Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 4
8th Moon 26th day (19th September 1976)
Touring Wan Jiao Gui Zong
Jigong: Today we will again journey to the Underworld; therefore Yang Sheng quickly climb up to the lotus platform.
Yang Sheng: I obey your instructions, Master. I am now securely seated on the lotus flower platform and a ready to proceed.
Jigong: Well, we have arrived. Quickly descend from the platform.
Yang Sheng: I see that before me there is a gate of a fort with the words "Gui Men Guan" - Gate to Devil's Home. In fact, Gui Men Guan is here but why is that the door is shut and yet I can hear a lot of disorderly voices coming from within?
Jigong: This door is never opened bu the souls of the dead manage to enter into this home. But you see, I will wave my fan and the door will automatically open.
Yang Sheng: Oh, how wonderful, my respectful Master. You have such powers that by just waving your fan and the door opens immediately. But the souls of human beings do not have fans like yours. How then do they manage to enter?
Jigong: When a human being dies he becomes a ghost. When on Earth the body can walk about on the roads but after death, he becomes a devil, and on reaching Gui Men Guan, the gate automatically opens for his soul to enter. When a person is alive, the door of Earth is open and when he dies, the door of Earth is closed and the door of Gui Men Guan is open for his soul to enter. This is one of the wonders of nature. Now walk faster. I will take you to another place.
Yang Sheng: As you instruct, but I can still hear a lot of noise coming from inside Gui Men Guan like a market place. I don't know what the souls inside there are doing.
Jigong: The souls are waiting to be escorted to the TEN TRIBUNALS for the various stages of trials for what they had done whilst on Earth. Now the soldiers of Hell are bringing them there. Today we are not going to see this. So follow me quickly.
Yang Sheng: Yes, why is this road so rugged? Actually where are we going?
Jigong: After walking two miles then you will know.
Yang Sheng: In front of us, I see a soul being led by a soldier of Hell; where is he going?
Jigong: When this person was alive on Earth, he was a religious man, staying in a temple but he was not very truly pious because he often belittled other religions except his own. Now that he is dead, his soul is being led to Hell to be tried.
Yang Sheng: In front of us is a pavilion; there are four characters "WAN JIAO GUI ZONG". What is this place?
Jigong: At the present time on Earth, there are many religious faiths but the various followers of one faith are always attacking the religious beliefs of other faiths thus causing the meaning of true ascetic practices to be lost. These people are very evil in speech and so when they die, their souls are brought to Wan Jiao Gui Zong to undergo further indoctrination and instruction in the correct path. In front of us is a Master coming. Yang Sheng quickly approach him and pay your respects.
Yang Sheng: I humbly pay my respects to you, Master.
Master: Welcome, Jigong and Yang Sheng of Sheng Xian Tang who have arrived here today. Earlier we had received news of your visit. Arise, Yang Sheng, do not stand on ceremony.
Jigong: Today, I bring Yang Sheng here in the hope that you, Master will kindly show him this place and explain to him.
Master: Please follow me to the Hall inside. Please be seated.
Yang Sheng: Wan Jiao Gui Zong has a good meaning but its real function is not known to me. I beg you, Master, to kindly explain the meaning to me.
Master: Nowadays, there are five main important religions in the World i.e. 1) Taoism, 2) Islam, 3) Confucianism, 4) Christianity and 5) Buddhism. These are the true religions having the Right Path (Tao) as the source. Originally, there was only one religion but eventually, Heaven sent down the various Sages to teach human beings throughout the world the true religious beliefs. After the death of these Sages, the followers of one Sage competed with the followers of the other Sages to claim that one particular religion was and is better than any other religions. Now you see this soul being led by the soldiers of Hell. After the death of that person, his soul is brought here. The Jade Emperor is very kindhearted. He does not want to see souls suffer, that is why the office of Wan Jiao Gui Zong is established so that the souls of religious people are brought here to undergo further indoctrination and instruction.
Jigong: Master, what you have said is very true, but Yang Sheng here does not quite understand. If he is brought and shown what you have said, it will be better because, hearing is one thing and seeing is much better and will remain in the memory.
Master: Right, then follow me.
Yang Sheng: Oh, this Hall is so large. It covers so many hundred mou (Chinese equivalent of acre) and looks like a very big classroom with millions of people waiting for their teacher to come.
Master: Yes, they are like students. Please follow me and we will occupy some of the seats reserved for distinguished visitors.
