Symbols in Religion

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I think that this picture offers many good examples of symbols in religion. It is a photograph of a Buddhist Temple in Chinatown in New York City. Both the black robes worn by those in the foreground and the orange robes worn by the monks in the background are symbols of the Buddhist religion. This is true of many religions, in which a certain type of clothing represents one's faith to their particular religion. Other examples of this type of religious garb are the Fez that was once worn in the mediterranean region and the Hijab worn by Muslims. The Fez was directly connected to the religion of those who wore it in that it was a brimless hat that allowed the wearer to touch his forehead to the ground during prayer. The Hajib is also directly related to Islam in that it is required by the Quran.

Other symbols depicted here include the three statues located above the dais. The figure is shown in a cross-legged position that is commonly associated as the Buddhist meditative stance. This figure may also be a representation of the Buddha, which would add another layer of symbolic meaning to the statue.

The reddish pads before which the figures are kneeling may also be symbols associated with prayer or meditation. There are likely other symbols depicted in the photo, though they are hard to make out exactly, but probably include the smaller statues or ikons located on the dais and on the shelves on the left side of the photo. These objects likely have symbolic meaning within the Buddhist religion, probably representing various qualities, concepts, or figures from Buddhist history.