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."
Title | Speaker | |
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February 2nd, 1997, Serial No. 03623Serial: SF-03623 Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Mindfulness, Precepts, Funeral, Obstacles, Vows, Priest, Freedom... |
Feb 02 1997 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Big Mind, Ceremony, Buddha Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Right Speech, Practice Period,... |
Mar 09 1997 Green Gulch |
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Faith/Belief, DeathSerial: BZ-00361A Saturday Lecture Faith, Death, Religion, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Evil, Hate, War |
Mar 29 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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April 19th, 1997, Serial No. 00362, Side A Concentration, Hindrances, Practice Period, Doubt, Greed, Commitment, Samadhi, Lay... |
Apr 19 1997 |
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The Most Important Thing: Just This As It Is Gratitude, Suzuki Roshi, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Practice Period,... |
Apr 26 1997 |
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Practice Period CommitmentSerial: BZ-00362B Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Practice Period, Commitment, Precepts, Dharma Transmission,... |
Apr 26 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Practicing With the PreceptsSerial: BZ-00363A One-Day Sitting Precepts, Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Birth-and-Death, Vinaya, Observe, Practice... |
May 04 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 8th, 1997, Serial No. 01455 Precepts, Buddha Nature, Perfect Wisdom, Sangha, Buddha Mind, Birth-and-Death,... |
May 08 1997 |
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May 10th, 1997, Serial No. 00364, Side A Practice Period, Posture, Buddha Mind, Precepts, Commitment, Gaining Mind, Enthusiasm... |
May 10 1997 |
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May 24th, 1997, Serial No. 00364, Side B Buddha Nature, Pure Existence, Anger, Practice Period, Karma, Renewal, Bodhisattva... |
May 24 1997 |
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June 7th, 1997, Serial No. 00365, Side B Anger, Practice Period, resistance, Demons, Interdependence, Emotions, Conversation,... |
Jun 07 1997 |
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Jukai: How Do You Manifest The Precepts In Your Life? Precepts, Daily Life, Triple Treasure, Repentance, Zazen, Ceremony, Sangha, Buddha... |
Jun 25 1997 Unknown |
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June 28th, 1997, Serial No. 00316, Side A Practice Period, Conversation, Heart Sutra, Tassajara, Oneness, Silence, Addiction,... |
Jun 28 1997 |
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What Is The Ember You Carry With You?Serial: SF-00086 One Day Sit Practice Period, Blue Cliff Record, Non-duality, Fox, Bodhidharma, First Principle,... |
Sep 27 1997 |
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Shuso Entering RemarksSerial: SF-02726 #shuso-talk Practice Period, Buddha Ancestors |
Oct 01 1997 Unknown |
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Chao Chou's Four GatesSerial: SF-03239 Sunday Lecture: case 9 of the Blue Cliff Record: "What is Chao Chou?" "East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate" Practice Period, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Blue Cliff Record, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 19 1997 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Manjushri, Bodhisattva Precepts, Precepts, Blue Cliff Record, Sangha, Practice Period... |
Nov 15 1997 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Emotions, resistance, Practice Period, Vows, Separation, Anger, Daily Life, Doubt,... |
Jan 07 1998 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Letting Go, Monastic Practice, Tassajara, Karma, Practice Period, Bell, resistance,... |
Feb 01 1998 Green Gulch |
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March 14th, 1998, Serial No. 00343, Side B Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Vows, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Practice Period,... |
Mar 14 1998 |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02724 Monday Letting Go, Vows, Separation, Repentance, Soto Zen, Zazen, Manjushri, Practice Period... |
Mar 23 1998 Unknown |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02729 Saturday Repentance, Letting Go, Peace, Perfect Wisdom, Vows, Heart Sutra, Ceremony, Observe,... |
Mar 28 1998 Unknown |
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Wednesday Lecture Practice Period, Silence, Posture, Triple Treasure, Mindfulness, Tassajara,... |
Apr 01 1998 Green Gulch |
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Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday, Practice Period, Tassajara, Zendo, training |
Apr 05 1998 Green Gulch |
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April 18th, 1998, Serial No. 00347, Side A Practice Period, Concentration, Bodhisattva Vow, Vows, Offering, Posture, Commitment... |
Apr 18 1998 |
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April 25th, 1998, Serial No. 00347, Side B Precepts, Evil, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Vow, Attachment, Diversity, Lineage,... |
