Along the path of personal power, repentance is a very
important method of destroying the
negative karma. However, true repentance is not just a simple confession of
mistakes, but a deep awareness which penetrates one's body and mind. Thus, Master
Shan-tao explained that there are three types of genuine repentance:
"The high grade
of repentance is to shed blood from the pores of one’s body and also to shed
blood from one’s eyes.
The middle grade of
repentance is to shed hot sweat from the pores of one’s whole body and also to
shed blood from one’s eyes.
The low grade of
repentance is to feel feverish all over the body and also to shed tears from
one’s eyes".[1]
Answering the question whether repentance is necessary in Pure
Land Buddhism, Master Shan-tao says in the same book (Liturgy for Birth), which was quoted by Shinran in his Kyogyoshinsho, that if the follower has
faith in the salvation offered by Amida Buddha he reaches the same result as in
the case of repentance:
