Journeys To the Underworld - Journey No. 31
4th Moon 29th Day (15th June, 1977)
Touring the Fifth Tribunal - Sen Luo Wang's Discourses on Heart Gouging
Jigong: Last time I was pre-engaged and so I requested Deity Yang Jian to stand in for me to bring Yang Sheng to tour Hades.
- Two Yangs touring Hades and visiting the Fifth Tribunal
- this is just joking but has a moral meaning. Reading a book is like eating melon seed; if one chews the husk together with the seed of the melon, there is no taste at all but if one throws out the husk and chews the seed, one can appreciate the melon seed. Therefore, when reading a book, one must not just read its contents but must understand the deeper meaning of what is written. Yang Sheng, be prepared to tour Hades again.
Yang Sheng: Yes Sir. Some time ago you told me that Deities have the power to be present at several places at the same time but I am wondering why is it that on the previous occasion you did not come to bring me to Hades but instead asked Deity Yang Jian to bring me there.
Jigong: Ha, Ha! It was not that I could not divide myself to be present on that day to bring you there but I intentionally asked Yang Jian to take my place so that readers can have a chance to be acquainted with Yang Jian. We are short of time and so have to depart quickly.
Yang Sheng: I am securely seated, dear Master, we can now start......
Jigong: We have reached the Fifth Tribunal, get down. Sen Luo Wang and Officers are all assembled to receive us; quickly go and pay your respects.
Yang Sheng: My respects to you, Sen Luo Wang and Officers. I am here again with Jigong for the purpose of writing the book. So, therefore will Sen Luo Wang, please provide me the necessary assistance and facilities?
Sen Luo Wang: Arise Yang Sheng. I extend to you a very warm welcome. I wish to invite both of you to come inside as I have something to discuss.
Jigong: From the time we received the Order to write the Book on our Journey to Hades till now, I am glad to say that half our mission has been accomplished. I beg Sen Luo Wang to help us so that our assignment can be completed successfully.
Sen Luo Wang: Present day science has made so much advancement that public morality is not the same as what it was in ancient times. Much decadence has taken the upper hand; luckily in Taiwan there are so many temples which help to propagate moral culture thus helping countless people to walk on the right path; especially so, Taichung's Sheng Xian Tang, which has rendered meritorious service. That is why the Jade Emperor, has ordered Sheng Xian Tang to write the Book. Also, all the Ten Tribunals of Hades are aware of the assignment first given by Yu Huang on 8th Moon 15th Day just passed. In fact we have been waiting anxiously for your arrival. Please do come in so that we can leisurely talk things over.
Yang Sheng: Thank you, Sen Luo Wang for inviting us. I see there are so many sinful souls outside and their faces have frightened looks, very pale and quite a number are looking towards our direction inside.
Jigong: Human beings on Earth are aware that Sen Luo Wang of the Fifth Tribunal stands for integrity and justice and that the punishments he hands out are very severe. Therefore, the sinful souls who come here are very frightened.
Sen Luo Wang: Both of you, quickly come inside and have a rest.
Yang Sheng: Thank you very much.
Sen Luo Wang: Please be seated while I order the servants to serve tea of immortality.
Servant: Yes Sir. Tea of immortality is here. Please drink.
Yang Sheng: This is most welcome. I am quite thirsty and so I will have a sip. This tea is truly very good; it is fragrant and helps to moisten my throat.
Sen Luo Wang: I am especially happy when I drink the "frozen Tie Guan Yin".
Jigong: When Sen Luo Wang speaks, there is another meaning in the words spoken. Yang Sheng, can you understand what is being implied?
Yang Sheng: Human beings say that the Fifth Tribunal's Sen Luo Wang is like His Highness Bao Gong who stands for justice and fairplay. I find that this is really so. The literary meaning of the word "frozen" is that the face is cold like ice and cannot be swayed, while "Tie Guan Yin" means the class of Bodhisattva whose hearts are very firm and just. Truly Sen Luo Wang can be likened to His Highness Bao Gong who also was straightforward, just and firm in all dealings.
Sen Luo Wang: Ha! Ha! The medium of Sheng Xian Tang is really very famous. Your brain is not like an ordinary person's brain; you have guessed correctly.
Yang Sheng: It was just a pure guess.
Sen Luo Wang: We are very pleased that both of you have come to our Tribunal again today. Present day human beings struggle mainly for fame and money. They don't care for conscience, reason or righteousness which are all lost on them. Everywhere one can see deceit being the order of the day. Restaurants, barber shops, nightclubs, all make use of girls to induce men to patronise them. Officers of Hades constantly visit Earth to record instances of breach of morality and there is no end of such records. Also, there are places where people visit to satisfy their carnal desires, such as dance halls, houses of pleasure, etc., where eventually joy will be followed by sorrow. When such people die, their souls will be sent to this Fifth Tribunal - they are the souls you now see here. Such breaches of morality are very sinful. I want to impress on human beings not to resort to earn money through prostitution otherwise the sins are so great that they cannot be repaid even in three generations. I am in-charge of the Fifth Tribunal; I am iron-faced; I do not ask for gratitude. Every soul that comes to this Tribunal begins to get frightened because my sentence is very strict and severe. If human beings do not forsake evil ways and turn to the right path they will find out what will be in store for them when they die and their souls come here. This Tribunal can also be named "Loud Crying Prison" because nothing can be heard here except loud crying. There are 16 Heart-gouging smaller prisons here specially to punish those who have -
a) Lawless heart b) Evil thought heart c) Stubborn heart d) Hate-filled heart
e) Malicious heart f) Lewd heart g) Jealous heart h) Biased heart i) Selfish heart
j) Cruel heart k) Treacherous heart l) Animal heart, etc.
I will order the General to gouge out the heart of each type of sinful soul. It is not because I have a cold heart or a hard heart but it is because these souls themselves had committed such evil sins mentioned above. It can be said that they earned the punishment by virtue of their own wrongdoings on Earth. I am afraid I cannot afford to spare anymore time now but I hope that you will visit us again soon.
Jigong: O.K. Yang Sheng, prepare to return.
Yang Sheng: We are much obliged to Sen Luo Wang for spending so much time on us and giving us so much information. We have to return and so, Sen Luo Wang and all Officers, thank you once more.
Sen Luo Wang: All Officers and Generals, line up and give Jigong and Yang Sheng a hearty send off.
Jigong: Thank you, Sen Luo Wang, for everything. Yang Sheng, get up on the lotus flower platform.
Yang Sheng: I am safely seated, dear Master, we can start......
Jigong: We have arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down. Soul, return to your body.