CHAPTER 38VISIT TO THE PRISON OF DRIVER-TEACHING Buddha
Tse Kong who manifested on September 6th, 1977. Year of the Snake
Buddha
Tse Kong: Summer goes and autumn comes with its chilly breeze
bringing colder weather. Humans have their warm clothes made, and the
birds’ feathers grow. The four seasons follow each other in rotation.
Man recalls the time from his childhood to the present old age with warm
memories of children and grand-children. His eyes are now dimmed with
his hands trembling and his legs tottering. He regrets his time of youth
that has gone for good, and now realizes that his life is but a dream.
Humans therefore should not waste their time, because “a bygone second
is equivalent to a reduced decimeter of one’s longevity”. They
should be converted as quickly as possible to religion, and engage in
spiritual perfection to become honest citizens and good spiritual
followers. Then, after their death, they will be free from hell. If they
happen to pass by hell, they will be as visitors rather than miserable
prisoners. Time for departure, Yang Ts’ien. Up to the dais. Yang
Ts’ien: Venerable
Master, which prison we will visit tonight? TK:
I won’t say anything ... You’ll know later. YT:
I am ready, Master. TK:
The trip is done. Come down. YT:
Dear Master, why did you land on the slope of this mountain? From
this place, I hear ear-splitting screams as if somebody is being
slaughtered or tortured. On the path before us, I see infernal guards
escorting some sinful souls. Shall we follow them? TK:
The purpose of our visit
tonight is to inspect a prison on the slope of this mountain. Yes,
let’s go. YT:
We are behind them now. They turn back to greet us. I wonder what
crime these souls have committed? TK:
Most of these souls were automobile-drivers or motorcycle riders.
They were surnamed the “knights of the road” as they caused deadly
accidents in their lifetime. They are condemned here now. YT:
If I am not mistaken, all of these reckless drivers were already
sentenced when alive. Aren’t they exempt from the punishment of hell? TK:
The laws of hell punish every destroyer of human life. We’re
coming to the door of the prison. Just wait a moment for inquiring after
the mandarin-governor. YT:
The prison-door is right ahead with two guards on duty. Above the
door, is a sign reading “Prison of Driver Teaching”. His Excellency
and the generals are coming to welcome us. TK:
Yang Ts’ien, let’s go greet them. YT:
My reverences to His Excellency and to the Generals. Tonight, my
Master and I pay you this visit in the hope of gathering information for
writing a book. We hope to be granted your assistance. The
Mandarin: Don’t
be ceremonious, Mr. Yang Ts’ien. Would you mind coming inside for
observation? YT:
Excellency, which gate provide entry to your prison? The
Mandarin: The 6th.
In principle, every driver, regardless of automobile or motorcycle, who
causes accidental death or injury to the victims is condemned in this
prison after death. Please, come farther in. TK:
Thank you, Excellency. YT:
The sinful souls are grouped in large numbers on the slope of the
mountain, at a rugged and muddy path. They are restraining with all
their might the heavily-loaded antique carts that speed down the slope.
The alley is very narrow, providing passage for just two crosswise
carts. The slightest lack of care causes the carts to overturn and drag
the souls down to the ravines on either side of the alley. Very slowly,
the souls try to brake the swift descent of the carts with their heavily
torn feet from where blood is flowing on the ground. Some of the souls,
for lack of caution, overturn their carts and tumble down to the abyss.
Some others are moaning atrociously, lying under the pressure of their
loaded carts, because they tripped. Others again are run over by their unmanageable
carts and blood is flowing profusely. This is quite an
ingenious punishment, but its effect is appalling. TK:
When living, people often were imprudent and caused accidents
that killed many victims. They will have the role of victims of
accidents in hell. The laws of karma is quite explicit. The
Mandarin: I gave the order to bring some sinful
souls to narrate to Mr. Yang Ts’ien the accidents they caused on
earth. YT:
Thank you very much, Excellency. The
Mandarin: Here they come. (to the souls)
Tell Buddha Tse Kong and Mr. Yang Ts’ien about the accidents you
caused in your life. This will serve as a warning for the living people. The
soul: I was a bus-conductor for a transport
company. One day, I ran over a small girl at the turning of the road.
Because of my recklessness, my company had to pay for the damages, and I
was dismissed. After my death, I was sentenced to one year in this
prison. Everyday, I have to learn how to drive a cart, from the top to
the bottom of the mountain, using my two feet as brakes. I must exert
great effort to steer the cart to its destination. With some hundred
trips up-and-down I feel exhausted in body and spirit. I suffer
enormously from my swollen, wounded, stinking feet. The
Mandarin: (to the 2nd soul) How about you?
What did you do? The
soul: I
was a taxicab-driver. One night, when I was drunk, I drove at high speed
and ran over a pedestrian while trying to overtake another car. After my
death, I was led before the King of Hell who reprimanded, “you had to
abstain from alcoholic beverages when you drove a car. You considered a
man’s life as a toy, and this is the reason you are condemned a
man’s life as a toy, and this is the reason you are condemned to this
prison where you will learn how to drive”. Daily, I suffer from
atrocious pains. Alternately, I am pressed, and bumped by my cart. My
feet are miserable and the pains render me as scrawny as the stem of a
reed. I hope that the drivers on earth will be cautious at their wheels
and when getting drunk, they must never drive a car to minimize
the accidents. If not, they will go to hell and have to suffer
painfully. The
Mandarin: (to the 3rd) Your turn now. The
soul: I was a merchant in my life. Everyday, I
made deliveries of goods with my motorcycle. I had the habit of driving
at high speed and paid little attention to traffic regulations. One day,
I hit a pedestrian, causing him wounds on the head, and I was injured,
too. We were both carried to hospital, I had a fracture of the leg, and
he had a broken cerebral nerve. I was hospitalized for six months, while
he suffered from permanent nerve-disorder. I had to pay him a large
amount for indemnification. After my death, I was led to the 6th Palace.
The King-Judge condemned me to 3 years of imprisonment. The torment is
almost unbearable. The
Mandarin: Now, these three souls have acted as
witnesses. The automobile drivers must take these cases as examples.
They should drive prudently for their own safety as well as for other
people, then they will be spared from the punishment in hell after their
death. For cases of unpremeditated accidents of death or injury, the
sins are less grave. As for the accidents caused by those drunkards who
drive at top speed, who disregard the traffic rules and underestimate
the value of man’s life, their sins are intolerable and they must be
purged in hell. Drivers are also advised to never run away after causing
an accident. They must have the courage to accept their responsibility,
to preserve the precepts of morality, in order to obtain some mitigation
of their pain in hell. TK: Just like a driving-school on earth, this prison was recently constructed to teach the detainees the fundamental of driving properly. Here they have to strictly observe the rules of the road, and dare not exceed the speed limit, lest a single false step should create an accident of which they are the victims. We advise the terrestrial drivers to be alert, to respect human life as a possession of God, and to avoid drinking and driving at fast speeds. If they transgress the regulations, they will be condemned here after their death. Time is growing short, Yang Ts’ien. Let’s go home. |
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