Men pray in a pagoda in Vietnam. I found it interesting over here that people feel more comfortable if you light some incense and bow three times when you face the alter. For them it doesn't matter if you are Buddhist or not, they say you will get good luck if you do it. When you light the incense you are allowed to make a wish. A monk Jenny and I spoke to later in Thailand told us that Buddhism is a way of living, not a religion. He said that the monks don't worship the statues, but that is 'for the people'. I guess it's the result of the doctrine of Buddhism being combined with the ancient religion that came before it.