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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The Eight Stages of Monastic LifeSerial: SF-03132 Sunday Lecture - monastic way of wholeness, a sacred way, a sacred place, a clear pace that lives at the bottom of our hearts and is reflected back to us in a religious life.... Monastic Practice, Lineage, Commitment, Letting Go, Practice Period, Renunciation,... |
Sep 29 1996 Green Gulch |
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Including The UnincludedSerial: SF-03136 Sunday Lecture - life, the path as the neverending journey of inclusiom that starts with ourselves where we are now, where we have been and from there just goes deep and deeper... Forgiveness, Practice Period, Silence, Offering, Anger, Diversity, Ordination, Peace... |
Oct 13 1996 Green Gulch |
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Which is the Real Shin?Serial: SF-03135 Sunday Lecture - Seeing and understanding desire Ceremony, Forgiveness, Addiction, Practice Period, Demons, confusion, Hate,... |
Oct 27 1996 Green Gulch |
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Sandokai Class Oneness, Darkness and Light, Practice Period, Separation, Karma, Emptiness, Politics... |
Nov 13 1996 Green Gulch |
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Lessons From the Movie 'Secrets and Lies'Serial: SF-03215 One-day sitting Mindfulness, Commitment, Practice Period, Equanimity, Emotions, Letting Go, Posture,... |
Nov 16 1996 Green Gulch |
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Sandokai ClassSerial: SF-03177 Like forward and backwards steps - phenomenon exist like box and cover joining, principle accords like arrows points meeting Oneness, Suzuki Roshi, Absolute-and-Relative, Practice Period, Tassajara, Attachment... |
Nov 19 1996 Green Gulch |
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Sandokai Class Evil, Religion, Funeral, Tassajara, Discrimination, Suzuki Roshi, Emptiness, Oneness... |
Nov 25 1996 Green Gulch |
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Expounding the Dharma with This BodySerial: SF-02710A Rohatsu Sesshin Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Patience, Gratitude, Observe, Balance, Anger |
Dec 02 1996 Unknown |
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Dogen's Life Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Family Practice, training, Monastic Practice, Rinzai,... |
Jan 25 1997 Unknown |
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February 2nd, 1997, Serial No. 03623Serial: SF-03623 Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Mindfulness, Precepts, Funeral, Obstacles, Vows, Priest, Freedom... |
Feb 02 1997 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Big Mind, Ceremony, Buddha Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Right Speech, Practice Period,... |
Mar 09 1997 Green Gulch |
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The Most Important Thing: Just This As It Is Gratitude, Suzuki Roshi, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Practice Period,... |
Apr 26 1997 |
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Jukai: How Do You Manifest The Precepts In Your Life? Precepts, Daily Life, Triple Treasure, Repentance, Zazen, Ceremony, Sangha, Buddha... |
Jun 25 1997 Unknown |
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What Is The Ember You Carry With You?Serial: SF-00086 One Day Sit Practice Period, Blue Cliff Record, Non-duality, Fox, Bodhidharma, First Principle,... |
Sep 27 1997 |
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Shuso Entering RemarksSerial: SF-02726 #shuso-talk Practice Period, Buddha Ancestors |
Oct 01 1997 Unknown |
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Chao Chou's Four GatesSerial: SF-03239 Sunday Lecture: case 9 of the Blue Cliff Record: "What is Chao Chou?" "East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate" Practice Period, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Blue Cliff Record, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Oct 19 1997 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Manjushri, Bodhisattva Precepts, Precepts, Blue Cliff Record, Sangha, Practice Period... |
Nov 15 1997 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Emotions, resistance, Practice Period, Vows, Separation, Anger, Daily Life, Doubt,... |
Jan 07 1998 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Letting Go, Monastic Practice, Tassajara, Karma, Practice Period, Bell, resistance,... |
Feb 01 1998 Green Gulch |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02724 Monday Letting Go, Vows, Separation, Repentance, Soto Zen, Zazen, Manjushri, Practice Period... |
Mar 23 1998 Unknown |
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Spring SesshinSerial: SF-02729 Saturday Repentance, Letting Go, Peace, Perfect Wisdom, Vows, Heart Sutra, Ceremony, Observe,... |
Mar 28 1998 Unknown |
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Wednesday Lecture Practice Period, Silence, Posture, Triple Treasure, Mindfulness, Tassajara,... |
Apr 01 1998 Green Gulch |
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Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday, Practice Period, Tassajara, Zendo, training |
