Two Gardens and a Wasteland In LA

Abstract

The purpose of my visit to Kyoto in July, 1993 was to experience first hand the dynamic spatial qualities of Zen Buddhist gardens. In particular, I intended to investigate the different dimensions of space described by the words ku and ma. The word ku means "emptiness", or "void", and refers to 'one of the core concepts of Mahayana Buddhism and Japanese Buddhist thought', that 'denies any distinction between existence and non existence, but posits that both exist simultaneously in the state of ku'. A second reading of ku 'means "sky" which implies 'the universe and the infinite. Therefore ku represents a view of the universe which embraces all contradictions and paradoxes'.