Because MBZC is located in the buildings originally built as a Boy Scout camp, the layout is in no sense traditional. However, minimal upgrades have been made to the buildings, and so it is no more comfortable than a traditional Japanese monastery might be. A few concessions have been made for Americans, so the monks and nuns in residence each have private sleeping quarters with bunks and sleeping bags, rather than having to sleep in the zendo.

The map found on the next page, and the pictures following give some sense of the space at MBZC, which covers 4.5 acres in area. There is a single, narrow winding mountain road which goes past MBZC. A wooden sign by the road identifies the Center, and a parking lot next to the road offers a place for visitors to leave their vehicles.

MBZC itself is set on the hillside, so there are virtually no natural flat places on the grounds. The trees, both deciduous and evergreen, block the buildings from view when one is on the road. Most of the buildings are very small, and unadorned. Because of the harsh weather, they require painting and roof work on a regular basis.

MBZC uses the old Scout mess hall as its dining room and sutra hall, the former equipment room is now the zendo, and the cabins now house the monks and visitors who come to study Zen or get away. The entryway between the dining room and sutra hall holds a box for donations from visitors, and a guest book visitors may sign. Among the more substantial changes are the shower building which was build a few years back, in a much more Japanese style than the old Scout Camp buildings. The Roshi and his wife reside in two cabins which have been connected by a sort of enclosed hallway up the hill. This was done because of the Roshi's age and the difficulty he has in getting around, not for aesthetic purposes.

During the times of the year when there is no snow on the ground, MBZC has flower gardens, although the flowers cannot actually be planted in the ground, due to National Forest regulations, but must be placed in pots. In addition, the cold winters, hot dry summers, and 6500' altitude all conspire against any but native plants growing (Ingrid 1994). This is in contrast to a Japanese monastery, which would grow its own food.

Other buildings on the grounds include a sewing hut, an office, a library, a room for those waiting to see the Roshi for sanzen, cabins for short-term guests, and other outbuildings. Many of these buildings are only used during dai-sesshins, when the MBZC population may swell from 5 or 6 to 40 or 50.

The zendo is arranged for meditation, with a covered outer porches for removing shoes and, in the winter, coats and hats, benches against the two long walls, straw mats in front of the benches, and a butsudan facing the door. There are not many windows, but there is a large fireplace, which is the only source of heat, and in which a fire is kept going during winter zazen.

Outside is the gong, and nearby is the fire circle, used for walking meditation, and three of MBZC's five chemical toilets.

The sutra hall is more of a square room, to the zendo's rectangle, but it has no benches; however, it is carpeted. There are cushions on the floor for sitting. Against the far wall is another butsudan, this one with a special rug and zabuton in front of it for use in sampei, while against the right wall, as one enters the room, is a group of rhythm instruments used to aid in chanting, and against the near wall is the chair from which the Roshi gives teisho.

The butsudan, or altar, is used in many forms of Japanese Buddhism. It is an altar for offerings to the Buddha, and to ancestors. The butsudan in the MBZC zendo is small and wooden, resting on a table located at the jikijitsu's entrance. The main butsudan for MBZC is the one in the sutra hall. It stands six feet tall against the back wall. This butsudan is made of black lacquer, and looks like a large cabinet. Traditional butsudans are of the same construction and contain several items. In Japanese homes, the butsudan serves as a home to ancestors. Each person is given a new name at death and receives an ihai, or black lacquer tablet, with their name inscribed on it. These six-inch tablets are placed in the family butsudan and the ancestors are believed to reside there. Each day a family member takes food to the ancestors in the butsudan. They also bring offerings of flowers, incense, and other gifts brought to the home for the ancestors and for the Buddha. The butsudan in the sutra hall at MBZC serves a similar purpose. There are no ihai in the butsudan, as no one within the MBZC community has died. There is a statue of the Buddha in the butsudan, and daily offerings are brought there. In the butsudan, there are also two incense burners, fresh flowers, and a bowl of rice. To the side of this butsudan is a large print of Kwan Yin, one of the most important bodhisattvas, picture as a female. The butsudan in the zendo is only used within the ritual of zazen. That butsudan contains an incense burner and fresh flowers. The primary offering at the smaller butsudan is the incense burned by the jikijitsu at the end of each session of zazen.

The entire setting at MBZC reflects the needs of Zen. The Center is designed for utility, but also aids in meditation. The beauty and quiet of the natural surroundings, and the simplicity of the structures all make it an ideal spot for meditation and focus. The mountaintop location offers seclusion from the many distractions of modern life, while still offering a small community nearby. The elimination of much that is unnecessary allows the energies of the residents of MBZC to concentrate on the practice of Zen.