Buddhist Confession

[Dhara]

It isn't done before a priest.

You employ the four opponent powers.

 

[Dhara]

These four opponent powers that are essential for successful purification are:

1) The power of regret: One begins by reflecting on regret; the awareness that actions we have committed bring suffering to ourselves and others. This is not the same as guilt, which implies a negative and helpless state of mind and is not useful, but a sort of “intelligent regret,” which is a very positive and creative mental state aimed at correcting the mistake so we won’t repeat it.

2) The power of reliance: To correct our mistakes or negative actions directed toward either the Four Jewels or other sentient beings, we take refuge and generate bodhichitta. We rely on the Buddha who is our role model, the dharma that is the teachings of the Buddha, and the sangha.

3) The power of remedy (the antidote): These are positive actions of body, speech, and mind that we do to purify the negativity. This is “building the wall” of good karma. This can include kind deeds, chanting mantras, meditation, etc. and the dedication of the merit of what we have done to help anyone we may have harmed.

4) The power of resolve: This is our ongoing determination to never repeat the negative action and then not doing it again.

 

[The Great Goose]

It's more informative, instructive and gives incentive. Unlike Catholicism, which is more ritualistic and there is no incentive to refrain from sinning.

Except for the thorn switch you had to whip yourself with and the hair shirt you wore for 6 weeks after that.

 

[Dhara]

I do something like this with my kids at bedtime. We talk about what went well and was fun. What was hard or confusing or frustrating.
It's a way to build on the positive and talk about what we can do differently next time.

 

[there4eyeM]

Like Protestants (in theory, at least).