𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟒 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐚𝐣𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚

Confession prayer is one of the Seven Branch Practices. It is a prayer to express the tremendous remorse we feel after realizing the faults we have committed, having succumbed to the three poisons – desire, hatred and ignorance. This is done by applying the four powers:

(i) Power of Reliance – Taking refuge in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
(ii) Power of Remorse – Deeply regretting the wrongdoings
(iii) Power of Remedy - Doing purification practices such as Vajrasattva and Nyungney practices
(iv) Power of Commitment – Vowing to never engage in such wrongdoings again

The Confession Prayer with regard to the 14 Root Downfalls of Vajrayana is a powerful prayer to purify the negative karma that we could have accumulated due to both intended and unintended mistakes we may have made that breaks the vows of a Vajrayana practitioner.