For its first 30 years in the United States, Chogyesa was located in a quiet neighborhood in Woodside, Queens. In 2003 it moved into its current home in an elegant townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. "We feel extremely fortunate to be here, right next to Central Park and just four blocks from Riverside Park, so close to beautiful trees and flowers," says Myo Ji Sunim, the temple’s abbess. "People come to our Temple from all over the world, not just Koreans. Here we meditate, chant, share meals, and practice together… as one people."

Known formally as the Chogyesa Zen Temple of New York (founded by the renowned Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn), this Buddhist sanctuary sits in a row of early 20th Century townhouses. Inside, one is immediately awed by the tranquility of the interior, which has been transformed into a space designated for traditional Buddhist practice. The Jijang-Bosal (Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva) Room is located on the Lower Level; the Mezzanine Level has a large Meditation Room, a Garden, and a small Gift Shop; and the Upper Level houses a Library and the main Dharma Room. People come and go quietly throughout the day, and the whole place has a serene atmosphere about it.

The current abbess is a Korean nun named Myo Ji Sunim, who has spent many years practicing and following the teaching of Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn. The current vice abbot is an American monk named Myong Haeng Sunim, who lived and practiced for 14 years in South Korea.