Voyages to Hell

translated by

Nguyen Khang & Bui H.Huu

CHAPTER 24

VISIT TO THE PRISON OF ARM-BATH WITH BOILING WATER

Buddha Tse Kong who manifested on January 23rd, 1977.  Year of the snake (1977) 

Robberies and crimes are the strings of vice
So is filthy lucre which will soon be worthless
As for heredity, preserve your ancestor’s values
Sad are the leaves fallen from its trees, undesired. 

Buddha Tse Kong:     There are hundred of occupations in this life. A proverb goes like this, “Endeavor is the mother of success”. If people made their living in all honesty, without breaking the laws of their country, there would be no starving human on earth. Unfortunately, there are people who make a dishonest living by stealing, cheating, plundering, and slaughtering. If the children of a family are ill-bred, who is to blame? It is sorrowful for the parents who devote themselves to the raising and educating of their children, and these at last turn out to be vagrants, hooligans, doing evil and destroying social security. These malefactors deserve death sentences. When alive, they boast of themselves as lords, adventurers, gang leaders, and they spoil the reputation of their parents. When dead, with crossed arms, they cower in a corner of hell’s prison. They are struck and insulted by the infernal guards. If humans are still unbelieving of such stories, I’m going to take Yang Ts’ien for a visit to these malefactors and he will see clearly. Yang Ts’ien, the picnic is to begin. Come up the dais. 

Yang Ts’ien:    Thank you, Master, for having enlightened me. Your teachings are useful for humans and touch them to the depth of their hearts. People used to ask me this question: suppose you are on a trip with me. Meanwhile, some people wish to call on you in a seance of spiritism. Could you double yourself to respond to their wish? Please, explain this matter to us, Master. 

TK:      Yes, that’s what the humans used to ask themselves. Now, I explain it to you in this way: a limpid pond reflects the moon just as a looking glass does. You can’t grasp the moon in the pond, can you? “As illusory and unreal as pretty flowers reflected in a mirror, or the moon reflected in water” goes a saying. The Buddhas have taught “the Buddhist law is infinite”. The Immortals said: “Psychic powers are limitless”. Buddhas and Immortals are emancipated beings who can transform themselves indefinitely. They are in heaven, just like the moon which reflects its image wherever water is available, in rivers and in oceans. Thus, it is said that the thousands of rivers have thousands of radiating moons, and the thousands of cloudless leagues of the sky are always the sky. The moon has a unique light, how can it divide itself so miraculously? It’s because it shines its light from above in the high, and gets united with the sun. If one exercises virtue, performs good deeds, and engages in the Great Way, just as the Temple of the Sages does, for instance, which exhorts the humans to do good, the words “Temple of the Sages” are engraved in the memory of many persons, just as the light of the moon is engraved in thousands of rivers. Take another example: you see the president of the Temple on a TV show. At the same time, thousands of other watchers see the same image as if there were thousands of presidents. That marvelous illusion is created by a common thought. If the humans want to conjure me up, they simply think of me, my heart and theirs are spiritually bonded, telepathy operates, and I am manifested in their hearts and before their eyes. They should know this fact. Tse Kong is but a single entity, but since I am up there in heaven, I can divide myself into thousands of Tse Kong, and am seen by thousands of people who have attachment to me. In the canonical books, it is written: “Don’t look elsewhere. The Buddha resides on Mount “Ling Chan”. Everyone has this Mount in himself. Let him concentrate upon that precious “Ling Chan Tower” (cranial psychic center) for his regeneration and enlightenment. Well, we shouldn’t delay our trip. Yang Ts’ien, on the dais. 

YT:      Let’s set off, Master. 

TK:      Destination! Let’s step down. 

YT:      Yes, Sir. Already I hear shrieks and wailing. Before me, a row of cells with the inscription “Prison of Arm-Bath with Boiling Water”. 

TK:      This prison belongs to the 4th Palace. 

YT:      A group of men have just come out. They must be the mandarin-governor and his personnel. We greet you, Excellency and Generals. Buddha Tse Kong and I are here to ask for your permission to visit your prison. I wish to receive much information from you. 

The Mandarin:    Welcome to you. I have received instructions from the King of Palace announcing your visit. Please excuse us for any negligence. 

TK:      We have been a little delayed at the Temple. Please forgive our tardy visit. Yang Ts’ien, go in with His Excellency for your observation. 

The Mandarin:     Please, follow me. 

YT:      Thank you, Excellency. This room is filled with steam of boiling water and resounds with deafening screams. The demons are drawing pailfuls of boiling water and pouring it on the arms of chain-bound sinners. The latter howl with fright and get whipped by other demons at each of their screams. The sight is disheartening. What sins did they commit? Among them, there are also teenagers. They are too young to suffer such torment. 

The Mandarin:     They committed in their life the sin of theft, and are now paying for it. I’ll call some of them here to relate their misdeeds. 

YT:      Very fine. I will interrogate them and write their stories in my book to serve as a warning for humans. 

The Mandarin:     I shall set three of them temporarily free. I command the first to tell his crimes to Mr. Yang Ts’ien. 

The sinner:    Aie, aie! Both of my hands are ulcerous. O, Master, save me, give me some ointment to soothe my pains. 

YT:      Yellow pus is seen trickling from his infected arms. Just like a rotten slice of pork. Give him some remedy, Master. 

TK:      Moderate your sympathy, will you? This man created a bad karma with his hands. For his wicked arms, no remedy is possible. 

The Mandarin:       Villainous animal! I forbid you to ask for help from whomever. Narrate your crimes, quickly! 

