Voyages to Hell

translated by

Nguyen Khang & Bui H.Huu

CHAPTER 60

VISIT TO THE CENTER OF PERFECTION THE SERVICE OF REMUNERATION FOR GOOD ACTIONS THE SERVICE OF PUNISHMENT FOR BAD ACTIONS  

Buddha Tse Kong who manifested on June 16th, 1978. Year of the Horse 

O souls, learn and perfect yourself again
To regenerate your soul and stained character
Study well, and delve into art and sacred writings
These serve to teach men to open their minds

Buddha Tse Kong:   We have made up our minds about tonight’s visits to the Center of Perfection and the Services of Remuneration and Punishment. The preparation of the book “Voyages to Hell” will soon be finished. I am delighted to learn that many good natured people are willing to pay for printing the book and distributing the copies free to their friends. Mercifulness is indeed settled in their golden hearts. How relieving for the Immortals and men who have worked for the revelation of the truth, which exhorts human beings to return to Tao, and be honest. The “Voyages to Hell” is a piece of work containing realities analogous to the teachings of every religion. Those who read it many times will profit as much for their minds as for their hearts. I make an appeal to humans, encouraging them to renounce evil for good, to do good actions and avoid bad ones. With all my heart, I hope they will engage in spiritual regeneration, and invite the good-hearted people in the world to make the same appeal to their friends. Yang Ts’ien, come to the dais for another trip. 

Yang Ts’ien:    I am ready, Master. 

TK:     Here we are. Disembark! 

YT:      The Center of Perfection is there, before us. It has the appearance of a school. The outside is pretty clean with ornamental plants and beds of flowers. A striking difference from the dismal prisons of hell. 

TK:     The function of this center is to train our personnel, the genii and saints in their sacred tasks. 

YT:      The door is open. The dignitaries are standing in line for our welcome. 

TK:     The Mandarin-Administrator and his personnel are coming. Come quickly to meet them. 

YT:      My respectful salutation to his Excellency and to the dignitaries. 

The Mandarin:    We wish you welcomed, Buddha Tse Kong and Mr. Yang Ts’ien. For a long time, we have been longing for your visit. Please, come inside for better observation. 

TK:     Thank you, Excellency. We are here to get the information concerning your center. 

The Mandarin:   With pleasure. Here it is. This Center of Perfection is one for the propagation of virtues. Humans, whose merits are considerable but who have not yet attained the criterion of enlightenment for access to paradise, have to come here to further their spiritual studies, so they can evolve to a higher astral plane or return to the terrestrial world to assume the function of geniuses to salvage mankind. 

YT:      Look! That’s Mr. Tchouang Kien An, if I am not mistaken. He was a former disciple of our temple. 

TK:     That’s him all right. We have good luck to meet him. 

YT:      He seems greatly disturbed upon seeing me. Tears are in his eyes. 

The Mandarin:    Come on, Mr. Tchouang! Don’t act unhappy! I have arranged especially for your co-religionists to have this face-to-face encounter. Mr. Yang Ts’ien, you can tell him how things have been going on earth since his death. 

Tchouang:    I am really touched to see you here. Words fail me and I can hardly control my tears. I was a disciple of the Temple of the Sages in my life. I received many favors from our benevolent president, Mr. Kouan, also much sympathy from my brethren who encouraged me to do good actions. I came daily to the office of editor of “the Sages” to reply to the readers’ correspondence. I had thought my merits would enable me to reach paradise. Unfortunately, I was later involved in a love affair. Though after my death I was escorted by the Gracious Genius and protected by our master-benefactor, my sins were still numerous, and I was not qualified to ascend to heaven. When I was alive, our master counted greatly upon me. He often tried to encourage and give me precious pieces of advice. But I was too slow minded to understand and put his teachings into practice. Consequently, my heart failed to master my body and I haven’t reached the goal of controlling myself yet. As I was sincere, I was guided by our master-benefactor to this place of repentance for a thorough understanding of things before being able to go to the Center of Perfection for further regeneration. On my burial day, I was greatly touched at seeing my brethren light joss-sticks before my coffin and follow the hearse to the grave. Will you please convey to them my sincere thanks for their kindness. Here, I am daily taught literature and the tenets of the Tao, and have to take regular tests. The students have to exchange experience and opinions, develop a merciful heart, and learn to combat greed and to remain insensitive to feminine beauty. For every subject, our score must be above the average. We are constantly tested by the Immortals with their divine powers. For instance, they check to see whether we are still greedy when seeing gold or precious treasures on the roadside, or whether pretty girls seduce us. If we succumb to temptation, then we will have to learn the lessons again. God and Buddha come regularly to the center to teach us the dogmas of the Tao. We have never been punished, but I admit that it is hard for us to assimilate the lessons, to learn and to pass the exams. 

