CHAPTER 35FOURTH VISIT TO THE PRISON OF HEART-WRENCHING Buddha
Tse Kong who manifested on July 16th, 1977. Year of the Snake
Buddha
Tse Kong: Hooligans and vagabonds don’t want to work as
honest people do. They take gambling as an occupation and a means of
living. As thick as thieves they set a trap for the candid folks to fall
into and get pitifully ruined. Recently, many cases of robbery and
murder took place in Central Taiwan. They were the consequences of
gambling, because the gamblers, willy-nilly, will fall upon the path of
sin. Sooner or later, they will become thieves or bandits and the road
to prison become inevitable. Gambling has ruined many people, and is the
root of much evil caused to society. Humans should discontinue gambling
and avoid attracting regrettable consequences. Adultery and gambling are
two grave sins that receive equal punishment. In hell, souls committing
these two sins are crying and moaning terrifyingly. Yang Ts’ien, I’m
going to have you visit the 16 cells of the heart-wrenching prison so
you can personally see these sinners. Come quickly on the dais. Yang
Ts’ien: I’m
ready, Master. We can start. TK:
We’re arrived. Come down, son. YT:
The streets of hell sound more animated this time. Why so? TK:
It’s the festival of “Amnesty for the Trespassed” on the
15th of the 7th lunar month. In the terrestrial world, people give
offerings to the roving souls on the 15th and 16th days of the 7th
month. The souls with slight sins are allowed to get out of their
prisons for receiving alms. YT:
So, that’s why. I see the Mandarin-Governor coming from a
distance to welcome us. The
Mandarin: Welcome
to you, gentlemen. It’s the festival of “Amnesty for the
Trespassed” today. The atmosphere is quite noisy and tumultuous around
here. I hope you don’t mind. TK:
Don’t worry about that, Excellency. We hope to receive your
assistance and that of the generals and officers as well. The
Mandarin: You
are carrying out a holy mission of God. Your achievements and merits are
great. It is our duty to render you service. Shall we come inside for
observation? YT:
Thank you, Excellency. In the prisons, the sinful souls are
yelling and groaning terribly. TK:
All of the souls detained in the heart- wrenching prison are
grave sinners, therefore, they aren’t eligible to benefit from the
amnesty and can’t go to receive the offerings of the living world. The
Mandarin: I
have brought two sinful souls who will tell you the crimes of their
life. (to the souls) Listen! These are the living Buddha Tse Kong and
his disciple Yang Ts’ien, from the Temple of the Sages. They received
the order of God to gather information in hell for the preparation of a
book that serves as a moral guide for humans. You are ordered to declare
what you did in your terrestrial life. The
soul: At your
request. When I was living, my work required me to travel. Local inns
were my residence, and casual women were my companions. After a short
period of time, I became a passionate gambler. At first, I gambled out
of curiosity, but in the long run, gambling became an addiction, and I
couldn’t live without it. If I missed one day going to gambling-dens,
I felt nervous and worried. I was so addicted to gambling that. I became
a ruffian of gaming-houses. I earned much money but lost all of it in
gambling and had to borrow large amounts from my companions. I totally
ignored my family. At the age of 43, I died in a motorcycle accident.
The infernal guards led me to hell where I was told that my longevity
was curtailed by five years. I had to pass from the 1st to the 4th
Palace for investigation, and finally, I was imprisoned in the 5th
Palace. The King was furious and condemned me to 15 years in the
heart-wrenching prison. Here, because of gambling, my passionate heart
is extracted day after day, and the suffering is beyond expression. I
hope that humans are careful not to follow my example. Hell abhors
gamblers, and the King of the 5th Palace used to precede every judgment
by an order to give the gambling a hundred blows by clubs. It’s really
humiliating and painful. With our hands injured, we suffer and cry
mournfully. O! Buddha Tse Kong! I pray you! Come to my rescue! TK:
The people of your caliber don’t have a heart. Don’t count on
my help. I can’t do anything for you. You must try to tolerate the
pain. The
Mandarin: Your
supplications are of no use. No one can save you. If you can’t
eliminate your passion for gambling, I shall even send you to the
hand-roasting torment. Your sin of gambling has created a bad karmic for
you. You cannot blame either God, or your fellow-creatures. Now, you,
the second soul, narrate the misdeeds of your life. The
female soul: There are a lot of people around here. I blush
while making my declarations. I was a married woman, but because of my
lustful nature, I got involved in clandestine relationships with the
youths of my neighborhood. I committed adultery with five young men,
totally without the knowledge of my husband. At the age of 54, I died of
a stroke. My soul was arrested by the white-and-black demons of hell,
and led to the Mirror Revelator of Past Crimes to witness the images of
my contemptible actions. I was forced to confess on the spot, unable to
deny before such irrefutable proof. After that, I was sent to the 5th
Palace and imprisoned in the heart-wrenching jail for 20 years. My heart
is cut out each day, and the suffering is unbearable. It’s too late
for me to repent now. I pray you, Buddha Tse Kong, to intercede with the
King of the 5th Palace and obtain some grace for me. TK:
As a married woman, you should have been loyal to your husband.
But you did commit the sin of adultery and deviated from the good path.
I really can’t do anything for you. The
Mandarin: Don’t
budge an inch for her, Venerable Buddha Tse Kong. She had been a sensual
woman, so her heart, full of carnal pleasures, must be cut out in
conformity with the karmic law, which dictates like cause and effect. In
her lifetime, she committed odious sins without a shadow of remorse. Had
she known to repent and amend with prayers to Buddha, she could have
been forgiven. Unfortunately, she didn’t show any sign of intent for
amendment, even after her death. It is impossible to provide her some
amnesty. TK:
Your words are reasonable, Excellency. All those who committed
the sins of gambling and lewdness may repent of their wrong doing, and
return to the right path by doing good actions, or by printing and
distributing the volumes of “Voyages to Hell”. They will obtain
pardon for their sins. Yang Ts’ien, it’s time for going home. YT:
At your request, Master. My
best thanks to His Excellency and to the Generals. Goodbye. The Mandarin: Troop-mustering for salute to our visitors. |
CONTENTS |
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