Explore/Chapter 2 - Confession of Negativity: Difference between revisions
From Bodhicitta
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He frees by showing them the peace of ultimate reality.<ref>Although it is somewhat difficult to trace the source of these exact lines, they appear to derive at least in part from the ''Udānavarga'' or Prajñāvarman's commentary on the ''Udānavarga''.</ref> | He frees by showing them the peace of ultimate reality.<ref>Although it is somewhat difficult to trace the source of these exact lines, they appear to derive at least in part from the ''Udānavarga'' or Prajñāvarman's commentary on the ''Udānavarga''.</ref> | ||
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There are two main causes of refuge. One is the fear of the suffering | There are two main causes of refuge. One is the fear of the suffering that is an inevitable consequence of the negative actions we have done. The other cause is to understand that the Three Jewels have the power to protect us from those sufferings. | ||
<h4>Confession of | <h4>Confession of Our Negative Actions</h4> | ||
The next branch of the seven-limb prayer | The second half of chapter 2 explains the next branch of the seven-limb prayer, confession. Of course, we must strive from the beginning in trying not to engage in negative actions. Even whilst following the path we may stumble, whether through carelessness or our many afflictions, but it is not suitable to thoughtlessly just leave our negative actions unconfessed. Confession means literally "laying aside" or "laying down or putting down" all negative actions of body, speech, and mind that we have performed in the past. It is a combined process of acknowledging our faults, honestly admitting to them and disclosing them, and then laying them aside and letting go of them. | ||
{{PullBcaVerses|2. | Confession of downfalls from specific vows that we have taken, such as monastic vows, individual liberation vows [LINK to glossary], and the bodhisattva or tantric vows, should be confessed and restored according to their respective methods. Here, Śāntideva explains to us the process of purifying our general negativity. | ||
Firstly, we must visualize those who will witness our confession. | |||
{{PullBcaVerses|2.27}} | |||
Confession does not mean just simply absolving ourselves of the bad actions we have done. It involves a full understanding of why what we did was negative and the heartfelt promise to not engage in these actions in the future. We put them aside but at the same time continue to improve by trying to prevent them from occurring again. Confession is also not done in the way of wallowing in self-absorption of past actions. It is a practical acceptance that we did wrong, but this is turned into a positive process which has an element of encouraging us to improve in the future. | Confession does not mean just simply absolving ourselves of the bad actions we have done. It involves a full understanding of why what we did was negative and the heartfelt promise to not engage in these actions in the future. We put them aside but at the same time continue to improve by trying to prevent them from occurring again. Confession is also not done in the way of wallowing in self-absorption of past actions. It is a practical acceptance that we did wrong, but this is turned into a positive process which has an element of encouraging us to improve in the future. | ||
