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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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Which is the Real Shin?Serial: SF-03135 Sunday Lecture - Seeing and understanding desire Ceremony, Forgiveness, Addiction, Practice Period, Demons, confusion, Hate,... |
Oct 27 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Including The UnincludedSerial: SF-03136 Sunday Lecture - life, the path as the neverending journey of inclusiom that starts with ourselves where we are now, where we have been and from there just goes deep and deeper... Forgiveness, Practice Period, Silence, Offering, Anger, Diversity, Ordination, Peace... |
Oct 13 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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The Eight Stages of Monastic LifeSerial: SF-03132 Sunday Lecture - monastic way of wholeness, a sacred way, a sacred place, a clear pace that lives at the bottom of our hearts and is reflected back to us in a religious life.... Monastic Practice, Lineage, Commitment, Letting Go, Practice Period, Renunciation,... |
Sep 29 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Mindful Steps on the Bodhisattva Path Practice Period, Study Period, Bodhisattva Way, Vow, Patience, Birth-and-Death,... |
Sep 28 1996 |
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Just This (Is It): Tozan’s Enlightenment Blue Cliff Record, Book of Serenity, Culture, Intuition, Practice Period, Intimacy,... |
Sep 21 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zen Wisdom in Everyday Practice Practice Period, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Nature, Building |
Sep 1996 |
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Wednesday Lecture Hsin Hsin Ming, Zazen, Ordination, Practice Period, Obstacles, Mahayana, Anger,... |
Aug 14 1996 Unknown |
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Unknown TitleSerial: BZ-00119 Lecture First Principle, Practice Period, Observe, Teacher-and-Student, Tassajara Zen... |
Jul 02 1996 Tassajara |
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Shosan and Shuso Ceremony PreparationSerial: BZ-00800B Appropriate Question and Respons, Sesshin Day 5 Shosan, Shuso, Ceremony, Practice Period, Karma, Commitment, Conversation, Ego,... |
Jun 23 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hui Neng's Instruction on Dhyana and ImperturbabilitySerial: BZ-00800A Rohatsu Day 4 Hui Neng, Dhyana, Imperturbability, Big Mind, Dream World, Discrimination, Samadhi,... |
Jun 22 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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NonobjectivitySerial: BZ-00801B Sesshin Day 3 Lecture Practice Period, Platform Sutra, Intimacy, Attachment, Buddha Nature, Composure,... |
Jun 21 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tozan’s Enlightenment Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Oneness, Discrimination, Bell, Nirvana, Separation,... |
Jun 08 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tung Shan’s PoemSerial: BZ-00803A Shusho talk #1 Practice Period, Blue Cliff Record, Soto Zen, Lineage, Birth-and-Death, Offering,... |
May 18 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Work Practice (Fushin Samu)Serial: BZ-00804B Saturday Lecture Work, Monastic Practice, Daily Life, Samadhi, Concentration, Practice Period,... |
May 11 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Open Heart, Enlightened Spirit Repentance, Precepts, Zazen, Practice Period, Three Treasures, Ceremony, Monastic... |
May 11 1996 Unknown |
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Way Seeking MindSerial: BZ-00804A Shuso Talk Practice Period, War, Impermanence, Happiness, Bell, Conversation, Offering, Posture... |
May 06 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Setting the Tone for Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-00805B Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Family Practice, Daily Life,... |
May 05 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Work and PracticeSerial: BZ-00118 Lecture Practice, Work, Parinirvana, Samadhi, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Continuous... |
Apr 24 1996 |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03636 Cassette side B is labeled for a Sunday talk by Tenshin Reb Anderson on the same date - incorrect Practice Period, Ordination, Perfect Wisdom, Emptiness, Ceremony, Monastic Practice,... |
Mar 24 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #57Serial: BZ-00748 Lecture BCR-57, Attachment, Hsin Hsin Ming, Duality, Non-duality, Soto Zen, Practice Period,... |
Jan 27 1996 Tassajara |
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Practice of PatienceSerial: SF-03225 Sunday Lecture Global Warming, Patience, Practice Period, Ego, confusion, Emotions, Gratitude, Peace... |
Jan 21 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Interview Dharma Transmission, Ceremony, Transmission, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Priest,... |
Jan 21 1996 Unknown |
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Interview Suzuki Roshi, Peace, Practice Period, Intuition, Instruction, Emotions, Gratitude,... |
Jan 21 1996 Unknown |