The Mandarin:   Our Center has the responsibility of training the souls for the functions of genii or saints, or replacing the acting genii that are still weak in the knowledge of the Tao. For this reason, the scholars have to take frequent tests. We only let those graduat who complete the compulsory spiritual level. Upon completion of their studies, some of them who have predestined attachments with a divine master will be taken by him to paradise for further spiritual perfection. Others will return to the human world to undertake the functions of genii. 

 Tchouang:   My dear Yang, I ask to do me a favor. Please advise my children to regenerate and to devote themselves to the studies of the Tao. They are well-educated and sincere boys. It would be deplorable if they didn’t accomplish great achievements. I hope my brethren in the Temple will notice their qualifications and provide them assistance. I remember many times this sentence: “If I could accompany Yang Ts’ien to visit hell, it would be wonderful”. This wish of mine, like a prophecy, now comes true. I wish to serve the Temple of the Sages in its good works, but here I am, my body is lost, and I am devoid of means to do so. 

TK:     We now know the situation of the Center of Perfection. We still have to visit the Services of Remuneration and Punishment. Goodbye, gentlemen. 

YT:      Farewell, dear Tchouang. Take care of yourself. Don’t worry about our temple. 

Tchouang:   Adieu, Yang. 

The Mandarin:   Order the dignitaries to muster for the salute to our visitors. 

TK:     On board, Yang Ts’ien. We are to visit another place. 

YT:      I’m aboard, Master. 

TK:     We come to the Service of Remuneration for good actions. 

YT:      Indeed. I see a sign with such words. 

The Mandarin Service-Chief:    Welcome to you, Buddha Tse Kong and Mr. Yang Ts’ien. 

TK:     Master and disciple, we have come to pay you a visit in order to learn about the activities of your service. 

YT:      The souls arriving here are led by the Gracious Genius. They seem totally free and are neither escorted nor maltreated. 

The Mandarin:    A certain number of humans who have more merits than sins come here after death, to wait for judgment. They enjoy complete liberty. They may drink tea, talk at leisure all day long or play chess for amusement. Our place serves as a temporary resting-place for honest souls. After a temporary stay they will be transferred to the Center of Training for Perfection or to the places for investigation and decision on their fates. 

YT:      That’s how things are! I understand now. 

TK:     Our time is quite limited. We must visit the service of punishment for bad actions. May we take leave? 

The Mandarin:    Personnel mustering for the salute. 

TK:     Embark, Yang. It’s quite a short distance from here. Well, we arrive. 

YT:      How different this place is, compared to the Remuneration Service. The souls are being escorted by infernal guards, like the guilty under arrest. At the entrance door is a placard bearing the name of the service. 

The Mandarin:   Our salutations, Masters. We are greatly honored by your visit in person. Your book will be very precious. 

TK:     We are deeply touched by your words. As our time is restricted, may we ask you to give us essential information about your service? 

The Mandarin:   Perfect, my service is named Punishment for Bad Actions. The dishonest humans who do harm to other people and infringe upon the divine law are closely watched by the genii of the Three Worlds. The latter are patrolling day and night and they send their reports to hell. Our warning to the very wicked people consists of seizing and leading their souls to hell for punishment. Living people whose souls are being punished in hell are haunted by a vague nuisance, which tortures them terribly. They feel strangely sick, with splitting headaches and discomfort all over their bodies. They only know that they are not well. They are out of sorts, irritable and they are completely unaware that some kind of exorcism is tormenting them. As soon as we release their souls back to their bodies, all of these symptoms disappear and they return to normal. Look at those folks passing by whose souls are being captured and punished. Our first job is to warn them about their bad actions while they are still alive. Our second job consists of punishing humans after their death. The very heavy sinners are sent to our service for preliminary punishment while waiting to be transferred to their respective prisons, after a thorough investigation. Their stay in our service is but transient. 

YT:      I fully understand your explanation and thank you very much. 

TK:     Let’s return to the temple, Yang Ts’ien.

The Mandarin:   Muster your men for the salute. 

TK:     The dais, Yang Ts’ien. 

YT:      I’m settled, Master. 

TK:     We are home. Go to your body, son.

Back ] Next ]

Home

 

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

www.voyagestohell.com