The Zen monastery, like a Hindu ashram, is not a specific place, nor is it a group of buildings; it is a living organism.7 Specifically, a Zen monastery is a community of monks living and working together under the guidance of a roshi. They have come together in the shared belief that the communal way of living offers the richest possible environment within which to follow Buddha’s path leading to Awakening. The roshi, an already awakened man or woman, will oversee the life of the community and personally guide the development of each of the monks.

Chan monasteries in China developed out of the monastic tradition of Buddhism generally, which, in turn, had its roots in the ashram tradition of India. When Zen became established in Japan, the Chinese monastic system was adopted and was gradually modified to fit the more characteristic Japanese way of life. In modern times, as Zen Buddhism takes root in the West, it is only natural that the Japanese monastic system would be adopted and faithfully recreated, at least initially.8 Already, though, significant adaptations can be discerned.

Although a Zen monastery is a group of people, not a group of buildings, it is normal for the mind to think of a monastery in terms of its physical layout, the place where the community resides and practices the Zen way of life. A Zen monastery can be located in virtually any kind of environment. We ordinarily think of Zen monasteries, though, as being located in very remote, out-of-the-way places—and often this is the case—but many Zen centers are situated right in the heart of busy cities. The original Rinzai monasteries were clustered around the outskirts of Kyoto and were actively involved in the life of the capital. And still today Zen centers are to be found in many urban areas of Japan, as well as in cities throughout the world. It is often the case, though, that urban-centered Zen communities will own, in addition to the city address, a remote location that offers a serene alternative.9

For the most part, though, the founders of Zen monasteries have from the very beginning sought out relatively remote locations. Ideally a Zen monastery would be found in an out-of-the-way place, far removed from the hustle and bustle of ordinary life, a place passed over by others, where the environment has retained its natural character and beauty. In this serene and natural setting, the monastery can go about its daily life in a peaceful way, undisturbed by the usual distractions of human life. That, of course, is the description of an ideal; compromises often have to be made. Nevertheless, wherever it is located, the Zen monastery is a place of great tranquility and beauty. Whether it be large or small, richly endowed or very humble, city-centered or nestled in the farthest part of the mountains, a Zen monastery is one of the truly great achievements of the human spirit. To better understand its character, let’s imagine that we are visiting a traditional country monastery and explore the parts that make up the whole.

Traditionally, the entry to a Zen monastery is through some sort of gateway. This is important because the space that makes up the monastery grounds is a special place. It is distinctly set aside for the practice of Zen; in a way it is a “sacred precinct.” When one passes through the gateway one has the feeling of entering another realm. The earliest monasteries in Japan, inspired by the Chinese model, had huge, elaborate gateways. They were ornate buildings in their own right, sometimes with several rooms. Examples of this type of architecture can still be seen at Nara and Kyoto. Over time, though, gateways became increasingly modest. (Some modern monasteries don’t have distinctive gateways at all, which seems to me to be an unfortunate omission.)

The grounds of a traditional Zen monastery are not left in a wild state, far from it—the grounds are cultivated into a gardenlike setting and lovingly maintained. But everything—grounds, buildings, and other structures—all fit together with the surrounding environment in a perfect harmony. A traditional Zen monastery is not in conflict with its surroundings; it looks almost as if it had grown in that place along with the trees and the grass.

Within the grounds of the monastery precinct are a collection of buildings that serve the needs of the members of the community. The most important building by far is the Zendo. This structure, the core of the monastery, is the place where the community gathers for zazen. In many cases the Zendo is used solely for meditation practice, but it is not uncommon for it to have other uses as well. The Zendo, for example, may double as a Buddha Hall, the place where “services” honoring Buddha are held. Monasteries that can afford it have a separate Buddha Hall, and not uncommonly it is a very elaborate room. The Zendo, though, is the pride and joy of the community. Typically the whole community will lavish its very best work on the construction and upkeep of the Zendo. Zendos represent some of the finest expressions of traditional Japanese architecture, and this tradition has spread to other parts of the world where Zen Buddhism has taken root.

In the early days it was popular to arrange the buildings of the monastery, according to the Chinese custom, to conform loosely to the shape of a human body, the “body of Buddha.” The Zendo, naturally, would be located at the position of the heart. This custom gradually died out, but the Zendo, wherever it may be located, remains the heart of the physical layout.

Every Zen monastery has a Zendo, but other buildings will vary widely from one monastery to another. One building likely to be found in modern times is a dormitory or residence hall for the monks. That is quite common today, but in the past it was often the custom, especially in Soto monasteries, for the monks to sleep and eat their meals right in the Zendo. The roshi, however, would not sleep with the rest. Typically he would have a simple hut of some kind separate from the others. In the roshi’s quarters would be found a small room where the monks could meet individually with him for dokusan, a private conversation that gives the roshi an opportunity to check and guide the progress of each member of the community.

A dining hall with adjacent kitchen would be another commonly found building. And in connection with this would be some kind of barn or shed where needed gardening equipment could be stored. All traditional Zen monasteries, at least those located in a country setting, could be expected to have a large fruit and vegetable garden that would provide most of the food needs of the community. It is a distinctive feature of the Zen monastery that it strives to achieve the greatest possible degree of self-sufficiency. Work in the garden, and in the kitchen, is a major part of the productive activity of a Zen community.

Another building, sure to be found in all of the monasteries of Japan, is the bathhouse. The hot soaking tub (ofuro in Japanese) is so deeply ingrained in Japanese culture that it has been regarded as an indispensable part of monastery life as well. The Japanese bath is not for washing; it is for soaking the body in extremely hot water. Cleaning the body is a separate operation that precedes the bath. No soap ever reaches the soaking tub. (God help the person who makes that mistake!)10 It’s probably not going too far to say that the locations

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