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The Confessional Samadhi of the Lotus Sutra, page 10
7. The Confession of the Six Senses, and
A. Requesting Encouragement
B. Joyful Acceptance
C. The Transfer of Merit
D. Raising the Vow
Having already worshipped the Buddhas, one is before the Throne of the Dharma, with an erect body and a dignified bearing. One burns incense and scatters flowers and is mindful of and remembers the Three Treasures that are everywhere in empty space. The Bodhisattva Universal Virtue and the six-tusked royal white elephant are beautifully adorned and surrounded by followers, and it is as if the Bodhisattva were before one's very eyes. With all one’s heart and with each and every single thought one practices the confession for all living beings, bearing heavy shame and raising tears for all the sins of this life as well as all the measureless lifetimes of the past. Along with all living beings, the six senses have created evil deeds1 and so cut off the continuity of the mind. From now on and into the inexhaustible future, one resolves to not again create evil deeds. This is because the effects and retributions do not just disappear just because one's karmic deeds have the nature of emptiness. One recognizes that, in emptiness, people do not create good, much less create sin. However, when one unceasingly creates evil, there is the creation of a completely perverted chain of causality that will produce a devastating effect. Therefore, upon recognizing emptiness, one bears great shame and humility. One burns incense and scatters flowers. Welling up tears, one makes the confessions described below. Many have used the Sutra on the Observation of Bodhisattva Universal Virtue when desiring to broaden their knowledge of the confessional method, chanting the Sutra and doing self-reflection. If one is unable to broadly investigate it, one should grasp this outline in order to practice it.
4. The Confession of the Tongue
6. The Confession of the Thinking Mind
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Footnote:
1. Deeds: Karmas, the creators of one’s spiritual destiny; the actions of the body, the mouth, and the thinking mind.
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Since July 9, 2001