Journey 10

Jigong:	Our tour of Hades gives much work to the Deities as well to human beings, but, nevertheless, it is well worth it because our purpose is to help human beings as best as we can. However, there is a saying. "Doing good makes one happy." Therefore, if we have to do good even at midnight, I as a Deity am greatly influenced by the good intention. Today, I am bringing Yang Sheng again to visit Hades so that he can eventually disclose the happenings there to people on Earth. Yang Sheng, quickly prepare for the trip....
Yang Sheng:	I am ready, Master.
Jigong:	We will visit the Second Tribunal today, so please look smart.
Yang Sheng:	Very good, if I have been lacking in courtesy and have not conducted myself properly, I beseech you, dear Master, to give me appropriate instructions.
Jigong:	There is nothing to worry. Please step on the lotus flower platform and we will proceed......We have arrived, so get out.
Yang Sheng:	What place is this? There are so many people. I see that the soldiers of Hades have horns on their heads and have faces of horse; they are herding the souls about.
Jigong:	This is the Second Tribunal; let us proceed quickly. Go and pay our respects to "Chu Jiang Wang" ( 楚江王 ) who is the Chief of the Second Tribunal.
Yang Sheng:	There is a group of souls headed by a big-sized perosn wearing glittering old fashioned robes like those worn by temple idols. He looks awe-inspiring; on either side of him are bodyguards who look like Generals.
Jigong:	He is Chu Jiang Wang, the Chief of the Second Tribunal; quickly kneel down and pay our respects.
Yang Sheng:	I humbly pay my respects to you Chu Jiang Wang and Officers.
Chu Jiang Wang:	Do not stand on ceremony - arise. I am very happy to see you Jigong and Yang Sheng here today in my Tribunal. We in this Second Tribunal have already received notification of your coming. We understand that you in Sheng Xian Tang will visit Hades and then write a Book about what you have seen. Just now, I received a letter from Jigong about your coming here today, I would invite both of you to follow me inside.
Jigong:	Thank you very much, Chu Jiang Wang, for welcoming us. Yang Sheng, let us follow Chu Jiang Wang inside.
Chu Jiang Wang:	Please be seated in the Reception Room. General, please bring tea.
Yang Sheng:	Thank you very much. Please be excuse Jigong and myself for troubling you. I request Chu Jiang Wang to kindly explain to me what happens in this Second Tribunal.
Chu Jiang Wang:	This Second Tribunal is in fact the real Tribunal for punishing souls. In the First Tribunal the merits and de-merits of the souls have already been assessed but some souls prevaricated (lied) and would not admit their sins. So, they are brought here and their records are again shown to them. I have the authority to send such souls either to the 16th Division in Hades or to any other new Division to be punished for their sins on Earth. Like on Earth, new inventions have been discovered, so likewise in Hades, we have set up new Divisions for punishing sinful souls.
Jigong:	Whatever inventions or innovations take place on Earth, such occurrences are reflected immediately on to Heavenly mirrors which automatically inflect same to Hades. Therefore, what happens on Earth is simultaneously known in Heaven and in Hades. You must not think that modern day science is very much advanced so much so that people on Earth tend to think that there are no such things as spirits and devils. How do you know that is is not the power of the spirits that control modern science and inventions? Saints and spirits actually have the latent power to control inventions and science while human beings have only the passive power.
Yang Sheng:	Oh, is it like this? Human beings say that there is no such a place called Hades but I have come to Hades and have seen what is happening here. It is so very mysterious and yet so terrible to look at; as if I am in another world.
Chu Jiang Wang:	I am sorry to say that as I have some important matters to attend to, I will have to instruct my assistant to conduct Yang Sheng to see other parts of this place.
General:	Yes, Sir.
Yang Sheng:	In front of this Tribunal, I saw a soul with a wooden pillory round his neck and his hands bound by chains - more badly treated than any human being on Earth. I also observe that Chu Jiang Wang, while trying one of the souls, banged on the table and shouted, like people in the villages shouting to cattle.
General:	Time is running out. I am afraid we will have to make a move.
Jigong:	Well, let us go. It is not good to see anymore of what is happening here.
Yang Sheng:	In this new place, although there are so many people about, it is so very quiet.
General:	In every Tribunal, a special pulpit is set aside by Di Zang Wang (God of Earth) so that souls who have repented for their past sins can be admitted, one by one, to listen to the discourses on morality, piety, ascetic practices , that is why this place is so quiet.
Yang Sheng:	Oh, even in Hades there are such lectures being given to the souls. Indeed, the Saints, and Buddhas are very merciful. they do not differentiate; because on Earth they preach and in Hades they also preach.
Jigong:	Let us enter.
Yang Sheng:	Very well. On the top of the door it reads "Second Tribunal Preaching Hall". I see that after passing through this door, every soul has to go to a small side office to show a pass before being allowed to enter the Hall proper.
