Practice Period Talks
An ango (安居), or kessei (結制), is a Japanese term for a three-month period of intense training for students of Zen Buddhism, lasting anywhere from 90 to 100 days. The practice during ango consists of meditation (zazen), study, and work (samu (作務)).
Ango is typically held twice a year, the first period from spring to summer and the second period from fall to winter. The word ango literally translates as "dwelling in peace"; the summer ango is referred to as ge-ango and the winter period is u-ango. Additionally, some monasteries and Zen centers hold just one ango per year.
Concerning Zen practice in the United States, author Ellen Birx writes,
Many centers now allow members to attend retreats on a part-time basis. Many have ango, a three-month-long period of intensified practice, that members can participate in while continuing to go off to work during the day." Taigen Dan Leighton writes a more traditional definition, "These are ninety-day training periods of concentrated practice without leaving the monastic enclosure (except for monks going out for necessary temple business). They date back to the summer rainy season retreats of Shakyamuni's time. In Japan, they have been held twice a year, summer and winter."
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Let the Mystery Be training, Heart Sutra, Skandas, Daily Life, Practice Period, Silence, Posture,... |
Mar 09 2019 |
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Just This Is: the Avatamsaka Sutra in the Zen Tradition Perfect Wisdom, Discrimination, Buddha Mind, Practice Period, Karmic Consciousness,... |
Apr 13 2019 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Choosing Fredom Mindfulness, Four Noble Truths, Intimacy, Obstacles, Instruction, Dependent... |
May 04 2019 |
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Practice Period 31st Opening Sesshin Practice Period, Birth-and-Death, Bodhidharma, Practice Position, Bodhisattva Vow,... |
May 11 2019 |
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Shuso Way-Seeking Mind Talk Berkeley Zen Center, training, Practice Period, Religion, Emotions, Forgiveness,... |
May 13 2019 |
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Man up a Tree Renunciation, Ego, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Don't Know Mind, Priest,... |
May 18 2019 |
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Nirvana the Waterfall Oneness, Composure, Nirvana, Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Commitment,... |
May 25 2019 |
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Tosotsu's Three BarriersSerial: BZ-02684 Sesshin Day 1
Birth-and-Death, Big Mind, Buddha Mind, Practice Period, Instruction, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 19 2019 |
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Daowu's Condolence CallSerial: BZ-02687 Sesshin Day 4
Blue Cliff Record, Doubt, Teacher-and-Student, Birth-and-Death, Funeral, Lineage,... |
Jun 22 2019 |
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About the ShusoSerial: BZ-02688 Sesshin Day 5
Practice Period, Bell, Tassajara, Posture, Cultivation, Mindfulness, Precepts,... |
Jun 23 2019 |
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Teachings for the Welfare of the WorldIn this summer series, teachings will be offered for those who aspire to embrace and sustain the great earth and all living beings in order to realize peace and freedom in our troubled world. YRB-2019-Summer, Silence, Funeral, Emotions, Interview, soto, Practice Period, Birth-... |
Jul 09 2019 3/7 The Yoga Room |
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What's Love Got To Do With It Passions, Priest, Precepts, Impermanence, Bowing, Constancy, Daily Life, Practice... |
Aug 10 2019 |
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Going Beyond Heart Sutra, Intimacy, Impermanence, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Renewal,... |
Aug 24 2019 |
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Give Up Hope Hsin Hsin Ming, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Impermanence, uchiyama, Tassajara, Practice Period... |
Sep 28 2019 |
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October 10th, 2019, Serial No. 02706 Karma, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Precepts, Instruction, Buddha Nature, Peace,... |
Oct 10 2019 |
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Reaching Home Again Without Realizing It Chanting, Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Priest, japanese, Faith, Impermanence, Lotus... |
Oct 19 2019 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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The Practice of Patience Patience, Constancy, Blue Cliff Record, Cultivation, Concentration, Equanimity, Anger... |
Nov 02 2019 |
