Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 1
8th Moon 16th Day (9th September 1976)
To The Cave of Xintou Shan (Heart Mountain)
Jigong took a medium of Sheng Xian Tang named Yang Sheng to visit the Cave of Xintou Shan.
Jigong: Tonight we are going to the Cave of Xintou Shan. Would you like to follow me?
Yang Sheng: I am much obliged and I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity to visit the Cave.
Jigong: Because of your good and charitable works in Sheng Xian Tang, the Jade Emperor in Heaven, Yu Huang has chose you to tour Hell so that when you return to Earth you can write a book on what you have seen, for distribution to human beings so that they can do good deeds.
Yang Sheng: I thank you again for choosing me for the honour. I understand that souls of the dead visiting Hell ride on heavenly horses or sit on platform of lotus flowers.
Jigong: Yang Sheng, you are very naive. The road to Hell is not so pleasant and easy as you imagine. There is no gateway to Hell and so the souls will have to encounter and overcome many obstacles and hardships before they can reach there.
Yang Sheng: Master, I am afraid you have taken too much wine and have got drunk to say such things.
Jigong: Yes, I have drunk too much because, seeing that humanity have now committed many sins, I purposely drink a lot in order to forget their mistakes and evil doings. Now will you join me to drink some more?
Yang Sheng: Master, I cannot drink and so please do not tease me.
Jigong: Well, let us not waste time. We will make the journey. I will transform a lotus flower into a platform and both of us can travel in it and we will tour Hell.
Yang Sheng: I am much surprised. Your magical powers are so great that by just saying a few prayers you have produced a lotus flower. I dare not step on the lotus flower platform because my feet are so dirty.
Jigong: Do not worry about your feet being dirty. If your heart is pure and clear, that is what we want. Do you know that the lotus grow in ponds which are not clean and yet the lotus flower is very clean?
Yang Sheng: Well then, I will follow what you say and will sit on the lotus flower platform; but which direction shall we go?
Jigong: There is nothing to worry. Just close your eyes and I will bring you there.
Yang Sheng: I will follow you obediently.
Jigong: Now open your eyes.
Yang Sheng: Oh, where is this place? I see a high mountain and at the side there are three shining golden letters "Xintou Shan".
Jigong: You do not know. The name of this mountain is Xintou Shan and if you climb up to the top you will reach the gate of Tian Tang. However, you can also see that on the side of this mountain there is a cave which is very dark and it is bottomless. This is the Cave of Hell, Diyu Dong, In the olden days, the Saints said that the heart controls a person, i.e. your heart can tell you to do good or to do evil. If one does good, the soul will go to Heaven, but if one does evil the soul will surely be sent to Hell. It all depends upon yourself, to do good or evil.
Yang Sheng: Oh, I see. Therefore one can choose to go to Heaven or Hell according to one's own actions. This then means that we can be either immortal or ghost.
Jigong: Very true, you have said it. Well, well, well, time is running short for tonight's visit and so we have to climb back onto the lotus flower platform to bring us back to Earth.
Yang Sheng: Master, I will follow your instructions.
Jigong: Quickly close your eyes because the wind here is very strong.
Yang Sheng: Yes, I agree; I cannot stand this strong wind.
Jigong: Now we have reached Earth. Open your eyes and get down from this lotus flower. Your soul will now return to your body.