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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Ummon's Every Day Is A Good Day Blue Cliff Record, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Silence, Posture,... |
May 16 2015 |
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Bringing Practice to Work Berkeley Zen Center, training, American, Practice Period, Posture, resistance,... |
May 22 2015 |
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Everything Changes Composure, Silence, Nirvana, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Greed, Precepts, Buddha... |
May 23 2015 |
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Just This: Integration and Harmonious CommunionSerial: TL-00374 ADZG Sunday Morning, Book of Serenity, Ceremony, realization, Practice Period, Parinirvana |
May 24 2015 ADZG Temple |
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Ummon's Every Day Is A Good Day - 2 Big Mind, Practice Period, Continuous, Sixth Patriarch, Gratitude, Ego, resistance,... |
May 30 2015 |
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Weeds Everywhere: The Body Always CloseSerial: TL-00376 ADZG Sunday Morning, Practice Period, Monkey Mind, Book of Serenity, Dharmakaya, Manjushri |
May 31 2015 ADZG Temple |
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Every Day Is A Good Day - 3 Offering, Chanting, Daily Life, Conversation, Ordinary Mind, Patience, Practice... |
Jun 12 2015 |
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A Big Headache American, Culture, Religion, Soto Zen, Passions, Practice Period, Intuition,... |
Jun 20 2015 |
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How Change Happens Big Mind, Global Warming, American, Practice Period, Interview, Liberation, New Year... |
Jun 27 2015 |
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Going Beyond BuddhaSerial: TL-00379 ADZG Sunday Morning, Practice Period, Letting Go, Daily Life, Attachment |
Jul 19 2015 ADZG Temple |
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What Makes Zen Center Run Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Practice Position, Family Practice, Priest-and-... |
Aug 22 2015 |
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What Makes Zen Center Run - Q&A Absolute-and-Relative, Practice Period, Dragons, Bell, Building, Monastic Practice,... |
Aug 22 2015 |
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2015.08.23-serial.00161 Subject-and-Object, Practice Period, Family Practice, Chanting, Enemies, Heart Sutra... |
Aug 23 2015 |
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Ordination and Patience Priest, Lay, Attachment, Transmission, American, Dharma Transmission, Ordination,... |
Sep 12 2015 |
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Feel Me Good Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Practice Position, Family Practice, Priest-and-... |
Oct 03 2015 |
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Hui Neng and the Poetry ContestSerial: BZ-02440 Aspects of Practice
Platform Sutra, Lineage, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Doubt, Politics, Teacher-and-... |
Oct 17 2015 |
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Caring for the Grasstips with Layman Pang and DogenSerial: TL-00389 ADZG Sunday Morning, Practice Period, Sanctuary, Bodhidharma, Peace, Patience |
Oct 18 2015 ADZG Temple |
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YunmenSerial: BZ-02441 Aspects of Practice
Emotions, Book of Serenity, Heart Sutra, Lineage, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Aspects of... |
Oct 24 2015 |
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Iron Grindstone LiuSerial: BZ-02443 Aspects of Practice
Blue Cliff Record, Book of Serenity, Monastic Practice, Practice Period, Liberation,... |
Nov 02 2015 |
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Golden Age of Zen 6th PatriarchSerial: BZ-02444 Aspects of Practice
Silence, Sixth Patriarch, Nirvana Sutra, Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
Nov 07 2015 |
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Family TiesSerial: BZ-02445 Aspects of Practice
Ordinary Mind, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Silent Illumination, Five Ranks... |
Nov 14 2015 |
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ZazengiSerial: BZ-02450 Rohatsu Day 3
Concentration, training, Diversity, Posture, Duality, Heart Sutra, Practice Period,... |
Dec 01 2015 |
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December 20th, 2015, Serial No. 00399 Tassajara, Big Mind, Balance, Bodhidharma, Practice Period |
Dec 20 2015 |
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Bodhisattva Never DisrespectfulSerial: TL-00408 ADZG Sunday Morning, Bowing, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Precepts, true dharma, Bodhisattva Way |
Mar 13 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Comments on Rebecca Solnit and Lotus Sutra PreviewSerial: TL-00410 ADZG Monday Night, Practice Period, Commitment, Bodhisattva Way, Bodhisattva Vow, Paramitas |
