Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 19
11th Moon 19th Day (8th January 1977)
Touring the Office of "Four Stages of Reincarnation"
Jigong: Yang Sheng, quickly get up on the lotus flower platform to tour Hades.
Yang Sheng: Yes, Sir; I don't know what part of Hades we are going to tour this time.
Jigong: This is a new type of tour unlike ones we had undertaken previously. You must not waver but must be more steady.
Yang Sheng: Yes, I am safely seated; dear Master, we can now start...... Wow! I see below us, streaks of golden light flashing and also streaks of light coming out from people's heads shooting towards the sky.
Jigong: Who taught you to be so busybody to open your eyes this time and thus observe these things? This is the "Light of Morality" coming out from Sheng Xian Tang. This Light of Morality is the outcome of the energy of the Dual Principles of Chinese Philosophy (positive-negative; male-female etc) emitted by the idols inside Sheng Xian Tang itself because the members are honest, sincere, devout in religious beliefs and dealings. The energy of the Dual Principles, two separate and opposite streams of morality coming out from Sheng Xian Tang, meet at a connecting point and both form this Light of Morality which you have just seen.
Yang Sheng: I would like to ask you, dear Master, whether the light emitting from the head of the members of Sheng Xian Tang will always remain and will not fade out?
Jigong: If any member gets out of Sheng Xian Tang and still continue to practise morality the light above his head will not only remain but will continue to get brighter and brighter but, on the other hand, if he leaves Sheng Xian Tang and stops practising morality, the light above his head will gradually fade away until there is no light left. The present brightness you have just seen is because a certain high standing Deity has visited Sheng Xian Tang and that is why the light is so very bright. If a person constantly practises morality or regularly visits Sheng Xian Tang or any temple, devils dare not come near to disturb him; if a person does discreditable actions or goes away from Sheng Xian Tang or temple, his "heart lamp" will extinguish and the devil will come and disturb him because the devil likes darkness, exactly like when the sun shines brightly and strongly, the devil runs away. Human beings must understand the meaning of "brightness". Yang Sheng quickly close your eyes and we will proceed to tour Hades.
Yang Sheng: Yes, yes; I have closed my eyes and so we can proceed......
Jigong: We have arrived. Do get down.
Yang Sheng: Oh! Why are there so many animals and beasts, poultry and birds in this place, all walking a path ahead?
Jigong: These are the souls of animals and beasts. Hens, ducks, birds, fishes and shrimps and worms, who have died, now returning to Hades and proceeding to Ying Yang Jie to report their arrival.
Yang Sheng: Wow! On my previous visits I had never seen such things.
Jigong: You are just a human being and I feared that if you saw too many things here you would become afraid; so, using my magic powers, I devised a screen to prevent your eyes seeing such things.
Yang Sheng: Oh! I have been deceived by dear Master. Why is it that all these beasts, animals, poultry, etc are rushing about as if they are being chased by someone?
Jigong: The reason is that when these beasts, animals, fowls, etc were alive, the majority of them had been slaughtered by human beings and they were afraid and frightened; and when they were dead their souls still thought that they were still being harassed and therefore they are naturally frightened. Another reason is that these souls had already gone through the earlier stages of rebirth (past, present and future) and after death, on returning to Hades their souls are sent here but they still have the fear in them although there are no soldiers of Hades to rush them about; that is why they are rushing about as if being chased and harassed. No human being is aware of this.
Yang Sheng: Exactly, this is the first time I hear of this. Shall we go straight ahead?
Jigong: You are right, we will follow those animals, horses, cattle, fowls, birds, etc. When fishes and worms were alive, their souls were very small like particles of sand and hardly discernible. When they die their souls will ultimately return to their original size to be sentenced by the various Tribunals.
Yang Sheng: Thank you, dear Master, for teaching me all these. Otherwise I will not be any wiser. In front of us is "Gui Men Guan" (gate of the ghosts) but the souls of these four types, viz animals, fowls, fishes and worms do not enter. What is the reason?
Jigong: Only the souls of human beings will enter by the main gate. Because of the gravity of the sins of these four types of creatures, their souls have therefore to enter by the side gates.
Yang Sheng: Why don't these souls have to report at the main office before entering by the side gates?
Jigong: They have a separate place to report not very far from here. Let us follow them inside.
Yang Sheng: Oh! In front there is a vast pasture, on the left is a building on the top doorway of which is written "Office of Four Stages of Reincarnation". These four types of creatures are crying as they walk along and their heads shaking as if praying to redress a grievance.
Jigong: Before us is the Office of Four Stages of Reincarnation. These four types of creatures, when they were on Earth, had already suffered terribly and now when they are dead, their souls return to Hades in preparation for their being returned to human form. Quickly proceed to the Office.
Yang Sheng: Three Officers are coming out of the Office. Who are they?
Jigong: One is His Highness and the two others are Officers. Quickly go and pay your respects.
Yang Sheng: I duly pay my humble respects to Your Highness and Officers.
Highness: No need to kneel, please arise. Welcome Jigong and Sheng Xian Tang's Yang Sheng to our place.
Jigong: I bring Yang Sheng here today for Your Highness to give him the necessary instructions.
Highness: Sure, sure. Please follow me to the Office for some rest.
Yang Sheng: Thank you very much Your Highness, for entertaining us.
Highness: Please be seated. General, please serve tea.
Yang Sheng: This place is totally different from the various places in Hades I had recently visited; so, therefore, will Your Highness please assist and instruct me accordingly?
Highness: Very few human beings are aware of the existence of our Office. Because Sheng Xian Tang has been instructed by Yu Huang to write the Book, I have been asked to specially show you what goes on in this Office. This is unprecedented.
Yang Sheng: Thank you very much; will Your Highness please give me as much instructions as possible?
Highness: I am in charge of this Office which some call "Thousand Years Office" because among the four types of creatures there is a Tortoise whose lifespan is 1000 years. If a human being who had committed very grave sins on Earth dies, his soul will have to be judged by the Ten Tribunals for sentence after which he will have to be reincarnated into either of the four types of creatures - he will not have any of his previous identities of human form. The four types of creatures are:-
1st Class - Those born by the female species - beasts and animals.
2nd Class - Those hatched through eggs - poultry, fowls, birds.
3rd Class - Those born in water - fishes and shrimps.
4th Class - Those born by their own change in form - worms.
Jigong: Time is short; we have to return and we will call again later.
Yang Sheng: I am very sorry that Your Highness' interesting instructions have got to come to an end suddenly because we have got to return now. I thank your Highness for giving us so much assistance.
Highness: It's just a small matter; I do invite you to come again.
Jigong: Yang Sheng, quickly leave this Office and prepare to return.
Highness: I hope you will have a pleasant journey back home.
Jigong: Please pardon me for cutting short your most interesting instructions.
Highness: Don't stand on ceremony. Because your time is up, I cannot detain you any longer.
Jigong: Yang Sheng, quickly step on the lotus flower platform.
Yang Sheng: I am safely seated, dear Master; we can now start......
Jigong: We have arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down. Soul, return to your body.