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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Blue Cliff Record Case 2Serial: BZ-02365 Shuso talk BCR-2, Attachment, Blue Cliff Record, Ordinary Mind, Lineage, Daily Life, Practice... |
May 17 2014 |
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Zuigan Calls Master Birth-and-Death, Mindfulness, Demons, Practice Period, Fox, Discrimination, Daily... |
May 03 2014 |
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The Three Bodies of Buddha Priest, Precepts, Lay, Ordination, training, Practice Period, Karma, Lay Practice,... |
Apr 12 2014 |
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Berkeley Zen Center in 2013Serial: BZ-02344 Saturday Lecture Work, Practice Period, New Year, Tassajara, Family Practice, Ego, Continuous,... |
Dec 14 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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ForgivenessSerial: BZ-02340 Rohatsu Forgiveness, Anger, Forgiveness, Emotions, Anger, American, Attachment, Transmission... |
Dec 04 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Brain Washing 1,7,3,5Serial: BZ-02339 Rohatsu Dogen, Tenzo Kyokun, Anger, Birth-and-Death, Emotions, Daily Life, Hate, Dragons,... |
Dec 03 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Life of Vow Vows, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Buddha Mind, Subject-and-Object, Daily... |
Nov 02 2013 |
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Shelterless Shelter Triple Treasure, Sangha, Gratitude, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Practice Period, Vows,... |
Oct 12 2013 |
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Form and Formlessness in Zen Practice Precepts, Practice Period, Daily Life, Bodhisattva Precepts, Lay, Teacher-and-Student... |
Oct 05 2013 |
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Lotus Sutra and Bodhisattva Practice Lotus Sutra, Practice Period, Precepts, Buddha Nature, Liberation, Mahayana,... |
Sep 21 2013 |
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Sesshin Day 4 American, Don't Know Mind, Practice Period, Karma, Ordination, Equanimity,... |
Jun 22 2013 |
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ZazenSerial: BZ-02313 Review of Zazen, Sesshin Effort, Zazen, Sesshin, Nirvana, Mindfulness, Practice Period, resistance, Mahayana,... |
Jun 19 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Eight Awakenings Nirvana, Mindfulness, Practice Period, resistance, Mahayana, Passions, Concentration... |
Jun 08 2013 |
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Joshu's Wash Your Bowl Subject-and-Object, Bell, Separation, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 01 2013 2 |
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Joshu's Wash Your Bowl Book of Serenity, Sixth Patriarch, Subject-and-Object, Practice Period, Dragons,... |
May 18 2013 1 |
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Practice Period StandardsSerial: BZ-02307 Shin Ji, One-Day Sitting Karma, Practice Period, Forgiveness, Commitment, Repentance, Continuous, Don't... |
May 11 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Practice Buddha Does the Dishes Intimacy, Practice Period, Evil, Separation, Precepts, Gratitude, Patience,... |
May 04 2013 |
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Serving PracticeSerial: BZ-02283 Rohatsu Day 6 Pure Existence, Duality, Bowing, Intimacy, Bell, Composure, Practice Period, War,... |
Dec 07 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sandokai Lecture FourSerial: BZ-02281 Couplet 5, Rohatsu Day 4 Bell, Practice Position, Discrimination, Practice Period, Chanting, Subject-and-... |
Dec 05 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sandokai Lecture ThreeSerial: BZ-02280 Couplet 34, Rohatsu Day 3 Forgiveness, Big Mind, Four Noble Truths, Oneness, Duality, Karma, Practice Period,... |
Dec 04 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Self Settling the Self on the Self Birth-and-Death, Aspects of Practice, Chanting, Posture, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Nov 10 2012 |
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Including the Self Ego, Practice Period, Aspects of Practice, Big Mind, Family Practice, Silence, Anger... |
Nov 03 2012 |
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The Wholehearted Way - Self Receiving and Employing Samadhi Practice Period, Instruction, Non-duality, resistance, Priest, Transmission, Posture... |
Oct 20 2012 |
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Genjo Koan - Section 10B-Part-1Serial: BZ-02248 Firewood and Ash, Sesshin Day 3 Birth-and-Death, Impermanence, Dogen, Birth-and-Death, Triple Treasure, Six Realms,... |
Jun 22 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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To Study the Way is to Study the SelfSerial: BZ-02246 The Self and Myriad Dharmas, Sesshin Day 1 Enlightenment, Five Ranks, Nishiari Bokusan, Attachment, Birth-and-Death, Subject-and... |
Jun 20 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Family PracticeSerial: BZ-02245 Saturday Lecture Zazen, Family Practice, Practice Period, Intuition, Observe, Bell, Tassajara,... |
Jun 16 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Getting to Yes with Giving In Vows, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Karma, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Precepts, Culture,... |
Jun 02 2012 |
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Practice Period AdmonitionsSerial: BZ-02242 Peaceful Abiding, One-Day Sitting Karma, Shuso, Ceremony, Effort, Admonitions, Practice Period, Daily Life, Family... |
May 12 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Right Communication Precepts, Practice Period, Bodhidharma, Bodhisattva Precepts, Right Speech, Intimacy... |
May 05 2012 |
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Sangha Practice Berkeley Zen Center, Four Noble Truths, Sangha, Liberation, Bodhisattva Precepts,... |
Mar 31 2012 |
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Suffering and Delight - Darlene Cohen Mindfulness, training, Book of Serenity, Tassajara, Priest, Practice Period, Vows,... |
Feb 11 2012 |
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The Bodhisattva's Creativity and Freedom Monkey Mind, Practice Period, Hindrances, difficulty, Bodhisattva Way |
Dec 01 2011 The Yoga Room |
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The Bodhisattva's Creativity and Freedom Letting Go, practicing generosity, Mindfulness, Breath, Practice Period |
Nov 17 2011 The Yoga Room |