CHAPTER 55VISIT TO THE 10TH PALACE INTERVIEW WITH THE KING OF THE REINCARNATION PALACE Buddha
Tse Kong who manifested on May 9th, 1978. Year of the Horse
Buddha
Tse Kong: Up to now, we have visited nine palaces of
hell, and we’re going to visit the 10th one. The book “Voyages to
Hell” is coming to its conclusion. The 10th Palace is the site of the
Reincarnation-Wheel, where the souls will be sent to an unknown place,
as fuzzy and indefinite as doom. They are all in a semi-conscious state
and are unable to discern the east from the west, the north from the
south. That is why man on the earth is so inquisitive about his previous
life. And the spiritual adept must look for his origin. If people have a
ready answer to this question and know about their origin, then there
will be no need for spiritual regeneration leading to enlightenment. Get
ready, son. The lotus dais is now waiting for us. Yang
Ts’ien: Just
as a moment, Master. Some of my acquaintances want to print the
“Voyages to Hell” and give them free to the people. Before the
distribution is made, they have to address prayers to the genii of the
kitchen. But instead of the antique brickbat-trivet which used to be the
residence of the genii, the households of today are cooking their meals
on stoves and cooking-ranges. Then, what should they do? TK:
Men’s dwellings have changed from tiny thatched cottages to
large buildings of concrete and stone, but it’s not because of this
reason that the genii of the kitchen doesn’t exist. This is only the
matter of upgrading one’s kitchen. In ancient times, the kitchens were
dirty, with plenty of soot, smoke and ashes, and the genii of the
kitchen did not even refuse to reside in the households. Food has always
been prepared in the kitchen, and it is indispensable for the
maintenance of man’s life. As goes a dictum, “wherever smoke exists,
men exist”. Our forefathers used to estimate the native density of a region with the
words “smoke and inhabitants”. The function of the genii of the
kitchen is to watch over man’s life and man’s food provision which
is granted by God. The brickbat-trivet of yore and the cooking range of
today are analogous because they all must use fire as the means to cook.
For this reason, the genii of the kitchen has also been named as “the
Lord of the Vital Essence and of the Virtuous Fire”. In the olden
days, man used petrol to light the lamp but nowadays, we use the switch
to turn the light on and off. Even though the material means has been
upgraded, the presence of the genii and the Immortals don’t cease to
manifest in the sacred places such as in the churches or the pagodas.
Sciences may progress indefinitely, and modern architecture may
construct multi-storied skyscrapers, but man’s intuitive cognition
remains unchanged. Saints and genii are always by our side, and the
genii of the kitchen is always there, in front of us. YT:
Your explanation is quite clear. The households’ style may
change completely but rice, bread, salt, oil and vinegar are as
necessary now as they were several centuries ago. I am now on the dais,
Master. TK:
Here we are. Come down. YT:
The 10th Palace is ahead. That noisy group seems waiting for us. TK:
The King of the Reincarnation-Wheel and his staff are coming
toward us. Let’s pay them our respects. YT:
My humble reverences to you and your staff. I am Yang Ts’ien
from the Temple of the Sages. With the order of God, we come here to pay
you a visit and to collect information. The
King: You have visited most of the main palaces, from
the first to the tenth, and gone through dark roads to fulfill the
mission of rescuing mankind. It’s a tremendous credit on your part.
Please come inside to rest for a moment. TK:
Because the time is limited, we cannot rest for the moment. Will
you take Yang Ts’ien to inspect the 10th Palace instead? The
King: Of course,
it’s my pleasure, Buddha Tse Kong. YT:
May I ask you why the sinful souls are more crowded in this place
than in other Palaces? The
King:
It’s because ours is the terminus of all palaces. As my name
indicates, I am the King of the Reincarnation who takes care of the
transmigration of the souls to outer space. All the reincarnated souls
must first gather here. Therefore, I’m very busy and my task is pretty
complicated. Please come to visit the “Observatory of Life on
earth”. YT: Thank you. This observatory with transmigrated stairs, rising high to touch the clouds, is extending to a great height. TK:
I’ll give you a hand. YT:
Thank you very much, gracious Master. TK:
If you climb the celestial stair without counting on the might of
your spiritual heart, you will not succeed, sonny. A regenerated man who
wavers to progress doesn’t go far. YT:
Here we are at the top of the observatory. Every sight here
reminds me of an observatory on the terrestrial world. Ahead, I hear
nothing but confused sounds. The space around is immense; the horizon is
without end. Where are we now? TK:
In order to reach this station of the observatory you have to
climb 360 steps. This figure corresponds to 360 degrees of a celestial
circle. We are here on a celestial station, which is very distant from
hell. Out there in the large openness are the four main continents.
Since your clairvoyance is not yet opened, the extend of your sight is
limited. Let’s me cast this illuminating pearl to help you see
farther. YT:
O, miracle of miracles! Your pearl illuminates every place, as a
beacon does on a foggy night. Naturally, I can see the remotest areas
now. It’s just like a view of the earth-surface seen from a space
vehicle in the air. The spectacle of the four points differ, one from
the other. Isn’t that America I see over there? The population is
dense, people are seen going back and forth, and there are many high
buildings. Its architectural style is identical with the one I saw in
the movies. TK:
That’s America. From this high celestial station, we can see
all of the continents. The reincarnated souls are dispersed by the
Reincarnation-Wheel to every corner of the world. Their destinations are
in accordance with man’s affinities. Let’s go down now. YT:
Certainly, Master. TK:
It’s getting late. We hope to come back next time. Goodbye to
you, Your Majesty. The
King: Indeed,
we won’t retain you. Generals, line up to greet the guest. TK:
The lotus dais, Yang Ts’ien. YT:
I’m ready, Master. |
CONTENTS |
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