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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."

From Ango on Wikipedia

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Title Speaker

Paramitas: Virya (Effort)

Serial: BZ-00613

Class 4 of 6

Right Effort, Enemies, Attachment, Patience, Birth-and-Death, confusion, Practice...
Oct 08 1992
4
Berkeley Zen Center

Blue Cliff Record: Case #44

Serial: BZ-00638A

Hoshan's Knowing How to Beat the Drum, Saturday Lecture

BCR-44, Daily Life, Attachment, Buddha Mind, Don't Know Mind, Teacher-and-...
Sep 19 1992
Berkeley Zen Center

Shusho Hossen

Serial: BZ-00630

Ceremony

Giving-and-Taking, Bodhidharma, Absolute-and-Relative, Dragons, Practice Period,...
Jun 28 1992
Berkeley Zen Center

Genjokoan

Serial: BZ-00709A

Sesshin Day 1

Genjokoan, Duality, Birth-and-Death, Non-duality, Emotions, Practice Period,...
Jun 24 1992
Berkeley Zen Center

Shosan Ceremony

Serial: BZ-00708A

Ceremony

Shosan, Forgiveness, Right Effort, Silence, Practice Period, Gratitude, Peace...
Jun 15 1992
Berkeley Zen Center

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

Introduction to Buddhism: Heart Sutra, Emptiness

Serial: BZ-00278

Class 5 of 5

Heart Sutra, Dependent Origination, Bell, Practice Period, Chanting, Bodhisattva...
Feb 20 1992
5
Berkeley Zen Center

Avatamsaka Sutra: The Ten Stages; First Two Stages

Serial: BZ-00274

Class 1 of 4

Four Noble Truths, Enthusiasm, Passions, Vow, Lineage, Concentration, Practice Period...
Nov 07 1991
1
Berkeley Zen Center

The Fire, Suffering, and Relationship With Japan

Serial: BZ-00702B

Saturday Lecture

Japan, Current Events, Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Demons, Birth-...
Oct 26 1991
Berkeley Zen Center

Talk to Tokubetsu Sesshin

Serial: BZ-00624

Sesshin

Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Building, Gratitude, confusion,...
Oct 13 1991

Early Days of Suzuki-rôshi

Serial: BZ-00750B

Tokubetsu Sesshin: Japanese and American, Saturday Lecture

Suzuki Roshi, Sesshin, Tokubetsu, Practice Period, American, Transmission, War,...
Sep 28 1991
Berkeley Zen Center

Saturday Lecture

Precepts, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Ceremony,...
Sep 21 1991
Unknown

Embracing Zen Through Community

Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Intimacy, Posture, Zazen, Ceremony, Composure,...
Sep 18 1991

Bringing Zendo Life to the World

Serial: BZ-00715B

Lecture

Family Practice, Daily Life, Giving-and-Taking, Precepts, Practice Period, Vow,...
Sep 14 1991
Berkeley Zen Center

Bodhisattva Ceremony: Plunging In

Serial: BZ-00971A

Lecture

Confession-and-Repentance, Repentance, Vow, Buddha Ancestors, Three Treasures,...
Jul 27 1991
Berkeley Zen Center

Shusho Ceremony

Serial: BZ-00969

Ceremony

Practice Period, Three Treasures, Giving-and-Taking, Sangha, Attachment, Dragons,...
Jul 01 1991
Berkeley Zen Center

Title Unknown

Serial: BZ-00726

Lecture part 2, part 1 is missing

Hindrances, Addiction, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Anger, Doubt, Lay, Ego,...
May 13 1991
2
Berkeley Zen Center

Shuso Way-Seeking Mind Talk

Serial: SF-01077

#shuso-talk

Suzuki Roshi, Bell, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Zazen, Conversation, Practice...
Feb 20 1991
Unknown

Heart Sutra: The Sutra’s Place in History

Serial: BZ-00267

Class 1 of 4

Heart Sutra, Chanting, Avalokiteshvara, Monastic Practice, Lineage, Practice Period,...
Feb 07 1991
1
Berkeley Zen Center

Genjokoan

Serial: BZ-00698A

Firewood and Ash, Rohatsu Day 6

Birth-and-Death, Monastic Practice, Buddha Nature, Peace, Impermanence, Liberation,...
Dec 07 1990
Berkeley Zen Center

Mumonkan Case 19: Ordinary Mind is the Way

Ordinary Mind, Big Mind, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Dragons, Teacher-and-Student...
Aug 03 1990
Tassajara

Trust Your Inner Zen Compass

Sutra, Discrimination, Practice Period, Beginners
Aug 02 1990
Tassajara

Ungan and Yakusan

Serial: BZ-00514B

Sesshin day 3

Birth-and-Death, Hate, Teacher-and-Student, confusion, Practice Period, Attachment,...
Jun 22 1990
Berkeley Zen Center

Tozan Today: Not One

Serial: BZ-00515A

Lecture

Five Ranks, Practice Period, Light-and-Darkness, Monastic Practice, Absolute-and-...
Jun 16 1990
Berkeley Zen Center

