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Vow of Repentance: Happiness in the Present and Self-Transformation
Beginning Anew Chant consists of two parts:
- Beginning Anew means making a fresh start, acknowledging to ourselves our shortcomings and mistakes, and then beginning again.
- Chant is the determination not to repeat those mistakes, to transform suffering into happiness. When chanting, we shine the light of mindfulness onto our inner world. In the first six verses, we visualize the Buddha Shakyamuni (and the Buddha Many Jewels) seated on the lotus throne—a symbol of great courage, great strength, and great compassion—and we calm and purify our mind through meditation, chanting, bowing to the Buddha, and mindful breathing (samatha).
Calming and purifying the mind begins with walking meditation for 10–15 minutes on the path leading to the meditation hall, to release anxiety and tension. Next, we join our palms into a lotus flower, letting go of the past and the future, and focusing on the present moment. The law of karma is reflected in four kinds of actions:
- actions of killing
- actions of stealing
- actions of sexual misconduct
-
actions of lying
and six typical afflictions: greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt, and wrong views, along with three negative seeds: greed, anger, and pride—all of which need to be recognized, confessed, and transformed.
From here, we move to the vow section using the method of “selective watering”: making a loving agreement with our loved ones—not to water the negative seeds, but only to water the seeds of talent, understanding, and love. Through truthful speech, caring actions, and insight, we can nourish a stable relationship in just one hour. Practicing dwelling happily in the present moment—living joyfully right in this very moment—is the essence of Beginning Anew, and the vow will continue in the next ceremony.