General:	Inside the small office is a General whose duty is to control any soul entering or leaving. Only souls having the required pass are allowed to enter the Hall proper. Please wait outside while I inform the General inside so that you can enter.....I have reported and so both of you can enter. Please sit in front and wait for the Saintly Preacher to come.
Jigong:	I can see Guan Shi Yin ( 觀世音 ) (Goddess of Mercy) coming. Yang Sheng, kneel down to receive her.
Yang Sheng:	I will obey your command. Guan Shi Ying is getting up to the pulpit to give a speech. In the room, there are about 2000 seats like a school hall. The souls appear to be happy and are smiling. Guan Shi Yin is dressed in pure white robe; with a willow twig she is sprinkling holy water on the audience. Dear Master, what is the purpose of sprinkling the holy water?
Jigong:	The holy water is like the sweet dew in the morning and where sprinkled on anyone has the effect of salvation for human beings. To those having affinity and to those who realize their pas wrong-doings and truly and sincerely repent they will be saved and put on board a "Buddha Barge" on its journey to everlasting happiness. By thus, sprinkling holy water is Guan Shi Yin's main ambition to save humanity? Please do not ask anymore questions but just pay attention to what Guan Shi Yin is going to say.
Guan Shi Yin:	I am very happy to see Yang Sheng of Sheng Xian Tang and Jigong here today to be with us in this discussion. I hope that when Yang Sheng returns to Earth, he will do his utmost to persuade human beings to do meritorious and good deeds. The aim of Sheng Xian Tang is to help people and your members work very hard in this direction; they will eventually go to Paradise. I expect them to continue to work harder still.
Jigong:	Yang Sheng, quickly kneel down and thank Guan Shi Yin because she praises you and teaches you in the right direction.
Yang Sheng:	I thank you Guan Shi Yin for encouraging me. When I return to Earth, I will certainly tell the people what you have taught me.
Guan Shi Yin:	Very well, now let us start our discourse. From the beginning of Time, there has been endless series of births, deaths, and rebirths but although the body decays, the spirit is never destroyed. Although you are here, you still do not understand that even if the body is dead and decayed, your original spirit still exists. on Earth, there are such things as love, hatred, jealousy, ill-feeling etc all like a dream. This dreaming will continue forever, following the theory of cause and effect and unless it is stopped, it will stupefy human beings and the result will be continuous transmigration of souls - a series of deaths and re-births in various forms. Now, the world is undergoing changes. You will observe that nowadays, a newborn child is more enlightened, intelligent and active than one born many decades ago. This is the secret of Nature but this is like the flame of a candle when blown by the wind - anytime the flame can be extinguished. Therefore, because of assumed Smartness of people at present, their spiritual nature is self-exhausted and they do not stand to any reason at all, thus causing so much suffering and misunderstanding everywhere resulting in so much social disorder. Because of all these misdeeds on Earth, your sins follow your souls to Hades here. You must understand that if there is a body there must be a shadow. Do not be under the wrong impression that if there is no light, there is no shadow, but when it concerns your actions, the shadow is there whether there is light or not. However, if one has a "sinful thought", the sin is already recorded irrespective of whether it is actually committed or not. now that your souls are here in the Second Tribunal, it means that all of you still have some conscience left and have desire for penance. I hope that you will understandingly accept any punishment that will be imposed so that you sins can be atoned for. You must suffer in patience but I will be your savior. (Guan Shi Yin has finished speaking.)
Jigong:	Yang Sheng, quickly escort Guan Shi yin to the door.
Yang Sheng:	I obey you, Master. I thank Guan Shi Yin for her precious words of advice. (All souls kneel down. Many souls who were greatly influenced by the speech broke down and wept openly.)
Jigong:	By speaking and explaining to the souls in such a kind and persuasive manner, Guan Shi Yin, shows that she has a very kind and tender heart and love for the suffering. I, therefore entreat all human beings to understand that while they are still alive they must do good deeds and perform ascetic practices otherwise their souls will be sent here to Hades to undergo punishment and suffering in the Second Tribunal and to atone for their sins. It is much better to do good when still alive than for the soul to come here and suffer, it will be too late then. It is now time to return, as it is getting too late. Yang Sheng, please prepare to return.
General:	In case, I have not entertained you sufficiently, well, I request Jigong and Yang Sheng to forgive me.
Yang Sheng:	How can you ask me to forgive you? I am just a human being of the Earth and how can I forgive you. I would like to ask dear Master, why is there a special pulpit in every Tribunal, when can the soul attain spiritual perfection?
Jigong:	In every Tribunal, there is a special pulpit for preaching and discourse to the souls to rehabilitate them. these souls are then "tested" and if found that they have assimilated and profited through the preaching and discourse, they are promoted to a higher level for ascetic practices. Time is running out therefore stop asking anymore questions and prepare to return. We have now to thank General for entertaining us. We have now arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get out of the lotus flower platform, and soul return to Yang Sheng's body.