CHAPTER 50VISIT TO THE LIMB-CHOPPING PRISON Buddha
Tse Kong who manifested on March 6th, 1978 Year of the Horse (1978)
Buddha
Tse Kong: If a flower doesn’t wither, and its petals don’t
detach from the calyx, the pistil can’t become a grain of seed. The
Tao which leads man to his original source, is akin to his phenomenon.
One thing is lost, another is formed. It’s the law of metempsychosis.
Alone, a sudden death is unforeseen and irreversible. When a baby-boy
and a baby-girl play together, no sensual desire is roused, because
their celestial nature is ingenuous and immaculate. The genuine nature
granted by God is perfectly white and stainless. So is the celestial
nature of God and Buddhas. Adult persons are entirely different. Their
hearts are filled with blind passions, and as soon as a man and woman
get close together, they will be attracted to each other. This behavior
is similar to the phenomenon of fructification: the flower fades and
becomes the fruit; the fruit contains a kernel, which develops into a
plant that will flower again and become the fruit, and the process keeps
being repeated. The same succession proceeds from birth to death, then
from death to rebirth, and man is chained to a cycle of transmigrations.
A virtuous man who cultivates himself toward spiritual perfection,
should know how to preserve the original vital essence granted to him.
He should not waste it through intemperance of carnal pleasures that
will trap him into wedlock and indefinite karmic debts. If he begins to
invest now, he will make profit later on. He will not be burdened by any
karma, when reaching his old age. I hope that human beings will grasp
this truth. Yang
Ts’ien: The
heat is simply suffocating. My
head is incompletely wet with sweat. TK:
Sweat is the excretion of water. A regenerated man doesn’t
progress on the path of the Tao, if he doesn’t work hard for it. YT:
What do you mean by that, Master? TK:
Well, when one has a mouth and knows how to keep quiet, then one
will gradually understand the profound meanings hidden behind the
teachings. Now, no more talking, son. Let’s go to hell. YT:
At your request. TK:
Here we arrive. Come down the dais. YT:
It’s pretty cold in hell. What a difference between the
climates of the two worlds. TK:
Naturally, the living world belongs to the Yang. Hell is Yin.
It’s a predisposed law. YT:
What a company! There are some infernal guards escorting the
sinful souls, and also that group of men and horses! TK:
True. Tonight, we’re going to visit the small
“Limb-Chopping” Prison. They are the Mandarin-Governor and the
Generals. Let’s greet them! YT:
I am Yang Ts’ien, disciple of the Temple of the Sages in Tai
Chu. May I solicit some informations from you? The
Mandarin: You are
both welcomed. The merits of your temple are so worthy. Once being
completed, the book of “Voyages to Hell” will be printed and offered
free to the public as an admonition to mankind. This is an unparallel
masterpiece, even surpassing that of Hiuan-Tsou (a predecessor master).
Wickedness will subside and divine blessings will prevail. The secrets
of hell will be revealed in the book, which is a matchless piece of work
whose value will last through the ages. It is not easy to fulfill such
an assigned goal. Please, follow me to the Limb-Chopping Prison. YT:
Thank you, Excellency. Already, I hear the resounding cries and
laments of the detainees. But look! This prison is exactly the pattern
of an execution-ground in the world. The sinful soul is forced to kneel.
The demon-guard, with a cutlass, chops his left arm off his body. The
victim emits a heart-rending howl. A second stroke removes his right
arm, the soul falls unconscious. His legs are also chopped into two
stumps. Blood flows abundantly, spilling all over. I am not in the mood
for looking at this sickening spectacle. Can you tell me, Excellency,
what crime this soul committed to endure such a frightful punishment? The Mandarin: The limb-chopping punishment is extremely painful and terrible. Many people were born to the world with arms and legs of perfect beauty. However, they don’t utilize their limbs for doing well. Reverse, they use them exclusively for harming and killing other people. After their death, they have been judged and punished in several prisons before they are transferred to ours for ultimate punishment. Most of them are disloyal elements, children being ungrateful towards their parents, mercenarier, thieves, who had killed many people with their hands, using daggers, guns, or pens, or struck people with their fists and feet. They were engaged deeply in crime and never tried to change. Upon their death, they were judged and punished by other prisons of hell and are now suffering the last punishment of our palace. TK:
The terrestrial world is presently teeming with robbers and
thieves. In addition to robbery and theft, they are disputing honors,
riches, wares, estates, women, and they don’t hesitate to destroy
those who oppose their greed. Disgraceful actions occur place everyday,
as regularly as daily meals. Those who disregard their country’s laws
and have the habit of swindling and plundering will have their arms
chopped off by the guards of hell. Also their legs will be chopped off,
the outlaws who belittle morality, go beyond the authorized limits and
refuse to submit to laws and regulations; also speculators who take
illegal action for the sake of their gain. All these sinners will have
their legs chopped off by the demon-guards. It is quite late. Our visit
to the Limb-Chopping Prison is sufficient as it is. The
Mandarin: The
majority of living beings don’t believe in the existence of hell. Why
don’t they simply come to a jail on earth to see the detained
criminals, thieves and robbers with their own eyes? These fellows prefer
by-ways to straight roads. Instead of making three steps, they prefer
making one. How could they do so without stumbling and falling? With a
single mouth, they try to swallow two tangerines at a time. It’s not
surprising that they suffocate and choke. Well, gentlemen, I
congratulate you for your merits in writing the book. I shall be
delighted with another visit of yours. YT:
We have to say goodbye, Excellency and Generals. Thank you so
much. The Mandarin: Stand in line for the farewell salute. |
CONTENTS |
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