The Hinge; Ordinary Mind

Serial: BZ-00505B

Lecture

Ordinary Mind, Commitment, Practice Period, Posture, Lotus Sutra, Attachment, Daily...
May 26 1990
Berkeley Zen Center

Ordinary Mind is the Way

Serial: BZ-00506B

One-Day Sitting

Ordinary Mind, Ordinary Mind, Posture, Ego, Practice Period, Eight Aspects, Doubt,...
May 12 1990
Berkeley Zen Center

April 2nd, 1990, Serial No. 00131, Side B

Practice Period, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Doubt
Apr 02 1990

Blue Cliff Record Case #2

Serial: BZ-00498B

Lecture

Mill Valley, Bell, Practice Period, Conversation, Priest, Karma, Discrimination,...
Feb 17 1990
Berkeley Zen Center

Pope's Edict

Serial: BZ-00503B

Saturday Lecture

Religion, Doubt, New Year, Practice Period, Renewal, War, Peace, Building
Dec 16 1989
Berkeley Zen Center

Fall Practice Period

Serial: BZ-00386

Saturday Lecture

Practice Period, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Commitment, Priest, Daily Life,...
Nov 05 1989
Berkeley Zen Center

Abbot's Zuisse Ceremony in Japan

Serial: BZ-00385

Saturday Lecture

Zuisse, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Study Period,...
Oct 28 1989
Berkeley Zen Center

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

May 27th, 1989, Serial No. 00721

Serial: BZ-00721

Lecture

Precepts, Daily Life, Cultivation, Practice Period, Emotions, Posture, Anger, Birth-...
May 27 1989
Tassajara

Title Unknown

Serial: BZ-00717

Sesshin Day 7

Birth-and-Death, Observe, Bell, Impermanence, Happiness, Liberation, Mindfulness,...
Feb 24 1989
Green Gulch Farm

Title Unknown

Serial: BZ-00327

Monday Evening

Happiness, Enemies, Passions, Practice Period, Emotions, Equanimity, Mindfulness,...
Jan 09 1989
Green Gulch Farm

Title Unknown

Serial: BZ-00330

Sunday Talk

Practice Period, Hate, Non-duality, Monastic Practice, Ego, Buddha Nature, Duality,...
Jan 08 1989
Green Gulch Farm

December 14th, 1988, Serial No. 01471

Serial: BZ-01471

Seventh day of Rohatsu sesshin at Tassajara. 

Teacher-and-Student, Priest, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Intimacy, Commitment,...
Dec 14 1988
7 of 7
Tassajara

December 9th, 1988, Serial No. 01476, Side A

Serial: BZ-01476A

Sojun Roshi gives the Dharma talk on the second day of Rohatsu sesshin at Tassajara. 

Genjokoan, Priest, Teacher-and-Student, Patience, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center,...
Dec 09 1988
2 of 7
Tassajara

December 8th, 1988, Serial No. 01473

Serial: BZ-01473

The first talk of the 1988 Rohatsu sesshin at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. 

Genjokoan, Posture, Emotions, Buddha's Birthday, Daily Life, Heart Sutra,...
Dec 08 1988
1 of 7
Tassajara

Title Unknown

Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Priest, Practice Period, Lay, Lay Practice,...
Oct 13 1988
Tassajara

Breathing Compassion into Suffering

Practice Period, confusion, Obstacles, Emotions, Letting Go, Passions, Instruction,...
Aug 03 1988

On Bowing and Chanting

Serial: BZ-01491

Morning talk. 

Offering, Diversity, Heart Sutra, Passions, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Lineage,...
Jun 27 1988
Tassajara

Life and Death

Serial: BZ-00897A

Lecture

Happiness, Birth-and-Death, Fasting, Nirvana, Evil, Heart Sutra, Tassajara Zen...
May 07 1988
Berkeley Zen Center

Sunday Lecture

Interview, Demons, Doubt, Manjushri, Soto Zen, Gratitude, Practice Period, Enemies,...
Apr 03 1988
Green Gulch Farm

January 13th, 1988, Serial No. 00302

Serial: BZ-00302

Wednesday Lecture

Passions, Mindfulness, Practice Period, Building, Offering, Religion, Attachment,...
Jan 13 1988

New Year's Eve

Serial: BZ-00902B

Priest Ordination, Saturday Lecture

Ordination, Priest, Priest, New Year, Commitment, Lay, Practice Period, Attachment,...
Dec 19 1987
Berkeley Zen Center

Rule of St. Benedict

Serial: NC-01062

Rule of St. Benedict lecture series

OSB Cam, Practice Period, Funeral, Delusion, Instruction, Intention
Dec 1987
3 of 6
New Camaldoli Hermitage

Setting The Tone For Practice Period

Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Conversation, Discrimination, Harmonizing,...
Oct 16 1987
Tassajara

No Title

Practice Period, Pure Existence, Happiness, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Precepts,...
Jul 06 1987
Green Gulch Farm

Making Our Lives Part of Practice

Serial: BZ-00886B

Saturday Lecture

Practice, Concentration, Daily Life, Zazen Mind, Chanting, Continuous Practice,...
Mar 14 1987
Berkeley Zen Center

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