Apr 04 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Practice PeriodSerial: TL-00411 ADZG Sunday Morning, Lotus Sutra, Practice Period, Dharmakaya, Intention, Commitment |
Apr 10 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Mary speaks to Dean about silence Silence, Bell, Book of Serenity, Manjushri, Four Foundations, Equanimity, Patience,... |
Apr 16 2016 |
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Aspects of Skillful MeansSerial: TL-00412 ADZG Monday Night, Liberation, Practice Period, Mahayana, Diversity, Monastic Practice |
Apr 18 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Practicing Skillful ModesSerial: TL-00413 ADZG Sunday Morning, Practice Period, Patience, Liberation, Zazen Mind, Commitment |
Apr 24 2016 ADZG Temple |
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The Ancient Stupa in Mid-air, and May DaySerial: TL-00414 ADZG Sunday Morning, Practice Period, Offering, Bodhisattva Precepts, Heart Sutra, Bodhisattva Way... |
May 01 2016 ADZG Temple |
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The Stupa in Mid-air and Dogen's ProclamationsSerial: TL-00415 ADZG Monday Night, Lotus Sutra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Practice Period, Monkey Mind, Offering |
May 02 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Practice of No Self Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Lay... |
May 07 2016 |
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Underground Bodhisattvas, Buddha's Lifespan, and Dogen's perspectivesSerial: TL-00416 ADZG Sunday Morning, Lotus Sutra, realization, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Vow, Shobogenzo |
May 08 2016 ADZG Temple |
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The Great Way Not Difficult Difficult Separation, Subject-and-Object, Blue Cliff Record, Precious Mirror, Practice Period,... |
May 14 2016 |
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More About Difficulty Practice Period, Absolute-and-Relative, Aspects of Practice, Four Noble Truths,... |
May 28 2016 |
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Skillful Means Beyond ControlSerial: TL-00422 ADZG Sunday Morning, Lotus Sutra, Zazen Mind, Non-attachment, Monkey Mind, Practice Period |
May 29 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Allowing the Buddha Womb to Arise NowSerial: TL-00424 ADZG Sesshin, Lotus Sutra, realization, Balance, Evil, Practice Period |
Jun 05 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Practicing with Stickiness, Being StuckSerial: BZ-02483 Sesshin Day 3
Hsin Hsin Ming, Commitment, Practice Period, Conversation, Enemies, Observe, Precepts... |
Jun 10 2016 |
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Harmonious Life Straight from the Horses Mouth Intimacy, Mindfulness, Continuous, Bodhisattva Vow, Soto Zen, Emotions, Intuition,... |
Sep 10 2016 |
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The Pivotal Activity of All the BuddhasCompassion, Practice Period, |
Sep 17 2016 AM No Abode Hermitage |
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Accept Yourself, Stand On Your Own Two Feet Precepts, Posture, Vows, Lotus Sutra, Liberation, Bodhisattva Precepts, Ordination,... |
Oct 22 2016 |
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Zen Mind, Beginners Mind: Study YourselfSerial: BZ-02507 Sesshin Aspects of Practice, Teacher-and-Student, Bowing, Practice Period, Rinzai, Dragons,... |
Oct 23 2016 |
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Naturalness training, Vows, Practice Period, Posture, Aspects of Practice, Intuition, Describe,... |
Nov 05 2016 |
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Sesshin Day 1: The Hundred Grasstips and Your CaringSerial: TL-00439 Sesshin Day 1 (Rohatsu), Practice Period, Aspects of Practice, Bell, Desire, Letting Go |
Nov 30 2016 ADZG Temple |
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Problems With ZazenSerial: BZ-02515 Rohatsu Day 2
Instruction, Posture, Nirvana, Practice Period, Harmonizing, Oneness, Conversation,... |
Dec 05 2016 |
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Dropping Body-Mind and Protecting ImmigrantsSerial: TL-00448 ADZG Monday Night, Letting Go, Sanctuary, Balance, Practice Period, resistance |
Jan 30 2017 ADZG Temple |
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Ten Years and the Practice Rhythm of Communion and ResponseSerial: TL-00449 ADZG Sunday Morning, resistance, Patience, Commitment, Practice Period, uchiyama |
Feb 05 2017 ADZG Temple |
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Practice in Community Practice Position, Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Lay Practice... |
Feb 18 2017 |
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Truly Appreciate a Single ThreadSerial: TL-00454 ADZG Sunday Morning, Letting Go, Harmonizing, Practice Period, Silent Illumination, Describe |
Mar 05 2017 ADZG Temple |
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Grandmotherly Mind Soto Zen, Teacher-and-Student, Big Mind, Practice Position, Precepts, training, Right... |
Mar 25 2017 |