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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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-00709A Sesshin Day 1 Genjokoan, Duality, Birth-and-Death, Non-duality, Emotions, Practice Period,... |
Jun 24 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Shosan CeremonySerial: BZ-00708A Ceremony Shosan, Forgiveness, Right Effort, Silence, Practice Period, Gratitude, Peace,... |
Jun 15 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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What is Buddha?Serial: BZ-00713A Sesshin Day 1 Buddha, Big Mind, Practice Period, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
May 17 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 20th, 1992, Serial No. 00278 Heart Sutra, Dependent Origination, Bell, Practice Period, Chanting, Bodhisattva... |
Feb 20 1992 |
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November 7th, 1991, Serial No. 00274 Four Noble Truths, Enthusiasm, Passions, Vows, Lineage, Describe, Concentration,... |
Nov 07 1991 |
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The Fire, Suffering, and Relationship With JapanSerial: BZ-00702B Saturday Lecture Japan, Current Events, Practice Period, Tassajara, Demons, Birth-and-Death, Dharma... |
Oct 26 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Talk to Tokubetsu SesshinSerial: BZ-00624 Sesshin Practice Period, Tassajara, Building, Gratitude, confusion, American, Dragons, soto,... |
Oct 13 1991 |
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Early Days of Suzuki-rôshiSerial: BZ-00750B Tokubetsu Sesshin: Japanese and American, Saturday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Sesshin, Tokubetsu, Practice Period, American, Transmission, training,... |
Sep 28 1991 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1991.09.18-serial.00092 Practice Period, Zendo, Suzuki Roshi, Intimacy, Posture, Aspects of Practice, Zazen,... |
Sep 18 1991 |
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September 14th, 1991, Serial No. 00715, Side B Family Practice, Daily Life, Giving-and-Taking, Precepts, Practice Period, Vows,... |
Sep 14 1991 |
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July 27th, 1991, Serial No. 00971, Side A Confession-and-Repentance, Repentance, Vows, Buddha Ancestors, Triple Treasure,... |
Jul 27 1991 |
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July 1st, 1991, Serial No. 00969 Practice Period, Triple Treasure, Giving-and-Taking, Sangha, Attachment, Dragons,... |
Jul 01 1991 |
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May 13th, 1991, Serial No. 00726 Hindrances, Addiction, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Anger, Doubt, Lay, Ego,... |
May 13 1991 |
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February 7th, 1991, Serial No. 00267 Heart Sutra, Chanting, Avalokiteshvara, Monastic Practice, Lineage, Practice Period,... |
Feb 07 1991 |
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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-00698A Firewood and Ash, Rohatsu Day 6 Birth-and-Death, Monastic Practice, Buddha Nature, Peace, Impermanence, Liberation,... |
Dec 07 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 3rd, 1990, Serial No. 01507 Ordinary Mind, Describe, Big Mind, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Dragons, Teacher-... |
Aug 03 1990 |
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1990.08.02-serial.00080 Zendo, Sutra, Discrimination, Practice Period, Beginners |
Aug 02 1990 Tassajara |
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June 22nd, 1990, Serial No. 00514, Side B Birth-and-Death, Hate, Teacher-and-Student, confusion, Practice Period, Attachment,... |
Jun 22 1990 |
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June 16th, 1990, Serial No. 00515, Side A Five Ranks, Practice Period, Light-and-Darkness, Monastic Practice, Absolute-and-... |
Jun 16 1990 |
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May 26th, 1990, Serial No. 00505, Side B Ordinary Mind, Commitment, Practice Period, Posture, Lotus Sutra, Attachment, Daily... |
May 26 1990 |
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Ordinary Mind is the WaySerial: BZ-00506B One-Day Sitting Ordinary Mind, Ordinary Mind, Posture, Ego, Practice Period, Eight Aspects, Doubt,... |
