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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January 10th, 1987, Serial No. 00561Serial: BZ-00561 Lecture Practice Period, Half-Smile, Daily Life, Pure Existence, Aspects of Practice,... |
Jan 10 1987 Unknown Location |
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Tenzo Kyokun Pt.IVSerial: BZ-01529B Issan and the Cow, Rohatsu Day 4 Tenzo Kyokun, Issan, Daily Life, Dragons, Practice Period, Priest, Bowing, Offering,... |
Dec 04 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 22nd, 1986, Serial No. 00894, Side B Ordination, Transmission, Priest, Tassajara, Family Practice, Attachment, Practice... |
Nov 22 1986 |
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The Buddhist Meaning of RenunciationSerial: BZ-00883A Saturday Lecture Renunciation, Renunciation, Emotions, Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Anger, Ego,... |
Nov 01 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Helping Each Other to Practice in the Absence of TeacherSerial: BZ-00881 Giving and Getting, Saturday Lecture Giving-and-Taking, Practice Period, Practice Position, Tassajara, Fundraising,... |
Sep 20 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bodhisattva ceremonySerial: BZ-00882A Ceremony Bodhisattva Ceremony, Priest, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Practice Period, Karma, training... |
Aug 09 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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July 26th, 1986, Serial No. 00880 Practice Period, Tassajara, Teacher-and-Student, Sanctuary, Addiction, Beginners,... |
Jul 26 1986 |
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New Trends in Practice; EmpowermentSerial: BZ-00879B Saturday Lecture Tassajara, Practice Period, Sanctuary, Lineage, Observe, Peace, training |
Jul 26 1986 Berkeley Zen Center |
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One Month Practice Period at TassajaraSerial: BZ-00868A Rohatsu Day 2 Tassajara, Practice Period, Practice Period, Tassajara, Mindfulness, Nirvana Sutra,... |
Dec 02 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Free Sitting vs. Forty Minute Periods: Dogen's WaySerial: BZ-00411A Saturday Lecture Zazen, Dogen, Daily Life, Lay Practice, training, Bell, Practice Period, Beginners,... |
Sep 01 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Study Period (J. Ango)Serial: BZ-00410A Saturday Lecture Study Period, Ango, Study Period, Priest-and-Lay, Practice Period, training, Lay,... |
Aug 17 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dropping the Buddha BowlSerial: BZ-00407B Combining Sesshin with Outside Work and Family, Rohatsu Sesshin, Daily Life, Repentance, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Precepts,... |
Dec 08 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Particle After Particle Samadhi: Tassajara LifeSerial: BZ-00404A Saturday Lecture Tassajara, Samadhi, Concentration, Tassajara, Samadhi, Practice Period, Lotus Sutra,... |
Nov 24 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1984.04.10-serial.00312 Vows, Building, Death, Nirvana, Practice Period |
Apr 10 1984 |
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1984.03.06-serial.00308 Dragons, Vows, Practice Period, Bell, Heart Sutra |
Mar 06 1984 |
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1984.02.23-serial.00281 Right Effort, Practice Period, Concentration, Emptiness, Intention |
Feb 23 1984 |
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1984.02.01-serial.00288 Practice Period, Non-discrimination, Aspects of Practice, Thich Nhat Hanh, Koan... |
Feb 01 1984 |
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Responsible IndependenceSerial: BZ-00421A Saturday Lecture Teacher-and-Student, Instruction, Practice Period, Sangha, Tassajara, Priest... |
Jan 21 1984 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Book of Serenity: Case #2Serial: BZ-00418A The Highest Truth is Emptiness, Rohatsu Day 6 Emptiness, SER-2, Enlightenment, Bodhidharma, Two Truths, Four Noble Truths, Practice... |
Dec 1983 Part 1 of 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Pure Effort In Everyday Busy LifeSerial: BZ-00020 Saturday Lecture Posture, New Year Celebration, Pure Effort, Don't Know Mind, Practice Period,... |
Jan 02 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Meaning of Study PeriodSerial: BZ-00027A Lecture, 30 Day Study Period Study Period, Subject-and-Object, New Year, Daily Life, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
Nov 03 1980 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 3rd, 1980, Serial No. 01059 Study Period, Subject-and-Object, Daily Life, Absolute-and-Relative, Funeral,... |
Nov 03 1980 |
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1975.12.10-serial.00130Serial: SF-00130 Changes that occur during practice period; sutra story of monk retrieving his mother from hell; composing concrete music; Practice Period, Ceremony, Mahayana, Nirvana, Karma, Manjushri, Addiction, Samsara,... |
Dec 10 1975 |