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

Sesshin as a Koan for the Body

Serial: SF-00990

Sesshin Lecture: Easter/Buddha's Birthday; enlightenment experiences; dharmakaya; not doing anything; nirmanakaya; this is your life

Buddha's Birthday, Birth-and-Death, Suzuki Roshi, Conversation, Mill Valley,...
Apr 08 2007
Green Gulch

Sesshin Practices

Serial: SF-00992

Sesshin Lecture: ordinary mind is the Tao; practice of confession; guilt/shame; Self-Receiving and -Employing Samadhi

Ordinary Mind, Suzuki Roshi, Right Effort, Posture, Buddha Nature, Composure,...
Apr 03 2007
Green Gulch

Living in Accord with Birth and Death

Serial: SF-00991

Sesshin Lecture: confirming Buddha nature; sesshin: gathering of heart/mind; what's the business under the patchwork robe?; story of Patacara

Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Lineage, training, Ceremony,...
Apr 02 2007
Green Gulch

Being Uncomfortable

Serial: SF-01092

Sunday Lecture: What do we do when we become uncomfortable?; comfort - in body, mind, relationships - are focus of our consumerism; suffering = constant need to be fed;...

Tassajara, Practice Period, Silence, Zendo, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Religion, Humility,...
Mar 25 2007
Green Gulch

Developing Confidence in Buddha Nature

Serial: SF-00074

Sunday talk.
Koan with the wild ducks; story of the king who questioned the Buddha; report on global warming.

Global Warming, Buddha Mind, Hindrances, Delusion, Practice Period, Dragons, Lineage...
Mar 18 2007
Green Gulch Farm

Why Become Abbot of Zen Center?

Bodhisattva Vow, Practice Period, Precepts, Gratitude, Vows, Commitment, Bell, Suzuki...
Aug 09 2006
Unknown

Birth Death

Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Death-and-Dying, Suzuki Roshi, Ego, Don't Know...
May 13 2006
[node:field-temp-location]

Gazing at Flowers on the Roof of Hell

Serial: SF-00914

Sunday Lecture: learning zazen with Soen Roshi in Jerusalem - interfaith practice; Easter - rebirth; Issa "Walking together on the roof of hell, looking at flowers"; Wendy's...

Faith, Buddha's Birthday, Dragons, Peace, zen meditation, Gratitude, Don't...
Apr 16 2006
Green Gulch

Yes!

Serial: SF-01100

Sesshin Lecture: just sitting with no technique or theme; monk: what about when not carrying anything? Zhaozhou: put it down; Shakyamuni holding up the flower; zazen in...

uchiyama, Zazen, Freedom, Duality, Impermanence, Practice Period, Tassajara, Delusion...
Apr 02 2006
Green Gulch

Practice Period

Serial: SF-00034

Origins of PP, meaning of 'ango'; Dogen's essay; resistance; hermit Jim; Rumi poems.

Practice Period, Buddha Ancestors, Zazen, Tassajara, resistance, Bell, Duality,...
Feb 19 2006

Alive or Dead?

Serial: SF-01147

Sunday Lecture: Koan: "Alive or Dead" (Daowu's condolence call); mind fleas; confession; too busy; leap or die when at an impasse; story of Buddha and king - what else can I do...

Teacher-and-Student, Anger, Don't Know Mind, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period,...
Jan 29 2006
Green Gulch

January 25th, 2006, Serial No. 04101

Practice Period, Tassajara, Lay Practice, Faith, Commitment, Priest, Zazen, Ceremony...
Jan 25 2006
Unknown

Sesshin Lecture

Serial: SF-01000

Day 1 Zendo Lecture

Sanctuary, Karma, Ceremony, Practice Period, Tassajara, Demons, Zendo, Anger...
Dec 10 2005
Tassajara

Shuso Talk

Serial: SF-04732

#shuso-talk

Sanctuary, Bodhidharma, Karma, Ceremony, Practice Period, Instruction, Suzuki Roshi,...
Dec 05 2005
Tassajara

Shuso Talk

Serial: SF-04731

#shuso-talk

Balance, Posture, resistance, Confession-and-Repentance, Letting Go, Instruction,...
Nov 19 2005
Tassajara

Sesshin Lecture

Mindfulness, Letting Go, Practice Period, Hindrances, Liberation, Balance,...
Nov 12 2005
Tassajara

Sesshin Lecture

Serial: SF-01042

Zendo Lecture Day 1

Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Buddha Nature, Practice Period, Enemies, Instruction,...
Nov 10 2005
Tassajara

Zendo Lecture

Monastic Practice, Practice Period, Global Warming, Buddha Ancestors, Mahayana,...
Oct 02 2005
Tassajara

Dining Room Lecture

Practice Period, Tassajara, Birth-and-Death, Posture, Instruction, Suzuki Roshi,...
Sep 03 2005
Tassajara

July 16th, 2005, Serial No. 03502

Delusion, Emptiness, Suzuki Roshi, Precepts, Zazen, Obstacles, Buddha Nature,...
Jul 16 2005
Tassajara

