Throughout their lives, people must depend both on the power of self-ability and on the power of another's ability. Often self-ability is dependent upon the receipt of another's ability while another's ability is received through the dependence on self-ability. Therefore one who has acquired another's trustworthy ability is like a tree whose roots have met the ground in which it can grow. Now that we have understood the benefit and the great power of the trustworthy Four Graces, we are to build our faith upon these perfect Graces and to be grateful when we are blessed and beg forgiveness when we suffer, offering Inward Confession or Spoken Prayer when we find it hard to make decisions on certain matters. In difficult situations we can offer an Inward Confession or a Spoken Prayer to beg for a favor, and in favorable situations we can offer an Inward Confession or a Spoken Prayer so that we will not fall into wickedness and delusion. if we constantly practice Inward Confession and Prayer, through completely understanding the meaning of practicing them, then our sincerity will be answered by Heaven and we will accomplish what we wish to, and may live a blessed life by obtaining the great power of the Four Graces.
If, however, one acts contrary to the vow which one has expressed through Inward Confession, and the prayer one has offered, one will instead be punished by the great power of the Four Graces. Therefore, one who truly understands the true meaning of Inward Confession and Prayer will never make a false prayer.
When practicing Inward Confession or prayer, an example of the words to we are as follows: "May Heaven and Earth and parents watch over and protect us; may our brethren and our law hear and respond to us. I, who am under your Graces, will confess before you, the Dharma-kaya Buddha, the Four Graces." After saying these words, one may confess or offer a prayer as one wishes. when one has an actual object, one may offer a Silent Confession and an Actual Prayer and a Spoken Prayer to that object, but when there is no actual object only the Silent Confession and the Spoken Prayer are needed. Silent Confession is only practiced within oneself; Actual Prayer is offered to the object directly. Spoken Prayer appeals to people as an explanation through which they may be moved and become enlightened.