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Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Letting Go, Enthusiasm, Addiction, New Year, confusion, Patience,... |
Jan 06 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Future Aspects to Focus On/Transition Religion, New Year, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Teacher-and-Student, Practice... |
Jan 04 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Effort Without Gain: The Zen Paradox Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Hsin Hsin Ming, Non-duality, Non-... |
Jan 03 1996 Unknown |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00816B Rohatsu Day 5 Repentance, Precepts, Evil, Buddha Nature, Anger, Practice Period, Ordination, Vinaya... |
Dec 07 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03626 Our practice and our efforts that we make towards peace within ourselves and within our lives Practice Period, Birth-and-Death, Karma, Emptiness, Giving-and-Taking, Zazen,... |
Nov 05 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Bodhisattva CeremonySerial: BZ-00819B Lecture Bodhisattva Ceremony, Repentance, Sangha, Lineage, Right Speech, Duality, Lotus Sutra... |
Nov 04 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hungry Ghosts - Seijiki CeremonySerial: SF-03093 Sunday Lecture Four Noble Truths, Ceremony, Letting Go, Peace, Vow, Commitment, Precepts, Don't... |
Oct 29 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Zen Practice: Trust in Being Faith, Vow, Hsin Hsin Ming, Continuous Practice, Buddha Mind, Bodhisattva Ceremony,... |
Oct 14 1995 Unknown |
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Presence Beyond Preference in Zen Practice Period, Practice, Time |
Sep 23 1995 Unknown |
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Our Relationship with Form - Speech & FoodSerial: SF-00151 Wednesday dharma talk. Practice Period, Conversation, Happiness, Ceremony, Silence, Funeral, Bowing, Heart... |
Sep 06 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Five Attributes of a TeacherSerial: SF-03218 One-day sitting Book of Serenity, Teacher-and-Student, Humility, Blue Cliff Record, Letting Go,... |
Jul 15 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Process and ParentingSerial: BZ-00830A Lecture Family Practice, Culture, Building, Karma, Practice Period, Funeral, Separation,... |
Jun 24 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Picking and Choosing Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Instruction, Emotions, Funeral, Obstacles,... |
Jun 18 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hsin Hsin Ming IVSerial: BZ-00978A Sesshin Day 4 Hsin Hsin Ming, confusion, Oneness, Continuous Practice, Duality, Subject-and-Object... |
Jun 17 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Ceremony, Religion, Suzuki Roshi, Commitment, Evil, Priest, Right... |
Jun 04 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Sunday Lecture Three Treasures, Greed, Practice Period, Delusion, Hate, Repentance, Sangha, Karma,... |
May 28 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Letting Go of Preconceptions Practice Period, Instruction, Birth-and-Death, Samsara, Silent Illumination, Book of... |
May 20 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Shush’s Way Seeking Mind Talk Instruction, Practice Period, Obstacles, Bowing, Hindrances, Tassajara Zen Mountain... |
May 08 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Master Hongzhi/Three Bodies Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Big Mind, Peace, Lay Practice, Buddha Mind, Subject-... |
May 06 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Six Taints of ZenSerial: BZ-00973A Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Demons, Commitment, Ordination, Lay Practice, Daily Life, Karma,... |
Apr 29 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Hongzhi's Silent IlluminationSerial: BZ-00974A Saturday Lecture Hongzhi, Practice Period, Silent Illumination, Daily Life, Instruction, Offering,... |
Apr 22 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tassajara Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-00909B Saturday Lecture Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Dharma Transmission, American, Practice Period,... |
Apr 15 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Embracing Unity Beyond Preferences Daily Life, Practice Period, Happiness, Hate, Addiction, Posture, Delusion |
Apr 04 1995 Unknown |
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Zen Embodied: Journey to Non-DualitySerial: RB-00933A Sesshin Practice, Buddhism, Practice Period |
Apr 01 1995 Crestone Zen Mountain Center |
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Chiji Shinji and Metta Sutta: Shosan RepliesSerial: BZ-00765 Class 10 of 10 Culture, American, Monastic Practice, Transmission, Practice Period, Humility, Non-... |
Mar 31 1995 10 Tassajara |
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Importance of ShikantazaSerial: SF-03104 Description of Tokubetsu Sesshin Ceremony, Lotus Sutra, Priest, Letting Go, Buddha's Birthday, Realization, Soto... |
Mar 19 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Blue Cliff Record Case #1 Mindfulness, Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Bodhidharma, Perfect Wisdom, Practice... |
Mar 11 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |