| Jigong: |
Human beings must understand that life is not
forever. The biggest and tallest buildings are only for the temporary
shelter of people because people cannot live forever; if one's limb
become stiff, i.e. life is extinct, the children will have to remove the
body to another place. In China's Yangtse Rive the waves behind push the
waves in front into the sea; so likewise, in society the elders must
make way for the youngsters. Therefore, this awakening of reality must
be present and must be pretty soon and so, everyone must try to do good
deeds at the earliest opportunity. Today, we must prepare to tour Hades.
Yang Sheng, get up on the lotus flower platform.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Yes, Sir. I can hear loud prayers coming from
a nearby temple - prayers for the souls of the dead.
|
| Jigong: |
These prayers are intended to awaken human
beings but those who are dead cannot return. We are touring Hades.....
we have arrived; Yang Sheng, get down.
|
| Officer: |
Welcome to you, Jigong and Yang Sheng, for
visiting us today. This Prison is called "Pulling-Out-Tongue and
Piercing- Cheek" Small Prison and is under the control of the
Seventh Tribunal. Both of you, Deities have received the Order to write
the Book, Diyu Youji. The honor is very great and we extend to you our
respects.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Officer, you praise me too highly and I don't
think I am worthy to receive your praise. The purpose of writing this
Book is all through the efforts of our dear Master and it is our duty to
give full support and my humble thanks to go to all of you Officers
here. Today, we come to this Prison and I beg you to kindly afford us
the fullest facilities.
|
| Officer: |
It is my duty to assist in every way; so
therefore follow me inside.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Thanks a lot..... We are now outside the
Prison gate, the guards line up to receive us. Inside this Prison, I can
hear voices wailing loudly. The soldiers of Hades are using iron hooks
to prise open the mouths to pull out the tongues of sinful souls who
immediately scream loudly. Then the soldiers of Hades, using sharp
knives sever the extracted tongues; fresh red blood oozes out splashing
on the chests of the victims. Then the soldiers use sharp iron augers to
pierce through the cheeks and tie the heads backwards to iron poles. At
first the souls moan in pain and then faint. This kind of punishment is
really very terrible.
|
| Officer: |
The tongue is connected to the heart and when
the tongue is cut off, the heart, feels very painful. With this
punishment the hands and legs begin to tremble, and urine and dung are
forced out from inside.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
It is but right that sinners must be punished
here but I don't know for what type of sins these sinful souls are being
to punished?
|
| Officer: |
All these sinful souls are brought here
because their mouths have no morality. I can call up a few of them so
that you can have a talk with them and publish their stories in your
Book to advise human beings to do good.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Thank you very much, Officer, for your help.
|
| Officer: |
Some sinful souls are here for you, Yang Sheng
to interview.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Can I ask, Old Lady, why are you sent here to
undergo such suffering?
|
| 1st Soul: |
I did not commit any great sin. It's just my
mouth was discourteous when I was alive, nothing serious.
|
| Jigong: |
Your mouth and tongue killed people, wasn't it
a sin? If you don't tell your story, you will be punished more.
|
| 1st Soul: |
Very well then, I'll tell the truth. When I
was alive, I was of a very jealous nature, very often setting variance
and intrigue, causing trouble to families and setting one member of
family against another. I also caused older folks to be left uncared for
in the family. Truly, I was not a very bad person.
|
| Officer: |
You can be considered a 'long-tongued'
(long-winded) woman on Earth. Being a woman, you failed to cultivate the
morality of your mouth, you caused trouble in families and also, you
liked to smoke heavily and drink intoxicating liquor. Very often when
speaking, you did not observe politeness and decorum and liked to shout
loudly. Sometimes you liked to whisper at the ears of men-folk, often
talking things which were unlawful and indecent. In this way, you had a
poisonous tongue which deserves your tongue to be cut off to make you
dumb and not talk too much thus making you realize that you should
cultivate morality of your mouth.
|
| Jigong: |
A poisonous tongue is very much like a sharp
knife. In this Prison, the majority of the sinful souls belong to the
female species because females like to talk, whisper and instigate and
also they have a petty mind. Some females are not, in the least, gentle;
they speak loudly, offending people without realizing. Such females when
they die, the Ox-head-horse-faced soldiers of Hades will sever their
tongues. I hope that female will be more gentle and kind-hearted.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Can I ask you, Mister, what sins did you
commit on Earth that you should be sent to this Prison to be punished?
|
| 2nd Soul: |
When I was alive, I had a very bad temper.
When I came across incidents which I did not like, or heard anything
which I detested, I let off a string of abuses, not caring for honored
personalities, or elderly people, or other people's ancestors or those
of the gentler sex. I used obscene language to lash out. In fact, other
than the above, I did not do any other evil deeds. After I died, Tai
Shan Wang scolded me saying that I had a dirty mouth which was
evil-smelling. He sentenced me to this Prison to have my tongue severed
and my cheeks pierced. I am now in great pain! I hope people on Earth
will not follow my bad example.
|
| Officer: |
People say that a wound caused by a knife is
easy to heal, butt one caused by a slander is very hard to heal. When a
person starts to scold, his eyes are not aware of his surroundings; he
tends to be uncouth, impolite and insulting and not considering the five
aspects of human relationships*. This in itself is a very great sin;
especially those who embark on ascetic practices, when they speak, they
must respect reason and truth, otherwise they cannot succeed in ascetic
practices and when they die, their souls will also be sent to this
Prison.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Can I ask this Reverend Mister if you some
here to chant prayers?
|
| 3rd Soul: |
Amitabha. Chanting bitter prayers, chanting
bitter prayers! When I was alive, I was greatly respected Buddhism and
entered the monkhood. At first, I was very interested in reading the
Scriptures and I wrote many Buddhist books and went out to preach
Buddhism. Very often, I criticized other religions, saints and deities
saying that they were not the true religion and therefore, should not be
worshipped or followed. Those who heard my preaching believed me and
stopped worshipping their original religions, etc. Some resorted to
slander. When I died, my soul was tied up and I had no means of escape.
Oh!, I suddenly realized my wrong preaching because so many saints and
deities came to tie me up, saying that my slandering sins were great.
They dragged me to Hades not allowing me to go to Western Paradise. I
now beg Master Jigong to help me out.
|
| Jigong: |
You silly fool! Lord Buddha does not have such
disciples like you. The Laws and Doctrine of Buddha aim at equality.
Although deities and saints reside in different localities and at
different periods, yet the main purpose is to help humanity. There is
one group of ascetic practitioners, who although they are not up to the
mark, boas that they are very perfect; they write books which harp on
their partial views, other distort the true meaning of the Scriptures,
all confusing other religious beliefs. These sins are totally
unpardonable. I hope that religious teachers, monkhood and ascetic
practitioners will realize the true purpose of such religious practices,
i.e., primarily to understand your heart which will lead you to
understand your spirituality. You should not teach to upset other
religious beliefs. Now, everyday you chant the bitter prayers; this is
to let you taste, for yourself, the damages you had done when when you
were alive. Time is up, Yang Sheng, prepare to return.
|
| Officer: |
In case we failed to entertain you
sufficiently well, I hope you both will kindly excuse us. All Generals,
line up and say goodbye.
|
| Yang Sheng: |
Thank you, Officer and
Generals, we have to return. Dear Master, I'm safely seated on the lotus
flower platform;
We can start.....
|
| Jigong: |
We have arrived at Sheng Xian
Tang.
Yang Sheng, get down.
Soul, return to your body.
|
Note:*
| 1.
parents/children, |
2. husband/wife, |
3.
brothers/sisters |
| 4. friendship
and |
5.
government/citizenship |
|
|
|
|
|