May 12 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 17th, 1990, Serial No. 00498, Side B Mill Valley, Bell, Practice Period, Conversation, Priest, Karma, Discrimination,... |
Feb 17 1990 |
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Pope's EdictSerial: BZ-00503B Saturday Lecture Religion, Doubt, New Year, Practice Period, Renewal, War, Peace, Describe, Building... |
Dec 16 1989 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Fall Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-00386 Saturday Lecture Practice Period, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Commitment, training, Priest, Daily... |
Nov 05 1989 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Abbot's Zuisse Ceremony in JapanSerial: BZ-00385 Saturday Lecture Zuisse, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Practice Period, soto, Study Period,... |
Oct 28 1989 Berkeley Zen Center |
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What Is It?Serial: BZ-00376B Sesshin Day 2 Practice Period, Absolute-and-Relative, confusion, Subject-and-Object, Equanimity,... |
Jun 22 1989 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 27th, 1989, Serial No. 00721Serial: BZ-00721 Lecture Precepts, Daily Life, Cultivation, Practice Period, Emotions, Posture, Anger, Birth-... |
May 27 1989 |
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February 24th, 1989, Serial No. 00717Serial: BZ-00717 Sesshin Day 7 Birth-and-Death, Observe, Bell, Impermanence, Happiness, Liberation, Mindfulness,... |
Feb 24 1989 |
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January 9th, 1989, Serial No. 00327Serial: BZ-00327 Monday Evening Happiness, Enemies, Passions, Practice Period, Emotions, Equanimity, Mindfulness,... |
Jan 09 1989 |
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January 7th, 1989, Serial No. 00330 Practice Period, Hate, Non-duality, Monastic Practice, Ego, Buddha Nature, Duality,... |
Jan 07 1989 |
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December 14th, 1988, Serial No. 01471 Teacher-and-Student, Priest, Tassajara, Intimacy, Commitment, Practice Period,... |
Dec 14 1988 |
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December 9th, 1988, Serial No. 01476, Side A training, Priest, Teacher-and-Student, Patience, Tassajara, Practice Period, Precepts... |
Dec 09 1988 |
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December 8th, 1988, Serial No. 01473 Posture, Emotions, Buddha's Birthday, Daily Life, Heart Sutra, Practice Period,... |
Dec 08 1988 |
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October 13th, 1988, Serial No. 01513 Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Priest, Practice Period, Lay, Lay Practice,... |
Oct 13 1988 |
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1988.08.03-serial.00083 Practice Period, confusion, Obstacles, Emotions, Letting Go, Passions, Describe,... |
Aug 03 1988 |
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June 27th, 1988, Serial No. 01491 Offering, Diversity, Heart Sutra, Passions, Practice Period, soto, Lineage, Mahayana... |
Jun 27 1988 |
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May 7th, 1988, Serial No. 00897, Side A Happiness, Birth-and-Death, Fasting, Nirvana, Evil, Heart Sutra, Tassajara, Practice... |
May 07 1988 |
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January 13th, 1988, Serial No. 00302Serial: BZ-00302 Wednesday Lecture Passions, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Building, Offering, Aspects of Practice,... |
Jan 13 1988 |
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New Year's EveSerial: BZ-00902B Priest Ordination, Saturday Lecture Ordination, Priest, Priest, New Year, Commitment, Lay, Practice Period, Attachment,... |
Dec 19 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |
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October 16th, 1987, Serial No. 01503, Side A Practice Period, Conversation, Monastic Practice, Discrimination, Harmonizing,... |
Oct 16 1987 |
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July 6th, 1987, Serial No. 01488 Practice Period, Pure Existence, Happiness, Tassajara, Precepts, Interdependence,... |
Jul 06 1987 |
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Making Our Lives Part of PracticeSerial: BZ-00886B Saturday Lecture Practice, Concentration, Daily Life, Zazen Mind, Chanting, Continuous, Practice... |
Mar 14 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |