The Right Understanding of Manas

Confession of the Manas

I confess that from beginningless time until this present life,

Without ceasing, I have stolen all the treasures of the Buddha.

Deluded and arrogant, I claimed them as my own, universally calculating,

Clutching at everything, unaware that all is originally Buddha.

How could there be a self? "I" and "mine" — seeing profit, I forgot righteousness,

Unaware of gratitude and nurture. Because of this grasping, I have never escaped

The deep pit of karmic obstacles, impoverished life after life, suffering birth after birth.

I confess that from beginningless time until this present life,

Discriminating all things, clinging to them as "I" — the view of self, self-conceit,

Self-love, self-delusion, constantly examining and pondering, the universally projecting grasping (parikalpita).

Grasping sight as myself, grasping hearing as myself, grasping smell as myself,

Grasping taste as myself, grasping touch as myself, grasping consciousness as myself.

Grasping "I can do" all deeds, grasping "I can distinguish"

All principles of Dharma, grasping "I can become" a peerless, virtuous honored one.

Only today do I know that in truth, I am nothing at all.

I confess that from beginningless time until this present life,

Grasping my physical body as myself, grasping the material world as myself, grasping my spiritual powers as myself,

Grasping my virtues and abilities as myself, grasping "I will attain Buddhahood" as myself, grasping "I will propagate the Dharma" as myself,

Grasping "I will liberate beings" as myself. Only today do I know that in truth,

I am utterly incapable. From times past until now, I falsely grasped the mundane,

And even now, I falsely grasp the transcendent. Such false grasping

Makes me deeply perceive that the World-Honored One will not bestow a prediction upon me.

Yet longing for the prediction, my thieving mind remains alive — when will I ever ascend

The supreme throne? From now on, where shall I go? What shall I do?

Thief or noble one — I must choose one. I shall cleanse my heart and reform,

Correct my faults and make anew, return all that is not mine,

Utterly naked and free, spontaneously at ease, to act without acting, and be gone.