Apr 05 1998 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Posture, Precepts, Samsara, Ceremony, Zendo, Emotions, Suzuki Roshi, Freedom,... |
May 16 1998 Green Gulch |
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May 31st, 1998, Serial No. 01815 Suzuki Roshi, Dharma Transmission, Lotus Sutra, Continuous, Bell, Lineage, Tassajara... |
May 31 1998 Sati Center |
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May 31st, 1998, Serial No. 01784Serial: SF-01784 Statements by Students (Part 2 of 2) and Blanche Hartman Suzuki Roshi, Lineage, Lay Ordination, Zazen, Dharma Transmission, Bodhisattva Vow,... |
May 31 1998 Sati Center |
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Saying Yes! training, Soto Zen, Silent Illumination, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Dharma Transmission,... |
Jul 06 1998 |
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Sesshin Lecture Ceremony, Buddha Mind, Practice Period, Precepts, Transmission, Lineage |
Aug 20 1998 Green Gulch |
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Saturday Lecture Oneness, Practice Period, Emptiness, Karma, Daily Life, Separation, Suzuki Roshi,... |
Sep 26 1998 City Center |
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1998.10.14-serial.00040 resistance, Aspects of Practice, Practice Period, Tassajara, Zendo, Priest, Suzuki... |
Oct 14 1998 |
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The Feeling Of Practice PeriodSerial: SF-00148 Wednesday talk; the heart and determination to study - to support and appreciate the practice period. Practice Period, Impermanence, Mindfulness, Precepts, Zazen Mind, Silence, Big Mind,... |
Oct 21 1998 Green Gulch Farm |
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Chanting Practice Period, Vows, Delusion, Aspects of Practice, Chanting, Continuous, Emotions... |
Nov 17 1998 |
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Sunday Lecture Practice Period, Precepts, Dragons, Six Realms, Liberation, Ceremony, Forgiveness,... |
Nov 29 1998 Green Gulch |
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To Consider Our Practice CarefullySerial: SF-00954 Sunday Lecture Light-and-Darkness, Darkness and Light, Monastic Practice, Letting Go, Practice... |
Dec 20 1998 Green Gulch |
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Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01040 Wednesday Lecture #shuso-talk Karma, Priest, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Tassajara, Suzuki Roshi, Doubt, Bowing... |
Jan 27 1999 City Center |
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One-day Sitting Lecture Suzuki Roshi, training, Letting Go, Nirvana Sutra, Vows, Ceremony, Monastic Practice... |
Feb 27 1999 Green Gulch |
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1999.03.03-serial.00147Serial: SF-00147 Wednesday night dharma talk Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Fundraising, Daily Life, Impermanence, Monastic... |
Mar 03 1999 Green Gulch Farm |
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Sunday Lecture Birth-and-Death, Teacher-and-Student, Lineage, Letting Go, Suzuki Roshi, Mill Valley... |
Aug 29 1999 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Practice Period, Hate, Fasting, Nirvana, Conversation, Freedom, training |
Oct 06 1999 Green Gulch |
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1999.12.05-serial.00064Serial: SF-00064 Sunday dharma talk. Letting Go, Peace, Attachment, Freedom, Practice Period, Hindrances, Nirvana, Doubt,... |
Dec 05 1999 |
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December 9th, 1999, Serial No. 03949 Separation, Practice Period, Patience, Tassajara, Silence, Precepts, Zendo, Emotions... |
Dec 09 1999 City Center |
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Sunday Lecture Emptiness, Emotions, Practice Period, Ceremony, Passions, Letting Go, Enthusiasm,... |
Jan 09 2000 Green Gulch |
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January Practice Period Class Karmic Consciousness, Heart Sutra, realization, Birth-and-Death, Platform Sutra,... |
Jan 11 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sunday Lecture Ceremony, Instruction, Letting Go, Practice Period, Delusion, Zazen, Family Practice... |
Feb 20 2000 Green Gulch |
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Fukanzazengi ClassSerial: SF-03661 Monday Class Ceremony, soto, true dharma, Instruction, Soto Zen, realization, Practice Period,... |
Feb 21 2000 Green Gulch |
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Wednesday Lecture Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Mindfulness, Buddha Mind, Nirvana Sutra, Ceremony... |
Feb 23 2000 Green Gulch |
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One-day Sitting Lecture realization, Buddha Ancestors, Demons, Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Bell, Suzuki... |
Feb 26 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Zazen, Monkey Mind, Chanting, Tassajara, uchiyama,... |
Apr 10 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin Lecture Perfect Wisdom, Practice Period, training, Bell, Intimacy, Emptiness, Birth-and-Death... |
Apr 12 2000 Green Gulch |
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Sesshin Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Zendo, Composure, Practice Period, Interview, true dharma, Chanting,... |
Apr 13 2000 Green Gulch |