The sinner:      My parents were rich people, I had been brought up in easy circumstances. Being free from any type of work, I formed a gang with other idle boys, and we led a loose life in cafes or in the company of other gang members. I didn’t listen to the advice and scoldings of my parents who were at last forced to disown me. They had an announcement printed in the newspaper. I left the parental home, terribly discontent, and went to join and live with my companions, the vagrants and pirates. The latter taught me the profession of a pickpocket. Since then, I have practiced my trade in buses and crowded stations where I could make use of the skill of my “genius hands”. 

The Mandarin:     Filthy beast! I forbid you to use the term “genius”. You should say “monster’s hands”. 

The sinner:      Afterwards, as I found that stealing wallets was not lucrative enough, I began to break into apartments and buildings to steal more valuable objects. During my lifetime, I managed to steal millions of dollar worth of merchandise. One time I was surprised while stealing, chased and caught by the folks of the neighborhood who handed me over to the police. I was judged and sentenced to imprisonment. Upon my release from jail, I resumed my activities as a burglar, without thinking even once of repentance and regeneration. Finally, at the age of 41, I fell sick and died of a tumor, which is the consequence of my debauchery, of excess alcohol and sexual abuse. Another cause for my death was my disappointment to see none of my gang members at my sick-bed. The buffalo-headed and horse-faced demons escorted me to hell, thrashing me fiercely. After judgment and condemnation, I was told that my longevity had been reduced by 9 years. Now, I find any complaint useless, as I have to reap the bad karma of my crimes. 

The Mandarin:      It’s too late for you to repent. If you had known to convert since your discharge from prison, to behave honestly and do charitable acts to redeem your sins, you wouldn’t have been condemned to this prison after your death. In addition to your sin of theft, you committed the gravest sin of all, that is, filial impiety. This is what induced the King of Hell to condemn you to 32 years of imprisonment. You can’t do otherwise but try to endure the punishment and pay your debts. The second sinner will make his confessions to Mr. Yang Ts’ien. 

The sinner:      I dealt in the commerce of mechanical apparatuses and metals. In earlier years, I worked diligently and earned lots of money. And then, I gave myself up to debauchery, gambling, and prostitutes. I maintained a concubine and founded a home with her without the knowledge of my legitimate spouse. Later on, my business was failing, so I bought large quantities of hardware from two important firms in town and signed false checks for payment. I sold the merchandise, collected big amounts of money and took to my heels. On the date the payment was due, one director of the two firms who failed to cash his check, came to claim his money and lodged a complaint against me. After much search, the police found me in a friend’s house. They arrested me and I was condemned to imprisonment. After completion of my term, I collected all the money I had swindled which I had entrusted to an intimate girl friend for keeping. With this money, I could live an easy and tranquil life. My creditors, spiteful and infuriated, called me all kinds of names: rotten, heartless, and panderer. Six years ago, I became ill and died of debility of internal organs. Buffalo-headed and horse-faced demons escorted me to the King of the 2nd Palace. He insulted me, charged me of swindling, thieving, and gaining dishonest money, and condemned me first to the prison with the lake of mire, excrements and urine, then sent me to this prison of arm-bath with boiling water for having signed checks without sufficient cash, and used my faulty hands to harm other people. My concubine, who spent my foul earned money foolishly, is now condemned to another prison. After having served my time, I will be sent to the prison of reincarnation for additional lives as follows: in my first existence I will be handicapped, but well-gifted in industry. I will be employed by my creditor (reincarnated) whom I will help enrich with my talent while I will earn just enough to make ends meet. This, to pay for the karmic debts of my former life. In my second existence, I shall be the son of wealthy parents lacking conscience. I shall be born in a puny, sickly physique, and my wealthy parents will be ruined by the medical costs they will spend for my treatment. Day after day, I shall be given medicines and treated by a physician who will be one of my reincarnated creditors reclaiming his due. He is the physician of my karma. The people who become rich through dishonesty, and take other people’s money have to make compensation to their victims. In my case, I shall pay for medical fees to my karmic physician. The people in commerce must be honest in their dealings. If they gain their money dishonestly, they will not profit by it in their following life. Such is my case. It is too late to repent now. 

The Mandarin:      Vile beast! You exercised a foul commerce, and your wares now become dust. You have swindled other people’s money, and your hands will be empty in your next life. More than that, you have bequeathed a bad reputation to your descendants who will not dare look people in the face. This sinner has told of his sins in all frankness. No one is capable of escaping the justice of karmic law. After the judgment of the palace, your creditors were all honest people, and they will recover their due in future reincarnations. Marvelous are those karmic bonds among humans, which tie them together in the pattern of a cobweb. It is useless to speak of slipping through the karmic net. These examples serve as a warning for humans and exhort them to return to honesty. They should avoid creating bad karmas, which they induce by concentrating on their personal interests and ignoring the harm they can do to other people. It is not surprising to find so many people who keep complaining about their misfortunes in life. They simply don’t realize they are reaping what they sowed in their previous life. 

TK:      It’s growing late. I think the stories of these two sinners are enough. 

YT:      They are, indeed. But, Master, I would like to ask the Governor a question: where are they detained after their death, those pirates who slaughter and pillage and are condemned to death-sentence by human laws? 

The Mandarin:     We reserve special prisons, with more severe punishments, for those heavy sinners. We shall have you visit them next time. 

YT:      Thank you, Excellency and Generals for your information. We say goodbye and hope to see you soon. 

TK:      Come on the lotus dais. 

YT:      I am ready. We can go, Master. 

TK:      Here we come to the Temple. Come down and go back into your body.

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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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