CHAPTER 53VISIT TO THE PRISON WITH BITING AND DRILLING VIPERS Buddha
Tse Kong who manifested on April 19th, 1978. Year of the horse (1978)
Buddha
Tse Kong: Paradise grants admission only to the
people who have learned the Tao and accumulated good actions and great
merits, that is the honest and sincere persons. Hell, on the other hand,
is ready to give hospitality to dishonest elements, wicked persons,
scoundrels and swindlers. Because of these two opposing features, heaven
and hell don’t have the same type of visitors. In other word, the
gambler will be attracted to visit a gambling place. But a person of
different taste like you, will not be concerned about gambling. In hell,
that person who has no interest in gambling will not be allowed to cross
the “Lake of Lightning and Thunder”. And the genius-guardian will
not permit him to even make a step to visit the place. Therefore, if you
have no interest in gambling, then you will never follow the path to
which the inveterate gamblers are rushing. Let’s prepare for another
tour to hell. Come on the lotus dais, son. Yang
Ts’ien: Order
executed, Master. Ready for departure. TK:
Here we are. Disembark. YT:
What place is this? TK:
Do you see the Mandarin-Governor and his staff who are coming in
our direction? They are the dignitaries of the prison with biting and
drilling vipers. YT:
My respectful salutation to his Excellency and to the Generals. The
Mandarin: I received the order to meet our guests
of honor. Would you mind coming in, gentlemen? YT:
Your hearty welcome touches me greatly, Excellency. Let’s come
in right away. Mercy upon me! All those snakes creeping along the
ground! The spectacle provides an alarming terror to those who see it.
Coiling, stretching, interweaving, red and purple snakes, each one is
the size of an arm. They aim at the sinners’ mouths to bite and crawl
down the throats, enter deeper inside the sinners’ bodies and
perforate and outlet at the navel. Some of the sinners have holes all
over their bodies, and fresh blood is gushing out of the gaping holes.
Pale-looking, they fall unconsciously to the ground. Moans and
high-pitched screams are deafening. The spectator feels electrified with
all his limbs trembled with horror. May I ask what crimes the sinners
have committed? The
Mandarin: This prison is given the name of
“Bitting and Drilling Vipers”. Inside is a multitude of red and
purple vipers. They don’t excavate the earth for a refuge, but prefer
to drill into the mouths and umbilicus’s of the sinful souls. Hence
comes the name of the drilling vipers. All those people who, in their
life, didn’t behave uprightly and didn’t obey the law, who were
corrupt or guilty of misuse of money and bribery, who appropriated
public properties, who did harm to other people in order to satisfy
their greed for money, in brief, all those whose hearts were as cruel as
vipers have to suffer this punishment. Those who created misfortune for
others, acted fraudulently, sowed hatred and dissension among men,
killed other people while hiding their weapons, sharpened their daggers
for an ulterior vendetta, are to be punished here. In our time, many
contractors building public edifices and private houses seek to exploit
the workmanship, and steal building materials, which may cause
catastrophes in the future. They are like the snakes digging their lairs
underneath the earth. They are despicable men. After their death, they
not only suffer the chastisements of other places, but are also sent
here for complementary punishment. YT:
For torment, this must be one of the most dreadful ones! Are
there other categories of sinners to come here and suffer? The
Mandarin: I only list a number of the most severe
sins. Sins are multiform and the sinners are judged after their
particular cases. TK:
The people who love to dig the small hole with a sharp
buffalo’s horn certainly get little done. What can they get after all?
Man’s life is so transient. Why don’t they simply live in good
conscience instead of using their know-how to pursue dishonest gains?
Look at those sinful souls being led to torture! They stagger, wail,
moan, and suffer indescribable pains. It’s a heart-breaking sight. I
hope that human beings will discontinue using buffalo’s horn, after
reading the book “Voyages to Hell”. Otherwise, they will be like and
eel-catcher who stretches his arm to rummage for an eel, but touches a
venomous snake which bites his hand. Isn’t he trapping himself to
death? Our visit is long enough. Sweet home is waiting, Yang Ts’ien. YT:
Your explanations are excellenct. They help us greatly. Now, we
must take leave. The
Mandarin: Muster
your men, generals, for the farewell salute. |
CONTENTS |
|