Ango

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[edit] Ango, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ango is a district in the Territory of Bas-Uele in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[edit] Ango, Buddhism

Ango [安居] (Skt.: varsha or varshika; Pali.: vassa; Jpn.: ango) is a time of practice in Buddhism. The Sanskrit word varsha means "rain" and "raining," and varshika means "belonging to the rainy season" or "rainy." In Japanese, the word means "peaceful dwelling." During the rainy season in summer in India, Buddhist monks traditionally lived in caves or in monasteries for three months--from the sixteenth day of the fourth month to the fifteenth day of the seventh month. They stayed there for two reasons:

• The heavy rainfall made traveling and outdoor activities impractical.
• During the rains, insects and worms came out of the ground. The monks wished to avoid trampling to death these creatures.

The tradition is said to have begun during the time of Shakyamuni . During this period the monks learned the Buddha's teachings, engaged in meditation and other practices, and repented their errors. As Buddhism moved East, this custom was brought to China and then subsequently to Japan in 683.

Today, the Ango practice is a time for Buddhist students, monks, and lay people to deepen their practice and polish their understanding through the indispensable teachings of the Three Treasures – the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha . As more and more lay people become involved with Buddhism, especially in the West, this time transforms from a time of retreat to a time of focus and dedication to the teachings of the Buddha. At some schools, formal enrollment as an Ango participant is required. Anyone though can use the Ango period to study and focus on the Three Treasures, though, even if they are not formally affiliated with any school.

Sources include:

• Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism ^{[citation needed]}
• Ango at the Mountain & Rivers Order, http://www.mro.org/mrotraining/ango/index.html