This Dharma is abundantly present in each human being, but if we do not practice it, it does not manifest itself, and if we do not experience it, it cannot be realized. – Dogen Zenji

Our tradition of Ango comes from a long lineage of ancestors dating back to the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Every year as the monsoon rains began (during the Summer months in India), mendicants would seek shelter to study and practice meditation in a concentrated period of “gathering the heart-mind” (the meaning of the word Sesshin). Together with Zen communities all around the world, we continue a modern version of this ancient tradition. Translated as “peaceful dwelling,” Ango is a time of deep engagement with our vow to awaken for the sake of all beings. Intensified training in meditation, contemplation and inquiry clarifies the heart and mind, allowing for deep and sustaining transformation.

At Great Vow Monastery, residents’ daily schedule takes on a tone of a light retreat which includes more zazen, body practice, and increased times of silence. The schedule supports and prepares the heart/mind for the longer sesshin held within the Ango period. Intensive training in meditation, contemplation and inquiry clarifies the heart and mind, allowing for deep and sustaining transformation. 

In a city temple of lay practitioners at Heart of Wisdom, it can be complex to navigate work, family, and life’s many demands. Within this, we also recognize the deeply transformative power of periods of more intensive spiritual practice and hold these periods as vital. Every Sangha member’s practice and life circumstances are different. You know your situation best, and we encourage you to find a meaningful way to nurture the spirit of Ango that makes sense for your own life. 

This year, we will be studying The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of Great Beings , Translated by Thich Nhat Han from the Chinese Taishō Revised Tripiṭaka 779. The temple will follow this study schedule, and the monastery will weave the teachings throughout the practice period: 

October 13: The First Realization is the awareness that the world is impermanent.

October 20: The Second Realization is the awareness that more desire brings more suffering.

October 27: The Third Realization is the awareness that the human mind is always searching outside itself and never feels fulfilled.

November 3: The Fourth Realization is the awareness that indolence is an obstacle to practice. 

November 10: The Fifth Realization is the awareness that ignorance is the cause of the endless round of birth and death.

November 17: The Sixth Realization is the awareness that poverty creates hatred and anger, which creates a vicious cycle of negative thoughts and actions.

November 24: The Seventh Realization is the awareness that the five categories of sensual desire lead to problems.

December 1: The Eighth Realization is the awareness that the fire of birth and death is raging, causing endless suffering everywhere.

December 8: Rohatsu and Closing Ceremonies 

How can I participate?

We begin with Opening Ceremonies, which will take place at all of our regular public programs at Heart of Wisdom temple during the week of October 6. You can also join online from home.

Participants will have the opportunity to voice a commitment aloud and place their commitment form on the altar, or they can offer their form in silence.

Great Vow Monastery residents will be entering the cloister of Ango and will hold  ceremonies in which they share their Ango vows together. 

You’re also welcome to add your name to our roster of Ango participants, which we will display in the temple and monastery, as a way to further solidify our commitments and support each other. 

Read more, find commitment suggestions and forms, and sign up to join the roster here.

Join our Ango 2024 Mattermost channel for inspirations, updates, and community exploration. To sign up for Mattermost, visit greatvow.net.

During these tumultuous times, we can take refuge in the stability of a practice that’s been passed down thousands of years through the rise and fall of much violence and hardship. And however each person will participate this year, all can take refuge in knowing that no matter what you do, there is a community engaged in intensive practice sitting with you, sitting for you, even when you can’t. Together, we keep the flame of the Dharma alight.