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-01332 Sesshin Day 4 Genjokoan, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Priest, Bodhidharma, Transmission,... |
Jun 25 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 4th, 2005, Serial No. 01326 Separation, Practice Period, Ego, Describe, Intuition, Conversation, Culture,... |
Jun 04 2005 |
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May 8th, 2005, Serial No. 01322, Side B Samadhi, Concentration, Practice Period, Renunciation, Composure, Platform Sutra,... |
May 08 2005 |
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SamadhiSerial: BZ-01561 Imperturbable Mind, One-Day Sitting Samadhi, Imperturbability, Samadhi, Concentration, Practice Period, Renunciation,... |
May 08 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 7th, 2005, Serial No. 01321 Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Humility, Priest, Renunciation, Ego, Practice... |
May 07 2005 |
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Dharma TransmissionSerial: BZ-01550 Saturday Lecture Dharma Transmission, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Humility, Ego, Renunciation,... |
May 07 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2005.05.06-serial.00181 Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Liberation, Don't Know Mind, Daily... |
May 06 2005 |
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2005.05.05-serial.00178 Buddha Nature, Culture, Sixth Patriarch, Posture, Practice Period, Heart Sutra,... |
May 05 2005 |
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April 23rd, 2005, Serial No. 01319, Side B Silence, Bodhidharma, Lay, Practice Period, Bowing, Oneness, Priest, Lay Practice,... |
Apr 23 2005 |
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Guidelines for Practice PeriodSerial: BZ-01318B One-Day Sitting Practice Period, Practice Period, Commitment, Forgiveness, Daily Life, Precepts,... |
Apr 16 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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April 2nd, 2005, Serial No. 01317 Blue Cliff Record, Culture, Buddha's Birthday, Practice Period, Book of Serenity... |
Apr 02 2005 |
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March 29th, 2005, Serial No. 00584 Tassajara, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Emotions, Zoom, Demons, Hindrances,... |
Mar 29 2005 |
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Teacher-Student RelationshipsSerial: BZ-00599 Hierarchy, Sesshin Day 5 Teacher-and-Student, Teacher-and-Student, Precepts, Anger, Intimacy, Practice Period... |
Mar 27 2005 |
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March 25th, 2005, Serial No. 00593 Triple Treasure, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Buddha Mind, Soto Zen, Lotus... |
Mar 25 2005 |
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March 21st, 2005, Serial No. 00585 Practice Period, Impermanence, Five Ranks, Tassajara, Vows, Bowing, Chanting,... |
Mar 21 2005 |
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March 15th, 2005, Serial No. 01572 Transmission, Dharma Transmission, Lay Practice, Monastic Practice, Doubt, Ordination... |
Mar 15 2005 |
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March 14th, 2005, Serial No. 01570 Monastic Practice, Priest, Building, Tassajara, Soto Zen, American, Lay, Heart Sutra... |
Mar 14 2005 |
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Way Seeking MindSerial: SF-00044 The route to becoming a zen monk; growing up Jewish and hanging out with the beats; meeting Suzuki Roshi. Monastic Practice, Japan, Way-Seeking Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Monastic Practice, Priest,... |
Mar 13 2005 2 Tassajara |
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Way Seeking Mind Pt. 2Serial: BZ-00590 Lecture Sojun Mel Weitsman, Way-Seeking Mind, Monastic Practice, Priest, Fundraising,... |
Mar 13 2005 |
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March 12th, 2005, Serial No. 00767 Pure Existence, Practice Position, Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative, Daily Life,... |
Mar 12 2005 |
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March 8th, 2005, Serial No. 00587 Berkeley Zen Center, Practice Period, Attachment, Don't Know Mind, Vows,... |
Mar 08 2005 |
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Two Paths to the Dharma training, Practice Period, Liberation, Bodhidharma, Mahayana, Study Period, Lineage,... |
Mar 04 2005 |
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Expressing Yourself CompletelySerial: BZ-00572 Sesshin Day 5 Silence, Practice Period, Vows, Ordinary Mind, Teacher-and-Student, confusion, Bell,... |
Feb 24 2005 |
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February 23rd, 2005, Serial No. 00583 Karma, Funeral, Death-and-Dying, Global Warming, Echo, Tassajara, Practice Period,... |
Feb 23 2005 |
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February 20th, 2005, Serial No. 01309 Offering, Silence, Lay Ordination, Practice Period, Harmonizing, Soto Zen, Peace,... |
Feb 20 2005 |
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January 29th, 2005, Serial No. 01303 Precepts, Posture, Half-Smile, Instruction, Don't Know Mind, Subject-and-Object... |
Jan 29 2005 |
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January 27th, 2005, Serial No. 00595 Blue Cliff Record, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Way, Silent... |
Jan 27 2005 |
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January 15th, 2005, Serial No. 01301, Side C Dharma Transmission, Lay, Priest-and-Lay, soto, Transmission, Soto Zen, Gratitude,... |
Jan 15 2005 |
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March 2005 talk, Serial No. 01574 Monastic Practice, Building, Priest, Fundraising, American, Heart Sutra, Tassajara,... |
2005 |
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Life Is Like Sesshin: Use of Kyusaku: Being RebornSerial: BZ-01297 Forgiveness. Renewal for the New Year, Rohatsu Day 7 New Year, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Tassajara, Renewal, Forgiveness, Dragons,... |
Dec 05 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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December 5th, 2004, Serial No. 01565 New Year, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Tassajara, Renewal, Forgiveness, Dragons,... |
Dec 05 2004 |