Zendo Lecture

Zazen Mind, Precepts, Karma, Hindrances, Priest, Peace, Practice Period, Freedom,...
Jul 15 2005
Tassajara

May 28th, 2005, Serial No. 01115

Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Karma, Monastic Practice...
May 28 2005
Unknown

On Dharma Transmission

Serial: SF-03486

Zendo Lecture - duplicate

Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Ceremony, Practice Period, Concentration, Priest,...
May 02 2005
Tassajara

On Dharma Transmission

Serial: SF-03519

Zendo Lecture

Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Ceremony, Practice Period, Concentration, Priest,...
May 02 2005
Tassajara

On Dharma Transmission

Serial: SF-03544

Zendo Lecture - duplicate

Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Ceremony, Practice Period, Concentration, Priest,...
May 02 2005
Tassajara

Sesshin Lecture

Serial: SF-01931

Sesshin 3 Day 7

Practice Period, Tassajara, Freedom, Suzuki Roshi, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Zendo, Faith...
Mar 29 2005
Tassajara

Hierarchy

Serial: SF-03579

Sesshin 3 Day 5 Teacher-student relationship

Teacher-and-Student, Precepts, Anger, Intimacy, Buddha Nature, Practice Period,...
Mar 27 2005
Tassajara

Zendo Lecture

Practice Period, Impermanence, Balance, Five Ranks, Tassajara, Letting Go, Vows,...
Mar 21 2005
Tassajara

Way-Seeking Mind

Transmission, Dharma Transmission, Lay Practice, Suzuki Roshi, Doubt, Humility,...
Mar 15 2005
Tassajara

Way Seeking Mind

Serial: 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

Hokyo Zammai Class

Five Ranks, Daily Life, Absolute-and-Relative, Emptiness, Balance, Practice Period,...
Mar 10 2005
Tassajara

Two Paths to the Dharma

training, Practice Period, Liberation, Bodhidharma, Mahayana, Study Period, Lineage,...
Mar 04 2005

Expressing Yourself Completely

Serial: SF-03594

Sesshin 2 Day 5

Silence, Vows, Practice Period, Suzuki Roshi, Delusion, Teacher-and-Student,...
Feb 24 2005
Tassajara

Sesshin Lecture

Serial: SF-01929

Sesshin 2 Day 4

Karma, Funeral, Tassajara, Global Warming, Practice Period, Echo, Chanting, Bell, Don...
Feb 23 2005
Tassajara

February 19th, 2005, Serial No. 01010

Suzuki Roshi, practicing generosity, Commitment, Practice Period, Koan, Letting Go,...
Feb 19 2005
Unknown

The Direct Experience of Reality

Serial: SF-03669

Sesshin 1 Day 5: practice is right where you are - practice is/of sensitivity.

Lay Practice, Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Lay, Monastic Practice, Delusion,...
Jan 29 2005
Tassajara

Sesshin Lecture

Serial: SF-03651

Sesshin 1 Day 4 (date on cassette - 1.29 - is inconsistent with the previous dates in this sesshin)

Suzuki Roshi, Practice Period, Bell, Zendo, Passions, Posture, Emptiness, Rinzai,...
Jan 28 2005
Tassajara

Shuso Talk

Serial: SF-01924

#shuso-talk Sesshin 1 Day 3 - Practice Period led by Sojun Roshi

Practice Period, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Blue Cliff Record, Silent Illumination,...
Jan 27 2005
Tassajara

Hokyo Zammai Class

Subject-and-Object, Ordinary Mind, Discrimination, Ego, Intuition, Attachment,...
Jan 23 2005
Tassajara

Status

Serial: SF-01096

Sunday Lecture: status games in conversation, hard-wired, power, humor, reversal of status, Marx Bros, Don Rickles, court fools, Dr Zhivago, improv. changing of roles, status...

Ego, Practice Period, Bell, Blue Cliff Record, Half-Smile, Mill Valley, Monastic...
Dec 26 2004
Green Gulch

Zendo Lecture

Emptiness, Tassajara, Karma, Separation, Practice Period, Zendo, Faith, Concentration...
Dec 07 2004
Tassajara

Shuso Talk

Serial: SF-01900

#shuso-talk

Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Bodhisattva Way, Practice Period, Buddha Mind...
Dec 01 2004
Tassajara

Shuso Talk

Serial: SF-01098

#shuso-talk

Book of Serenity, Diversity, Practice Period, Happiness, Tassajara, Ordination, Karma...
Nov 10 2004
Green Gulch

Lotus Sutra Class

Serial: SF-03549

Dining Room Class

Lotus Sutra, Ceremony, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Zazen, Practice Period...
Nov 03 2004
Tassajara

Discipline

Serial: SF-00077

Relationship with the rules while training.

training, Practice Period, Vinaya, Emotions, Don't Know Mind, Mindfulness,...
Oct 20 2004

Lotus Sutra Class

Serial: SF-03556

Dining Room Class 3

Lotus Sutra, Suzuki Roshi, Mahayana, Big Mind, Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Buddha...
Oct 20 2004
Tassajara

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