Liturgy of Confession for the Manas

I confess myself: from beginningless time until this present life,

I have ceaselessly stolen all the treasures of the Buddha.

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

Grasping at everything, unaware that all is originally the Buddha.

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

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

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

I confess myself: from beginningless time until this present life,

I discriminated against everything, clinging to it as "me"—the view of self, self-conceit,

Self-love, self-delusion—constantly examining, pondering, the universally discriminating attachments.

Claiming sight as myself, claiming sound as myself, claiming smell as myself,

Claiming taste as myself, claiming touch as myself, claiming consciousness as myself.

Claiming "I can accomplish" all undertakings, claiming "I can distinguish"

All principles of Dharma, claiming "I can become" a virtue-honored one without equal.

Today I finally know: in truth, I am nothing at all.

I confess myself: from beginningless time until this present life,

I clung to my sense faculties and body, clung to my material world, clung to my spiritual powers,

Clinging to my virtues and abilities, clinging to "my" attainment of Buddhahood, clinging to "my" propagation of the Dharma,

Clinging to "my" deliverance of beings. Today I finally know: in truth,

I am utterly incapable. From the past until now, I falsely clung to the mundane;

Even now, I falsely cling to the transcendent. Such false clinging

Makes me deeply perceive: the World-Honored One will not grant me the prediction of enlightenment.

While longing for that prediction, my thieving mind remains unextinguished—when will I ever ascend

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

Thief or gentleman—I must choose one. I will cleanse my heart and reform my character,

Correct my faults and renew myself, returning all that is not mine.

Utterly naked and stripped, carefree and at ease, I shall act spontaneously, without effort, and depart.