perform field research on a non-Christian religion, like Buddhism, Hinduism etc.) Your research should ideally progress in three stages: (A) Preliminary Research. Before going to the service, it is a good idea to do some preliminary research on the religious tradition. For example, if you’re attending a Hindu ceremony, you will want to read the textbook chapter and watch the PowerPoint presentation on Hinduism. Additionally, I strongly recommend that you call the site you’ll be visiting and let them know you’re coming to do research for a class project. Ask them if there’s any dress code requirements, or anything else you should keep in mind. You may also want to ask if they will allow you to take notes during the service. (Some Jewish denominations, for example, do not allow writing on Shabbat {Saturday}.) (B) Field Research. Attend the service and observe closely. You may want to take notes. Some students have found it helpful to attend services in groups, and you’re welcome to do this. (C) Supplementary research. After your visit, you’ll need to do research on things that may have been unfamiliar to you. If you go to a Jewish service and you see the men wearing kippahs (or yarmulkes), you don’t want to write in your essay, “There were these men and they were wearing these funny hats but I don’t know why.” This is where your additional research comes in. Find out what the hats are called, and find out why they’re worn. If you go to a Muslim mosque and you see the worshippers washing their hands and feet, you don’t want to write in your essay, “Everyone was washing their hands and feet but I don’t know why they did that and it was pretty weird.” Research the practice and find out why it’s done. Finally, after completing these three stages, write a detailed and insightful essay. You should demonstrate a general understanding of the religious tradition, but make most of your essay about your visit. Use your research to explain your experience. What did you see around you? What did the place of worship look like? Did you see any religious art or religious symbols there? How were people dressed? What rituals were performed? Finally, include your personal reaction to the service. How did you respond? Did you enjoy the visit or did you feel uncomfortable? Was your opinion on the religion changed at all?
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On January 15th, 2023, I visited the Hsi Lai Temple, which is a Buddhist temple of the Mahayana sect in Hacienda Heights, California. The temple was founded in 1988 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, a prominent monk in the Chinese Buddhist tradition.
Prior to my visit, I did some preliminary research on Buddhism and the Mahayana sect in particular. I read the textbook chapter and watched the PowerPoint presentation on Buddhism, and I also called the temple to inquire about any dress code requirements or anything else I should keep in mind. I was told that there was no dress code and that I was welcome to take notes during the service.
Upon arriving at the temple, I observed the beautiful architecture and intricate details of the building, including the many statues of Buddha and other religious figures. I noticed that many of the people in attendance were dressed in traditional Buddhist clothing, and that there were several altars set up with offerings of fruit, incense, and other items.
The service itself consisted of chanting and meditation led by the monks, and also included the lighting of incense and the making of offerings. I noticed that many of the worshippers were bowing and making prostrations to the statues of Buddha, and that there was a strong sense of reverence and devotion in the air.
After the service, I did some supplementary research on the practices and rituals that I had observed. I learned that bowing and making prostrations are traditional acts of devotion in Buddhism, and that the offerings of fruit and incense are made as a way of showing respect to the Buddha and other religious figures.
Personally, I found my visit to the Hsi Lai Temple to be a very enlightening and meaningful experience. I was struck by the devotion and reverence of the worshippers, and by the beauty and peacefulness of the temple itself. Although Buddhism is not my own religious tradition, I found myself feeling a sense of connection to the teachings and practices that I observed. Overall, my visit has deepened my understanding and appreciation of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
Works Cited:
“Hsi Lai Temple.” Hsi Lai Temple, hsilai.org/.
“Mahayana Buddhism.” Buddhism, ReligionFacts, 9 Mar. 2017, www.religionfacts.com/mahayana-buddhism.
“Mahayana.” Buddhism, Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Mahayana.
