A day at Bukkokuji zen temple starts at dawn when ascetic monks get up and get ready for early morning sutra-reading. The faces of the monks and zen practitioners at one of the world's most international zen temples are diverse - they come from Europe, the Middle East and North America, among other regions, to practice Zen Buddhism. Here's a look at what makes this temple so well-known.

STORY:

The Bukkokuji Zen Temple lies in the mountains of western Japan. Foreigners account for half of the monks and nuns boarding at the temple. After chanting scri ptures, the Buddhist monks have breakfast together in complete silence.

The temple's Zen Master was a kamikaze pilot before he entered the world of Zen.

[Rev. Tangen Harada, Japanese Zen Master]:

"No matter whether you're a Japanese or a foreigner, such differences are something superficial. We don't even care here about where people come from."

Shirley Helvey is from the United States. She became a Buddhist nun after she lost her husband ten years ago. She's been living at this Zen temple for four years now, under her new name of 'Somyo.'

[Shirley Helvey-Somyo, American Buddhist Nun]:

"It's very much of a routine. Every day is like the day before. We have certain days that are celebrations and things, but other than that, each day is very, very routine."

Tzeela Irwin is a Buddhist nun from Israel.

[Tzeela Irwin-Jishin, Israeli Buddhist Nun]: