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."
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November 20th, 2004, Serial No. 01290, Side B Silence, Silent Illumination, Emotions, Platform Sutra, Soto Zen, Subject-and-Object... |
Nov 20 2004 |
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November 18th, 2004, Serial No. 01030, Side A Dragons, Transmission, Fox, Buddha Ancestors, Lineage, Interview, Lotus Sutra,... |
Nov 18 2004 |
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October 30th, 2004, Serial No. 01287 Dana, soto, Soto Zen, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Lay, Forgiveness, Rinzai... |
Oct 30 2004 |
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October 24th, 2004, Serial No. 01286, Side B Dragons, Aspects of Practice, Posture, Practice Period, Instruction, Karma, training... |
Oct 24 2004 |
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October 23rd, 2004, Serial No. 01285 Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Gaining Mind, Passions, Transmission, uchiyama... |
Oct 23 2004 |
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DisciplineSerial: SF-00077 Relationship with the rules while training. training, Practice Period, Vinaya, Emotions, Don't Know Mind, Mindfulness,... |
Oct 20 2004 |
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History of Soto Zen: First Dharma Heritage CeremonySerial: BZ-01283C Zuisse Ceremony and Dharma Transmission, Saturday Lecture Zuisse, Soto Zen, Dharma Transmission, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Religion,... |
Oct 09 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 26th, 2004, Serial No. 01281 Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Precious Mirror, Nirvana Sutra, Hindrances, Heart... |
Sep 26 2004 |
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September 6th, 2004, Serial No. 01245 Big Mind, Practice Period, Monkey Mind, Renewal, Birth-and-Death, Tassajara, Pure... |
Sep 06 2004 |
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September 6th, 2004, Serial No. 01575 Big Mind, Practice Period, Monkey Mind, Renewal, Birth-and-Death, Tassajara, Pure... |
Sep 06 2004 |
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2004.08.DD-serial.00220A Dharma Transmission, Daily Life, Balance, Practice Period, Liberation |
Aug 2004 |
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July 31st, 2004, Serial No. 01278 Teacher-and-Student, Happiness, Lotus Sutra, Composure, Subject-and-Object, Practice... |
Jul 31 2004 |
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Way Seeking MindSerial: BZ-01273 Approaching his 75th Birthday (July 9th), Saturday Lecture Way-Seeking Mind, Sojun Mel Weitsman, Dharma Transmission, War, Transmission,... |
Jul 03 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 26th, 2004, Serial No. 01272 Heart Sutra, Passions, Teacher-and-Student, Interdependence, Mahayana, Don't... |
Jun 26 2004 |
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Composure: The Shuso Hossen CeremonySerial: BZ-01271 Where the Response Comes From, Sesshin Day 5 Composure, Shuso Hossen, Composure, Intimacy, Nirvana, Practice Period, Posture, Don... |
Jun 20 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gakudo Yojin-Shu (last): Practicing Within the ObstructionsSerial: BZ-01270B Staining, Not Breaking Precepts, Sesshin Day 4 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Hindrances, Precepts, confusion, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 19 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 18th, 2004, Serial No. 01269 Composure, Practice Period, Intimacy, Conversation, training, Ego |
Jun 18 2004 |
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Suzuki-rôshi 100th Birth MemorialSerial: BZ-01265 Gutei's One Finger, Monkey Mind, Saturday Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Monkey Mind, Shikantaza, Monkey Mind, Gaining Mind, Obstacles, Practice... |
May 29 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 22nd, 2004, Serial No. 01264 Practice Period, Offering, Four Noble Truths, Practice Position, Heart Sutra,... |
May 22 2004 |
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George W. Bush and a Dogen FascicleSerial: BZ-01263B Saturday Lecture Dogen, Current Events, Politics, Anger, Birth-and-Death, War, Greed, Buddha Ancestors... |
May 15 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 13th, 2004, Serial No. 01022, Side A Karma, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Continuous, Diversity, Attachment,... |
May 13 2004 |
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2004.05.04-serial.00026 Ordinary Mind, Practice Period, Tatsugami, Mill Valley, Zendo |
May 04 2004 |
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2004.05.04-serial.00032 Ordinary Mind, Practice Period, Tatsugami, Mill Valley, Zendo |
May 04 2004 |
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2004.05.04-serial.00285 Ordinary Mind, Practice Period, Mill Valley, Zendo, realization |
May 04 2004 |
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2004.05.01-serial.00022 Tenzo, Zendo, realization, Practice Period, Beginners |
May 01 2004 |
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2004.05.01-serial.00241 Tenzo, realization, Zendo, Practice Period, Beginners |
May 01 2004 |
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Mumonkan: Case #12Serial: BZ-01258 One-Day Sitting MM-12, Big Mind, Birth-and-Death, Fox, Practice Period, Continuous, Ego, Buddha'... |
Apr 03 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 27th, 2004, Serial No. 01257 Impermanence, Berkeley Zen Center, Silence, Diversity, Birth-and-Death, Practice... |
Mar 27 2004 |
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February 29th, 2004, Serial No. 00579 Observe, Buddha's Birthday, Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Offering,... |
Feb 29 2004 |
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The Cross of Buddhism: Principles of PracticeSerial: BZ-01251 Stillness and Activity, Saturday Lecture Monastic Practice, Composure, Daily Life, Buddha Mind, Separation, Don't Know... |
Feb 21 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Practice of LoveSerial: BZ-01372A Rohatsu Day 3
Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Tassajara, Separation, Duality, Vows, Ego, Attachment,... |
Dec 03 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2003.11.19-serial.00156Serial: SF-00156 Wednesday talk. Karma, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Echo, Ceremony, Buddha Ancestors, Ego,... |
Nov 19 2003 |
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2003.11.16-serial.00181 training, zen meditation, Vows, Practice Period, Buddha Mind |
Nov 16 2003 |