Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 36
8th Moon 6th Day (18th September 1977)
Touring the Sixth Tribunal
Interviewing Bian Cheng Wang
Jigong: The days of the years pass very quickly and we are now nearing the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu - Mooncake Festival). Last year this month, Sheng Xian Tang Received an Order to write the Book "Diyu Youji" and now in the twinkling of the eye, one year has gone by. During the past 12 months you good fellows at Sheng Xian Tang had undertaken the initial steps of compiling this Book and the honour and merit are truly very great. Human lifespan is not very long; in ancient times it was rare for human beings to live more than 70 years but in this present day, because of the advancement of medical science and the higher standard of living, 'short lifespan' has more or less been conquered and people are inclined to think that life begins at 70! But really, how many people are there who do pass their 70th birthdays? Heaven does not restrict the lifespan of human beings but, because of avarice, alcoholism, night clubs, vices, gambling, etc., human vitality is wasted to a very great extent (like burning the candle at both ends), thus bringing about unnecessary untimely death; which in face is caused by oneself. Therefore, I wish to exhort human beings to take up ascetic practices thereby saving themselves and extending their life expectancy. Today, we will tour Hades again so Yang Sheng quickly get up on the lotus flower platform.
Yang Sheng: What part of Hades are we going today?
Jigong: As we have more or less toured the Fifth Tribunal, we will tour the Sixth Tribunal this time. I would expect you to be more alert during this trip.
Yang Sheng: We have already toured half of Hades by now and because of this experience, I am more confident.
Jigong: Worldly matters are manmade and if you have the confidence and can persist in your undertakings, any matter will and must surely be successful. Quickly get up on the lotus flower platform as we do not have much time to spare.
Yang Sheng: I'm safely seated, dear Master, we can now proceed......
Jigong: We have arrived; Yang Sheng, get down.
Yang Sheng: I can see the Sixth Tribunal building quite clearly in front of us. There is a multitude of sinful souls gathered outside waiting investigation by Bian Cheng Wang, the Head of this Tribunal. Suddenly, Bian Cheng Wang is seen leaving the Courthouse and coming in our direction, and naturally all eyes of the sinful souls are also turned towards us.
Jigong: The Sixth Tribunal's Bian Cheng Wang is coming to receive us, so Yang Sheng, quickly step forward and pay your respects.
Yang Sheng: Yes, Sir. I'll do as instructed. Bian Cheng Wang and Officers, I humbly pay my respects to you. I am Yang Sheng of Taiwan's Sheng Xian Tang and have been ordered to follow Jigong to tour Hades in order to gather data for the Book "Diyu Youji" so that human beings can do good deeds after reading it. Today I beg of Bian Cheng Wang to kindly help me in my mission.
Bian Cheng Wang: No need to stand on ceremony, please rise. I'm rather lucky and feel happy to be able to meet you today. For quite some time, I had been hearing about the good deeds that had been performed by Sheng Xian Tang. Last year, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, my Office had already received the Order from Yu HUang notifying that Sheng Xian Tang had been entrusted with the mission of writing the Book "Diyu Youji" and now today, you have arrived. So I would invite you to come inside for a short rest.
Jigong: Thank you very much, Bian Cheng Wang, for the courtesy extended to us. Yang Sheng, let us follow Bian Cheng Wang inside.
Bian Cheng Wang: Officer, quickly serve tea; Heavenly Tea.
Officer: Yes, Sir......
Yang Sheng: Thank you, Bian Cheng Wang for entertaining us. I did not have the privilege to drink this tea on Earth; the taste is sweet and pleasant and moistens the throat.
Bian Cheng Wang: This is just an ordinary tea. If anything is rare, it is naturally costly, so you have the feeling that this tea is very good. I am very glad that today both of you have come to visit me. To be sure, this present day world is indeed in great turmoil. That being so, Yu Huang has great sympathy for human beings and has accordingly ordered Sheng Xian Tang to write the Book "Diyu Youji". Because human beings do not believe that after death, sinful souls are sent to the various Prisons in Hades to receive punishment, Yu Huang specially commissioned Jigong to bring Yang Sheng to Hades to see for himself how the sinful souls are suffering through punishment here. During the tour of Hades, through the Magic Eyes of small Deity Yu Xu Tong Zi, Yang Sheng is able to see what goes on here so that all occurrences are recorded through the planchette writings at Sheng Xian Tang. I am sure that many human beings will be saved after reading this Book. Nowadays, human beings say that because of science, there are no more spirits or devils. Therefore we now see or hear of so many murders, robberies, treacheries and lecheries throughout the land, and so, people tend to live for today and don't care for the morrow; and if they are not spotted by Government laws they dare to do anything and everything. That is why we see so many moral obligations being flouted everywhere. This is what we call the material world of the present day and that being so, it really pains the heart. When those human beings who do not believe in the existence of spirits and devils, and those who do not believe in cause and effect, and those who lead sinful lives, die, their souls cannot escape the punishment awaiting them in our Prisons in Hades. Roughly speaking, the "net of heaven" is very large and has plenty of holes, yet no sinful soul can escape. In other words, the Mills of God grind slowly but surely; Heaven's retribution is slow but sure. I am in-charge of this Sixth Tribunal which is called "Loud Shrieking Prison" because the suffering of the souls who are sent here are very much worse than the suffering of those souls who are sent to the Fifth Tribunal, thus earning the name "Loud Shrieking Prison". Inside this main Prison are 16 smaller prisons and so the souls of those human beings who committed grave sins and lack morality are sent here where they have to undergo much suffering and punishment. I hope that when Yang Sheng returns to Earth he will explain to human beings that they should take up ascetic practices and maintain one's duty and self-restraint. Today, I am highly honoured and because I am also happy, I wish to invite both of you to partake of Heavenly Tea; this is in contrast to the suffering punishment I mete out to those sinful souls who are sent to this Tribunal for Sentence. It is all left to human beings to choose what kind of reception they wish to get after their death; drink Heavenly Tea or to get suffering through punishment. Now I am inviting both of you to drink Heavenly Tea again.
Jigong: Because time is running short, I hope to visit you again next time.
Bian Cheng Wang: It is quite O.K. I'll be only too happy to have the pleasure of entertaining you next time. I will order my Officers, etc. to line up to give you a hearty send off.
Yang Sheng: Thank you, Bian Cheng Wang, for giving me Heavenly Tea to drink and also for your precious words of advice. As it is getting late, I have to say goodbye.
Jigong: Yang Sheng, get up on the lotus flower platform to return.
Yang Sheng: I'm safely seated, dear Master, we can start......
Jigong: We have arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down. Soul, return to your body.