Apr 25 1998 |
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May 2nd, 1998, Serial No. 00348, Side A Evil, Manjushri, Vows, Lotus Sutra, Aspects of Practice, Heart Sutra, Practice Period... |
May 02 1998 |
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May 3rd, 1998, Serial No. 00349, Side A Precepts, Bodhisattva Vow, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Evil, Vows, Practice Period,... |
May 03 1998 |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Posture, Precepts, Samsara, Ceremony, Zendo, Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, Freedom,... |
May 16 1998 Green Gulch |
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May 30th, 1998, Serial No. 04341 Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Practice Period, Lotus Sutra, Aspects of Practice... |
May 30 1998 |
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May 31st, 1998, Serial No. 01815 Suzuki Roshi, Dharma Transmission, Lotus Sutra, Continuous, Bell, Lineage, Tassajara... |
May 31 1998 Sati Center |
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May 31st, 1998, Serial No. 01784Serial: SF-01784 Statements by Students (Part 2 of 2) and Blanche Hartman Suzuki Roshi, Lineage, Lay Ordination, Zazen, Dharma Transmission, Bodhisattva Vow,... |
May 31 1998 Sati Center |
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Saying Yes! training, Soto Zen, Silent Illumination, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Dharma Transmission,... |
Jul 06 1998 |
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July 11th, 1998, Serial No. 00353, Side A Sanctuary, Chanting, Mindfulness, Book of Serenity, Daily Life, Practice Period,... |
Jul 11 1998 |
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Sesshin Lecture Ceremony, Buddha Mind, Practice Period, Precepts, Transmission, Lineage |
Aug 20 1998 Green Gulch |
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September 19th, 1998, Serial No. 00437, Side B Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Practice Period, Lineage, Tassajara, Priest,... |
Sep 19 1998 |
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Saturday Lecture Oneness, Practice Period, Emptiness, Karma, Daily Life, Separation, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Sep 26 1998 City Center |
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October 10th, 1998, Serial No. 00438, Side A Buddha Ancestors, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Lay Ordination, Priest,... |
Oct 10 1998 |
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1998.10.14-serial.00040 resistance, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Tassajara, Zendo, Priest, Suzuki... |
Oct 14 1998 |
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How To Respond To A Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-00441A Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Practice Period, Lay Practice, Monastic Practice, Aspects of... |
Oct 17 1998 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Feeling Of Practice PeriodSerial: SF-00148 Wednesday talk; the heart and determination to study - to support and appreciate the practice period. Practice Period, Impermanence, Mindfulness, Precepts, Zazen Mind, Silence, Big Mind,... |
Oct 21 1998 Green Gulch Farm |
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Correct Attitudes For Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-00441B Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Mindfulness, Daily Life, Practice Period, Composure, Aspects of... |
Oct 25 1998 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 5th, 1998, Serial No. 00839 Buddha Nature, Separation, Birth-and-Death, Right Effort, Duality, Instruction, Don... |
Nov 05 1998 |
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Dogen: "Seek A True Teacher"Serial: BZ-00440A Saturday Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Daily Life, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, true dharma,... |
Nov 14 1998 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Chanting Practice Period, Vows, Delusion, Aspects of Practice, Chanting, Continuous, Emotions... |
Nov 17 1998 |
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Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Precepts, Dragons, Six Realms, Liberation, Ceremony, Forgiveness,... |
Nov 29 1998 Green Gulch |
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On His Health & BZC's FutureSerial: BZ-00186 Rohatsu Day 6 Sojun Mel Weitsman, Doubt, Emotions, Practice Period, Describe, Tassajara,... |
Dec 05 1998 Berkeley Zen Center |
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To Consider Our Practice CarefullySerial: SF-00954 Sunday Lecture Light-and-Darkness, Darkness and Light, Monastic Practice, Letting Go, Practice... |
Dec 20 1998 Green Gulch |
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Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01040 Wednesday Lecture #shuso-talk Karma, Priest, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Tassajara, Suzuki Roshi, Doubt, Bowing... |
Jan 27 1999 City Center |
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January 30th, 1999, Serial No. 00183, Side B Big Mind, Priest-and-Lay, Monastic Practice, Priest, Tassajara, Liberation, Practice... |
Jan 30 1999 |