ryōan-ji is a striking example of kare-sansui, or dry landscape, a form of zen temple garden. the garden is a rectangle of 340 square meters. it comprises fifteen stones of varying size, carefully composed into five groups. one group of fives stone, two groups of three stones and two groups of two stones. each group is surrounded by moss. the stone groups are surrounded by white gravel.

various interpretations for the meaning of the garden have been put forth. many have posited that it represents and actual miniaturised landscape, depicting either islands in an ocean or mountain peaks jutting above clouds.

many however interpret the garden as more a representation of the essence of nature than a direct physical representation of it. it is part away abstract, part way representative of a natural landscape. in this way it can be compared to a scroll of calligraphy or a work in the sumi-e style of painting, such as those of Sesshū Tōyō, whose minimalist landscapes are almost abstract. the garden therefore is ultimately open to interpretation. the garden is the work of a careful placement and alignment of its various elements working in relation to one another, with the negative space being as important as the physical components. Gert van Tonder of Kyoto University and Michael Lyons of Ritsumeikan University, claim the subconscious mind to be sensitive to a subtle association between the rocks, which could account for its calming effect.

ryōan-ji could be said to be an expression of the worldview of zen buddhism through the prism of horticulture, with the emptiness of negative space being a visual metaphor for the silences of zen meditation.

as with the paintings of Sesshū , ryōan-ji appears to reward greater inspection and contemplation, as though it were designed to stimulate meditation. the garden comprises fifteen stones an important number in zen buddhism, as it represents completeness. in the buddhist worldview there are seven continents and eight oceans. what is interesting about the garden is that from any vantage point there is always one rock that is hidden from view. this could be seen to represent human imperfection, and to be a reminder of there being some things that are beyond the knowledge of humankind.

the white gravel is delicately raked every day as an example of numerous methods used by zen buddhists to discipline their minds and bodies to help with meditation. zen buddhist believe that putting knowledge into practice is a real-world way of realising it.

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