From Welcome to Chinatown NYC

Buddhism

Being both the largest religion in China, Buddhism also has a noticeable presence in the Chinese communities of New York. This is evident from many souvenir shops that sell a number of Buddhist accessories and statues, as well as the small Buddhist shrines set up in the backs of restaurants.

Mahayana Buddhist Temple

There are several Buddhist temples located in Chinatown. The most well known temple is The Mahayana Buddhist Temple, which is located right at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge off Canal Street.

This red and gold pagoda-themed building is guarded by two bronze lion statues, standing ever vigilant at the front entrance. The temple’s vestibule houses a large urn filled with burning incense. Visitors can drop a dollar into the slot and reach down for their fortune. Next to this urn is a small shrine devoted to Guan-Ying, Bodhisattva of mercy and compassion. The ceiling and walls of the temple are covered with illustrations depicting the story of Buddha in both Chinese and English, decorated with bamboo and jade pieces.

The main floor of the temple houses a magnificent, sixteen-foot statue of the Buddha. He sits calmly on a lotus, surrounded by a garden of red and gold flowers and a series of illuminated pagodas on either side. A large neon blue halo with a flame pattern lights the statue from behind, while the stainless floor reflects the image of the statue below.

Special prayer services for families or occasions can be held on weekends at the price of a donation. Interestingly enough, this building used to be called the Rosemary Theater, and would show independent and adult movies. In 1996, however, it was bought and reinstated to celebrate the 83rd birthday of Annie Ying.

References
1. http://twi-ny.com/twiny.02.01.06.html
2. http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_198/buddhistshrines.html
3. http://nymag.com/listings/attraction/mahayana-buddhist-temple/
4.http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/manhattan/lowermanhattan/canalst/bowery-lafayette/index.htm

Eastern States Buddhist Temple

The Eastern States Buddhist Temple, located on 64 Mott Street between Canal and Bayard, is a smaller, more casual prayer space.

Billed as the home of “100 golden Buddhas,” most of those statues are actually stored in the back. The main floor of the building consists of a six-foot tall, four-headed Buddha adorned with clothing and surrounded by plants, candles, incense, and bowls of fruit. The temple is used by locals, who typically stop by to pray, light incense sticks, and make a donation before continuing with their day.

References
1. http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/11640959/new_york_ny/eastern_states_buddhist_temple.html#profileTab-reviews
2. http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/studpages/minto/budda.jpg/
3. http://www.nychinatown.org/storefronts/mott/64mott.html