The four powers (of purification) are:
1) The power of the basis
2) the power of remedial action
3) the power of regret
4) the power of not reverting to faulty conduct
Third is the power of regret. Like someone who realizes they have eaten poison, having mistaken it for food, with intense regret we confess all non-virtue we have created in life, whether physically by killing, stealing or sexual misconduct; verbally, by lying, speaking divisively, harshly or meaninglessly; or mentally, by covetousness, malice, or distorted views. In short, whatever negative karma we have committed, since our own mind is not hidden from ourselves, we can mentally bring it to mind, recognize the faulty as faulty, and with intense regret, ashamed and scared of the karmic consequences of our unwholesome actions, we confess it.
Excerpt of text written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, from the book Precious Teachings, chapter entitled “A Brief Explanation of the Four Powers of Purification of Negative Karma,” page 113 in the paper book, and page 121 in the PDF version.
