Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life by Ringu Tulku Rinpoche - Lesson 2. Confession

Find the teaching here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yiUOzBLs7g&t=74s

Introduction

Shakpa means to split, like doing it with a log.  In this context means to cut with the negative actions.  In chapter 1 Shantideva explained what is bodhicitta.  This chapter is about generating bodhicitta.

Aspiration bodhicitta

First, we must develop the wish that sentient beings, ideally all beings, that wants to get free of suffering, whatever the situation they are, they succeed.  Next, we want that all the beings reach the ultimate happiness, that the Buddhist call enlightenment.  This is the aspiration bodhicitta.

Action bodhicitta

It is not enough to wish, but then we must explore want we must do in order that wish happen.  First working on ourselves, and then also find how we can help others.

In some traditions we take vows on aspiration and action bodhicitta, but other traditions do not.  When taking the vows, we take at least one of the vinaya vows.  According the teachings, it is not necessary to take the vinaya vows with the bodhisattva vows.  Before taking the vow is recommended to do some purifications.  There are eight: 

• Making offerings to all the Buddhas (present, past and future):  When we give we can have some pride 'I do have, and I give' as being superior, but when offering we are acknowledging the superior qualities of the subjects of our offerings.  Traditionally, the monks doing this ceremony had nothing, being renunciants [to material wealth], so the offering can be just made in the mind. We can do it with whatever, which will reduce our attachment to anything: flowers, beautiful objects, food, clothes, incense, songs, anything that is pleasant; and also ourselves, our body, any virtue present, past, or future.
• Making prostrations: it is a form of paying respect with our body, speech, and mind.  This make us humble, reduce our arrogance and pride.  Pride and arrogance stop us from learning from others.  If we are humble, we can even learn from people with a lot of bad qualities.   Also, this will open our eyes to see all the qualities in others.  Often, we cannot see any quality.
• Taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.  The Buddha is a teacher, is the one that teach us how to get rid of suffering, that show us the highest teaching.  He is the one that know how to do it, so we want to become like him.  The buddha Sakyamuni explained that is not the only Buddha, that there were buddhas in the past and there will be in the future.  Not only that, but we all have the potential to become a Buddha. Because I do have the potential, I want to reach it, and when I get enlightened I will help others.  Second, we take refuge in the Dharma.  The Buddha only shows the way.  There are two kinds: the experience of the Buddha, and the teachings of the Buddha.  So we can study, practice and eventually experience the teachings.  This one is the most important object of refuge.  Third, we take refuge in the Sangha, those that engaged in the path, it refers to anybody that has experience in the Dharma.  We do that, because we need to learn from someone that have some experience in the Dharma.

Confession means recognizing what is an inadequate because negative actions are not beneficial for me nor for the others, either in the present or in the future.  There are four points:

• Recognize the wrong on the negative actions.
• Take a clear decision to reduce this actions
• Try to do the opposite to the negative actions
• Make a commitment to not repeat it again, and also tame the emotions that lead me to it