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The Practice of Generosity: Mutuality of Giver and ReceiverSerial: TL-00636 ADZG Sunday Morning, Dana, Money, Conversation, Practice Period |
Dec 15 2019 ADZG Temple |
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Buddha Has Reasons For Teaching Non-Self And Buddha Has Reasons For Teaching Self Addiction, Discrimination, Anger, Practice Period, Dragons, Impermanence, Enthusiasm... |
Feb 01 2020 PM No Abode Hermitage |
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Good Karma Karma, Conversation, Mahayana, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Vows, Building,... |
Feb 22 2020 |
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Ten Vows, Ten Practices, and Ten Cakes Discrimination, Nirvana, Practice Period, Blue Cliff Record, Letting Go, Right Effort... |
Mar 07 2020 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Dogen's Three Minds Berkeley Zen Center, Buddha Mind, Vows, Big Mind, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Way,... |
May 02 2020 |
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Making Refuge Heart Sutra, Avalokiteshvara, confusion, Conversation, Practice Period, Subject-and-... |
May 16 2020 |
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Public Dokusan Zoom, Practice Period, Silence, Discrimination, Daily Life, War, Emotions, Sangha,... |
May 29 2020 |
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Sangha in the Time of CoronaSerial: TL-00671 ADZG Sunday Morning, Triple Treasure, Zoom, Ceremony, Ordination, Practice Period |
Aug 09 2020 Zoom |
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New Members Meeting Offering, Berkeley Zen Center, Obstacles, Sangha, Aspects of Practice, Zoom, Practice... |
Sep 14 2020 |
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Living On A Mountain Dragons, Zoom, Bodhidharma, Lay Practice, Dharma Transmission, Ordination, Priest,... |
Oct 24 2020 |
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Public Dokusan 11 Subject-and-Object, Intuition, Heart Sutra, Conversation, Posture, Karma, Birth-and-... |
Oct 30 2020 |
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The Song of the Grass HutSerial: TL-00681 Zen Center of North Shore, Beverly, MA, Zoom, Monastic Practice, Doubt, Vimalakirti, Practice Period |
Nov 20 2020 Zoom |
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Women Ancestors Class 2 Lay, Priest, Transmission, Monastic Practice, Dharma Transmission, Teacher-and-... |
Nov 24 2020 |
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Dongshan’s Hot and Cold: Responses to ClimateSerial: TL-00700 ADZG Monday Night, Precious Mirror, Blue Cliff Record, Practice Period, Passions, Faith |
Jun 07 2021 Zoom |
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Bodhisattva Precepts and Dogen’s KyojukaimonSerial: TL-00717 ADZG Monday Night, Triple Treasure, Ceremony, Repentance, Practice Period, Gratitude |
Nov 15 2021 Zoom |
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The Dharma of Suchness and the Jewel MirrorSerial: TL-00724 ADZG Sunday Morning, Zoom, Dharma Transmission, Practice Period, Transmission |
Jan 09 2022 Zoom |
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The Grass Hut and the BodhimandalaSerial: TL-00730 ADZG Sunday Morning, Zoom, Mandala, Monastic Practice, Practice Period, Nirvana |
Feb 27 2022 Hybrid |
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Dogen’s Landscape PoetrySerial: TL-00742 ADZG Monday Night, Practice Period, Intimacy, Zoom, Echo |
May 02 2022 Hybrid |
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The Zazen of the Buddhas' Is Great CompassionThe zazen of the buddhas is great compassion.The most common type of compassion is compassion towards suffering as it appears to us. It sees living beings and their suffering as independently... Great compassion, Inscription on the Han, Story of Pukkasati meeting the Buddha, ... |
Dec 10 2022 No Abode Hermitage |
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Aspiration, Vow and Giving Up the Impulse to ControlWhat is most important? Aspirations and vows. Karmic habits distract us from what is most important, from hearing the true dharma. Fundamentally we are the intimacy of all things. Intimacy is... Aspiration, Vow, Karma, Karmic Formations, Karmic Acts, Gain and Loss, Confession and Repentance,... |
Feb 04 2023 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Zen Meditation on the Great Flower Adornment Scripture, Class 1In this series of meetings, we will study and see how Zen is the key unlocking the innumerable meanings of this oceanic scripture. We will also explore how the sutra opens and illuminates our simple... #YRB-2023-Fall, Lotus Sutra, Practice Period, Diversity, Heart Sutra, Koan |
Oct 03 2023 1 of 8 The Yoga Room |