Journey 49
3rd Moon 1st Day (7th April 1978)
Touring “Meat-Jam Prison”
Jigong : I have received Order that our Book, Diyu Youji, must be completed within this year by the Mooncake festival (8th Moon 15th Day). This Old Monk is most impatient to complete this allocated job because, after the specified time, no one, not even you, Yang Sheng, can be allowed to follow me to Hades.
Yang Sheng : There is nothing special in Hades for any one to make a pleasure trip there. The sooner we can complete writing this Book, the better I feel that my burden will be much lightened!
Jigong : Anyone who is free from debt feels very light of heart and the same applies to me because at the moment I am so very much indebted to so many human beings, because I have not finished writing this Book and the sooner it is completed and issued to everyone I feel that I will no longer be indebted to anyone. But human beings do not know. Therefore if all living creatures are saved then there will be no necessity for my name Jigong Huofo.
Yang Sheng : Why?
Jigong : Fo (Buddha) cannot be separated from all living creatures, i.e. if there are living creatures there must be Buddha, Buddha is just a name; you human beings must not only think of the name of Buddha but must have the heart to follow the Buddhist teachings. Time is limited and so, Yang Sheng, get up on the lotus flower platform quickly.
Yang Sheng : I’m safely seated, dear Master, we can now start…
Jigong : We have arrived, quickly get down.
Yang Sheng
Jigong : Look, before us there is a huge flame. That is the bigger Prison of Red Hot Bricks.
Yang Sheng
Jigong : That is nothing special. We had earlier visited a Prison of Red Hot Bricks; it’s just this one is bigger than the earlier one and the heat is very much intense here. You follow me.
Yang Sheng
Jigong : There are many types of soldiers of Hades and various names are given. Some are called “Hei Bai Wu Chang” , some are called “Fan Wujiu”; some type of the soldiers are called “Xie Bi’an”. When sinful souls see the fierce faces of the soldiers of Hades, they become very frightened and their legs turn soft making them more easily arrested. When souls who are less sinful see the soldiers of Hades, they do not feel so afraid. This is exactly what the average human beings say,’if I do not have a bad conscience, I have no fear when there is a knock at the front door at night’. On earth, when a criminal sees a policeman he urinates; policemen are equipped with handcuffs and firearms. In Hades, “Hei Bai Wu Chang” are equipped with iron chains and other implements of punishment. Those who are free from crime look upon policemen as ordinary people, but criminals when they see policemen, try to avoid them and try to escape. We have now arrived at the Small Prison…we will enter for a look.
Yang Sheng
Jigong : Look, when the Wind of Hades blow over the meat jam, the souls regain their original form to undergo a repeat pulping up, if necessary.
Yang Sheng
Officer : Souls who are treacherous and lecherous, unfillial, murderers, those who had gone through punishments for other crimes in earlier Tribunals and souls who are more sinful, all these are sent to this Prison to be further punished by being crushed into meat jam by the vehicles here. After this punishment then they will regain fresh personalities when the wind of Hades blow over the meat jam.
Jigong : It is time for us to return. Now you know the purpose of this Prison, I hope that those human beings who have committed any sins will repent in front of the Deities and endeavour to mend their ways so that after death they will not have to be sent to this Prison to suffer. Yang Sheng, get ready to leave.
Yang Sheng
Officer : Order all generals to line up and say goodbye…
Yang Sheng
Jigong : We have arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down. Soul, return to your body.