ABSTRACT
The meditative tradition of Zen is examined through the example of the San Francisco Zen Center. The Zen teacher Sokie-an Sasaki's insights, as well as the notion of a “Floating Zendo,” are introduced. A distinction is made between space that is understood as primarily sacred in nature, as discussed in Chapters 2 and 3, and another that understands environment, lineage, and the mind as spaces signifying co-expressive realms of spirituality. The Zen and Insight Meditation movements have been highly influential in the West. These have found a way to merge into American popular culture in a way that Southeast Asian Buddhist traditions have not. The discussion reviews Theravada and Thai temples with respect to their architectural features and spiritual aesthetics.
