Voyages to Hell

translated by

Nguyen Khang & Bui H.Huu

CHAPTER 13

VISIT TO THE BRIDGE OVER THE PIT OF SNAKES

AND TO THE BURNING DANCING GROUND

Buddha Tse Kong who manifested on September 19th, 1976. Leap year of the Dragon (1976)

Sinful souls, gone astray, gather beneath the bridge
Falling into the karmic net for not going straightway
They should have followed the right direction
Toward self-cultivation, good deeds to avoid dismay.

Buddha Tse Kong:    The disciples of the Temple of the Sages have recognized the path of truth and have converted to religious faith. In spite of pain and trouble, they persevere in their devotion, and this is a most encouraging sign. They have received an order from God to write a book on hell to educate humans. I am happy to participate in Yang Ts’ien’s sacred mission by accompanying him. 

Yang Ts’ien:   I express my deep gratitude for what you have taught me, Venerable Master. All of the disciples in the Temple of the Sages have been offering soul and body for the recovery of virtuous culture, by printing books to teach morality to men. I pray to God to provide protection and reduce the pains for my co-religionists. 

TK:      A devout religious person is always thwarted by obstacles. From the remotest of my hiding places, I have always tried to alter and soothe the scheme of the celestial mechanism in order to help you proceed with less discord. Now, we’re going to have a visit in hell. 

YT:      I’m on the dais, Master. 

TK:      Here we are. Get down. 

YT:      Where are we, Master? Why those unceasing wails, cries, and laments? Before us, there is a bridge. People walk on it. They slip and fall, uttering deafening cries. 

TK:      This Bridge is called “Bridge Over The Pit of Snakes”. Most of the dead have to pass over it. 

YT:      But it’s swinging terribly. One could say it’s a suspension bridge. Buffalo-headed and horse-faced demons are seen escorting sinful souls to the middle of the bridge, and pushing them off Why, it’s cruel! 

The General:  (guarding the bridge) I’ve just received a message from the Pontiff-King of the Underworld announcing the visit of living Buddha Tse Kong and the saint scribe Yang Ts’ien from the Temple of the Sages. Excuse me delay. 

TK:      Don’t mention it, General. We are ones who disturb you. 

The General:    Follow me, please. I’ll lead you to the bridge. 

YT:      I shall not come up. To look at it from below is enough. 

TK:      Come, come! The General will not push you, you know that. You have nothing to fear. 

YT:      So be it. But hold my hand securely, will you, Master? This bridge is swaying. I may fall. 

TK:      Of course, I’ll hold your hand. Let’s go! 

YT:      Mercy upon me! Here below, vipers and serpents are teeming. There are thousands and thousands of snakes of all kinds! I also see a dragon the size of a pillar. It is gaping its steel-like jaws, and sticking out its blood-red tongue. As soon as a man falls in the pit, the snakes rush and devour him in no time. The screams of the victims are horrible. I can’t stand it. Shall we go, Master? 

The General:  Calm down, Mr. Yang Ts’ien. Below this bridge is a pit full of venomous snakes. All those people with wicked hearts who misused other people’s money, or damaged young girls’ chastity, created scandal or intrigue, killed or caused disasters to others for amusement, have their entrails transformed into vipers, after their death. Sinful souls who reach this bridge are petrified and paralyzed, and two guards push down as prey for the serpents. The victims struggle to find a means of escape, but the dragon is there to snatch and crush them to shreds with its iron jaws. 

YT:      It’s frightful. The mere sight of those vipers is enough to make a timid man swoon at the middle of the bridge and fall into pit. Any push would be superfluous. He can’t control his senses, and falls down the way a ripe fruit does. 

TK:      Let’s walk to the other end. Today, there are too many sinful souls. They fill up the bridge, some crying, others lamenting; the sight is sickening. Well, it’s their own fault. They committed sins when alive, and now they are seen trembling and falling into the vipers’ jaws. 

YT:      Let’s hurry to the other end. I am chilled with fright. Now I know about the bridge over the pit of snakes. There is no banister to lean upon; the sinful souls, with numbed hands and tottering legs, have no strength left at the sight of the vipers. 

TK:      Your liver and your bile are too weak. I’m going to give you three of my soothing pills. Swallow them and you’ll regain your color, and you will stop perspiring. Say goodbye to the General. We are to go elsewhere. 

YT:      Your information is really interesting, General. We have to go. And thank you, General. 

The General:    Goodbye, gentlemen. 

YT:      I’m ready to follow you, Master. 

TK:      We have arrived. Get down. This prison, called “Prison with Burning Dancing-Ground”, was recently constructed. It is under the administration of the 2nd Palace. 

The Mandarin Governor:      My greetings to the living Buddha Tse Kong and to the saint scribe Yang Ts’ien. I’ve just received instructions from the Pontiff-King of the Underworld about your visit. Please come in. 

YT:      Please accept our thanks, Excellency. This hall is well-lit by a soft colourful light, and I hear the noise of feet jumping, accompanied by piercing shrieks and heart-rendering cries. May I ask you what it is about? 

TK:      The people detained in this prison were professional taxi-girls and inveterate dancers. Let’s go have a look. 

YT:      The house is full inside. I see men, young and old, decently dressed in western clothing, and young ladies in thin, gaudy silk gowns. There are also many foreigners of different nations and races. Each time they set their feet on the dancing ground, I see them bounce up, screaming at the top of their voices. All those couples are clinging to each other and they hop, and jump the best they can. May I ask who they are? 

The Mandarin:       Well, the women were professional dancers in their lifetime. They did not behave correctly and made dancing a means for illicit behavior. After they died, they were detained in this prison where they can enjoy the pleasure of dancing in hell. The difference here is that the dancers don’t have the same feelings of ecstasy and self-satisfaction nor the rapture of enjoying feminine beauty and bewitching perfume as they did before, in the living world. In this prison, the dance floor is made of iron heated to a high temperature which produce a red glow. The men and women setting their feet on it bounce and gambol pitifully while roaring with pain. They had enjoying such a good time in their dancing nights on earth. It’s quite normal for them to dance here, in hell. They don’t have to give up their amusement for yore. The soles of their feet are roasted on the dance floor, swelling and putrefying. They are doing wonderful dance-steps. 

YT:      You have repeated the teachings of morality, Excellency. If people adore dancing when in life, they can dance to their heart’s content when in death. Justice is done. But there is one thing to notice: as times change, vogues change accordingly. By itself, dancing is no crime. It is also an exercise to preserve one’s body and spirit. Now, if ever dancer is to come here for chastisement, don’t you think the laws of hell are unjust! 

The Mandarin:      I said it. Not every dancer has to come here. Only those people are punished who dance in debauchery, not as a means for exercise, but rather for enjoying women’s beauty are punished. Those young women who adore mundane flirtations, offering their bodies to the embraces and caresses of men and gaining foul money; those who accept offers after dancing, to go to hidden dens for fornication; also those young girls who disobey their parents by frequenting ill reputed amusement-houses and spending whole nights dancing and forgetting themselves in lust and love games. On the other hand, for the practice of good style of dance, choreography, ballet, and quadrille, for instance, for the sake of fortifying the body and spirit, or for esthetics, this prison is not for them. In a word, the detainees are lustful people and had elements of immorality. I advise the human beings to reserve their money and health for wholesome entertainment, if they want to avoid dancing on this burning dance floor. 

YT:      Well said, Excellency. As fashions change with time, one should adopt them with lucidity. We have our methods of strengthening our bodies, and foreigners in various nations have their own. Only detained in hell is the people who take advantage of dancing for dishonest acts. 

TK:      Time is up, Yang Ts’ien. Well, I appreciate your hurry up to the lotus dais, Yang Ts’ien. Yang Ts’ien, the dais. 

YT:      I’m coming. My sincere thanks to you, Excellency. 

TK:      Here is the Temple…. Come down, son. Your body is waiting.

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CONTENTS

Forward
Introduction
Preface
Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Celestial Edict
Postface

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