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 | |
---|---|---|
April 2nd, 2000, Serial No. 00527 Ego, Practice Period, Addiction, Attachment, Sangha, Gratitude, Commitment, Interview... |
Apr 02 2000 |
|
2000.03.28-serial.00007 Beginners, Emptiness, Blue Cliff Record, Practice Period, Priest |
Mar 28 2000 |
|
March 18th, 2000, Serial No. 00206, Side A Practice Period, Tassajara, Bell, Doubt, training, Silence, Continuous |
Mar 18 2000 |
|
February 5th, 2000, Serial No. 00203 Impermanence, Attachment, Four Noble Truths, Happiness, Practice Period, Tassajara,... |
Feb 05 2000 |
|
February 3rd, 2000, Serial No. 00926 Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Karma, Transmission, Teacher-and-... |
Feb 03 2000 |
|
1999.12.05-serial.00064Serial: SF-00064 Sunday dharma talk. Letting Go, Peace, Attachment, Freedom, Practice Period, Hindrances, Nirvana, Doubt,... |
Dec 05 1999 |
|
December 3rd, 1999, Serial No. 00200, Side B Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, Patience, Buddha Mind, Ego, Transmission, Bell, Practice... |
Dec 03 1999 |
|
Fall Practice Period -- Secret PracticeSerial: BZ-00199A Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Practice Period, Commitment, Monastic Practice, Study Period, Daily... |
Oct 30 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
October 28th, 1999, Serial No. 01545 Precious Mirror, Big Mind, Karma, confusion, Ego, Five Ranks, Harmonizing, Absolute-... |
Oct 28 1999 |
|
October 21st, 1999, Serial No. 00931 Five Ranks, Precious Mirror, Ego, Dependent Origination, Evil, Duality, Big Mind,... |
Oct 21 1999 |
|
October 21st, 1999, Serial No. 01544 Five Ranks, Precious Mirror, Dependent Origination, Ego, Continuous, Evil, Duality,... |
Oct 21 1999 |
|
Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00197A The Spirit of Practice Period, Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Branching Streams, Practice Period, Tassajara, Ego, Precepts,... |
Oct 16 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
October 14th, 1999, Serial No. 00859 Five Ranks, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Zazen Mind, Ego, Absolute-and-... |
Oct 14 1999 |
|
October 14th, 1999, Serial No. 01543 Five Ranks, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Buddha Nature, Ego, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
Oct 14 1999 |
|
October 9th, 1999, Serial No. 00196, Side A Monastic Practice, Half-Smile, Passions, Practice Period, Buddha Mind, Dharma... |
Oct 09 1999 |
|
1999.08.09-serial.00244 Posture, Practice Period, Harmonizing, Freedom, Daily Life |
Aug 09 1999 |
|
1999.08.02-serial.00143 Freedom, Hate, Ordinary Mind, Practice Period, Rumi |
Aug 02 1999 |
|
April 11th, 1999, Serial No. 00072, Side A Dharma Transmission, Ordination, Chanting, Sangha, Aspects of Practice, Transmission... |
Apr 11 1999 |
|
1999.03.03-serial.00147Serial: SF-00147 Wednesday night dharma talk Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Fundraising, Daily Life, Impermanence, Monastic... |
Mar 03 1999 Green Gulch Farm |
|
January 30th, 1999, Serial No. 00183, Side B Big Mind, Priest-and-Lay, Monastic Practice, Priest, Tassajara, Liberation, Practice... |
Jan 30 1999 |
|
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 |
|
Chanting Practice Period, Vows, Delusion, Aspects of Practice, Chanting, Continuous, Emotions... |
Nov 17 1998 |
|
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 |
|
November 5th, 1998, Serial No. 00839 Buddha Nature, Separation, Birth-and-Death, Right Effort, Duality, Instruction, Don... |
Nov 05 1998 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
1998.10.14-serial.00040 resistance, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Tassajara, Zendo, Priest, Suzuki... |
Oct 14 1998 |
|
October 10th, 1998, Serial No. 00438, Side A Buddha Ancestors, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Lay Ordination, Priest,... |
Oct 10 1998 |
|
September 19th, 1998, Serial No. 00437, Side B Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Practice Period, Lineage, Tassajara, Priest,... |
Sep 19 1998 |