Yang Sheng: The stage is so big that we have never seen one like this on Earth. In front of us there is a blackboard which reads "Wan Jiao Gui Zong". I see a lecturer getting up on to the stage. He looks like a Buddha or holy man. All the "students" stand up to show their respect.
Lecturer: Today we have a visitor from Earth named Yang Shan Sheng (Yang Sheng for short) of Sheng Xian Tang, Taiwan, China. Let us all clap hands as a sign of welcome.
Yang Sheng: Master, how can all these students understand the Lecturer who speaks in Chinese?
Jigong: The world is so large that there are so many races with so many faiths but when human beings die their souls become enlightened and they can understand any language - like when one sees lightning flashing it is sure to be followed by thunder. Therefore, when they hear the Lecturer speak, all of them know the meaning of what is he is saying. Please do not ask so many questions. Let us concentrate on the Lecturer's speech.
Lecturer: There are many kinds of human beings but their hearts are the same. They are born in various parts of the Earth but when they eventually die all of them will gather in one place - the Underworld. There are human beings of various colours and races. When hungry all want to eat, and when tired all want to sleep or rest. Above our heads, there is the sky and under our feet there is the Earth. The Sun and the Moon shine on everything everywhere; human beings, animals and plants all enjoy the effects and benefits of the Sun and the Moon. In the world there are many religions, each one attacking the other saying that only their followers will go to Heaven while the followers of other religions will go to Hell. Religious people who belittle other religions hope to go to Heaven when they die, but instead they will be suspended halfway, neither in Heaven nor in Hell - like a caged bird being hung up halfway. These people think they are already in Heaven but in fact they are in Hell. They are sinful and cannot save themselves but must depend on others to save them. When all of you were alive on Earth, each and everyone of you expected to go to Heaven after death, but actually all of you have now fallen into Hell. When on Earth, all your bodies were of various colors, black, white, brown, red, yellow, etc but after death, only your souls come here. After death, the bodies with various colours do not come here to Hell - the bodies of various colours are left behind but the heart or souls of only one colour come here. When living you attacked each other and had no love for each other. Therefore where is this meaning of universal love and mercy? From the beginning of time up to now, the Sun and the Moon have been shining on all human beings, both good and evil. They will continue to shine on everyone so that their blessings will be on this and future generations irrespective of whether they are good or evil. Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, all your souls here must be aroused and must have only one heart to work as one body and must not attack each other. Now you must spread the teaching of Wan Jiao Gui Zong. "Gui Zong" means one heart - all hearts must become one heart and musts work towards mutual help and love for each other. All religions have doors wide open to admit those who believe in any particular religion; although the founders are different, the ultimate aim is the same - to teach all to do good. I hope all human beings will follow this 'true path" so that the troubled world can become happy and peaceful. All the founders of the main religions want to save the souls of human beings but not their bodies. If all of you can first discover your own innermost hearts and avoid evil doings only then can you attain happiness, leading eventually, to the creation of a united and happy world. Everybody can then become sage-like and attain wisdom. Otherwise they will fall into Hell to undergo another transmigration of soul...
Jigong: Time's up. Yang Sheng, say goodbye to Master. We will come on another visit when there is an opportunity. Yang Sheng please pay your respects.
Yang Sheng: Master, I am very sorry, time is limited and we have to return to Sheng Xian Tang although the lecturer is not finished. Please excuse me for this lack of courtesy.
Master: Never mind, we will escort you out.
Jigong: Yang Sheng, climb up the lotus flower platform. Having heard the lecture today, what are your impressions?
Yang Sheng: There is profound meaning in the lecture. On Earth every religion is attacking each other, like the melon seller claiming that only his melon is sweet. The best thing is for the customer to taste the fruit himself to find out. It is also like a person who drinks water; he alone knows whether the water is hot or cold on drinking. It is best left to the customer to decide what is good or what is bad for him. Then only it is fair.
Jigong: Human beings always hold fast to their own wrong beliefs and will not listen to persuasion, therefore they cannot go to Heaven. Fairies and sages are the mouth pieces of Heaven and therefore they are very fair. In future if you are reborn in another country and believe in the religion of that country, do not think that I, Jigong, will not come to your assistance when required. Then only will others know that I am a Sage. This means that I'm not selfish. I hope that human beings will discard their selfishness and cultivate public spiritedness, otherwise their Heaven is only five feet wide - how many poeple can such a five-foot wide Heaven contain?
O.K. we have now arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down from the lotus flower platform. Your soul will return to your body.