General Confession
(Tibetan Tradition)
Ah, woe is me! Great Guru Vajradhara and all
other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas dwelling in the ten directions, and venerable Sangha,
please pay attention to me!
I, [..say your name..], for beginningless samsaric
lifetimes until now, owing to the defilements - greed, hate and delusion - have
committed by body, speech and mind the ten non-virtuous actions;
I have created
the five immediate karmas;
I have created the five similar to them;
I
have broken the Pratimoksha vows;
I have broken the Bodhisattva's training;
I have broken my tantric pledges;
I have been disrespectful to my parents;
I have been disrespectful to my Preceptor and Teachers;
I have been disrespectful
to companions in the celibate life;
I have done actions harmful to the Three
Jewels;
I have rejected the true Dharma;
I have abused the Sangha of Aryas;
I have done actions harmful to sentient beings and so forth.
This accumulation
of non-virtuous actions that I have done, asked others to do, or rejoiced in when
others have done them and so forth; in short, my entire accumulation of faults
and offenses that hinder higher rebirth and liberation and cause samsara and evil
rebirth, I confess before the great Guru Vajradhara and all the other Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas dwelling in the ten directions, and the venerable Sangha; I do
not conceal them, I reveal them; henceforth I take up restraint.
If I confess
and reveal them, I shall dwell in pleasant contacts; but if I do not confess and
reveal them, I shall not. (3 times)