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 | |
---|---|---|
More About Difficulty Practice Period, Absolute-and-Relative, Aspects of Practice, Four Noble Truths,... |
May 28 2016 |
|
The Great Way Not Difficult Difficult Separation, Subject-and-Object, Blue Cliff Record, Precious Mirror, Practice Period,... |
May 14 2016 |
|
Practice of No Self Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Happiness, Buddha Nature, Attachment, Lay... |
May 07 2016 |
|
Mary speaks to Dean about silence Silence, Bell, Book of Serenity, Manjushri, Four Foundations, Equanimity, Patience,... |
Apr 16 2016 |
|
ZazengiSerial: BZ-02450 Rohatsu Day 3
Concentration, training, Diversity, Posture, Duality, Heart Sutra, Practice Period,... |
Dec 01 2015 |
|
Family TiesSerial: BZ-02445 Aspects of Practice
Ordinary Mind, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Silent Illumination, Five Ranks... |
Nov 14 2015 |
|
Golden Age of Zen 6th PatriarchSerial: BZ-02444 Aspects of Practice
Silence, Sixth Patriarch, Nirvana Sutra, Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative,... |
Nov 07 2015 |
|
Iron Grindstone LiuSerial: BZ-02443 Aspects of Practice
Blue Cliff Record, Book of Serenity, Monastic Practice, Practice Period, Liberation,... |
Nov 02 2015 |
|
YunmenSerial: BZ-02441 Aspects of Practice
Emotions, Book of Serenity, Heart Sutra, Lineage, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Aspects of... |
Oct 24 2015 |
|
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 |
|
Feel Me Good Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Practice Position, Family Practice, Priest-and-... |
Oct 03 2015 |
|
Ordination and Patience Priest, Lay, Attachment, Transmission, American, Dharma Transmission, Ordination,... |
Sep 12 2015 |
|
2015.08.23-serial.00161 Subject-and-Object, Practice Period, Family Practice, Chanting, Enemies, Heart Sutra... |
Aug 23 2015 |
|
What Makes Zen Center Run Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Practice Position, Family Practice, Priest-and-... |
Aug 22 2015 |
|
What Makes Zen Center Run - Q&A Absolute-and-Relative, Practice Period, Dragons, Bell, Building, Monastic Practice,... |
Aug 22 2015 |
|
How Change Happens Big Mind, Global Warming, American, Practice Period, Interview, Liberation, New Year... |
Jun 27 2015 |
|
A Big Headache American, Culture, Religion, Soto Zen, Passions, Practice Period, Intuition,... |
Jun 20 2015 |
|
Every Day Is A Good Day - 3 Offering, Chanting, Daily Life, Conversation, Ordinary Mind, Patience, Practice... |
Jun 12 2015 |
|
Ummon's Every Day Is A Good Day - 2 Big Mind, Practice Period, Continuous, Sixth Patriarch, Gratitude, Ego, resistance,... |
May 30 2015 |
|
Everything Changes Composure, Silence, Nirvana, Practice Period, Soto Zen, Greed, Precepts, Buddha... |
May 23 2015 |
|
Bringing Practice to Work Berkeley Zen Center, training, American, Practice Period, Posture, resistance,... |
May 22 2015 |
|
Ummon's Every Day Is A Good Day Blue Cliff Record, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Silence, Posture,... |
May 16 2015 |
|
We All Cover the Ground Equally Oneness, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Describe,... |
Feb 07 2015 |
|
Everyone Has a Light Blue Cliff Record, Duality, Oneness, Practice Period, Berkeley Zen Center, Passions,... |
Nov 15 2014 |
|
Pick Up a Speck of Dust Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, First Principle, Blue Cliff Record, Peace, Constancy,... |
Oct 18 2014 |
|
Unconditional Love Practice Period, Posture, Separation, Attachment |
Sep 13 2014 |
|
Teaching for the Tenzo Evil, Hindrances, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Dragons, Continuous, Instruction... |
Jun 22 2014 4 |
|
Joshu - The Real Way Is Not DifficultSerial: BZ-02373 Shuso talk Practice Period, Dragons, Attachment, Family Practice, Absolute-and-Relative, Don... |
Jun 07 2014 |
|
Zazen Refresher Posture, Emotions, Passions, Practice Period, Instruction, Interview, Happiness, Evil... |
Jun 06 2014 |
|
The Stone Bridge of Joshu Blue Cliff Record, Ordinary Mind, Practice Period, stubbornness, Tassajara,... |
May 31 2014 |