Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 46

1st Moon 23rd Day (1st March 1978)

Touring "Boiling Oil Small Prison"

Jigong: This is our first tour of Hades in the New Year and the Spring season is very bright. It augers very well for a start. Yang Sheng, get ready to tour Hades.

Yang Sheng: I am securely seated on the lotus flower platform, we can start......

Jigong: We have arrived, get down.

Yang Sheng: I have got down. Which Prison are we touring this time?

Jigong: We are going to tour the "Boiling Oil Small Prison". In front of us the Officer and Generals have already lined up to receive us.

Yang Sheng: Truly they are there and so I have to go and pay my respects to them.

Officer: No need to stand on ceremony. Today, Jigong and Yang Sheng are here and we are highly honoured. This Prison is called the "Boiling Oil Small Prison" which comes under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Tribunal. You have gone to great trouble to come but the honour and virtue are very great.

Jigong: Small matter. In fact you are the ones who will be bothered because everyday you have to take charge of the sinful souls here.

Officer: It is our duty which is to reform the sinful souls, very much like your present undertaking to write the Book which is intended to influence human beings to do good deeds. We have an obligation to fulfill to Heaven and it is truly justified. Please, both of you, follow me inside to see what goes on there.

Yang Sheng: We have entered. Guards are posted at the gate. There are not many sinful souls around. They enter but don't seem to get out. There is nothing spectacular by way of furniture etc., but there is a row of cauldrons which are as big as those used in the villages for cooking pig food. The soldiers of Hades are busy feeding a fire underneath the cauldrons. Inside each cauldron there is boiling oil. Each sinful soul is lifted by two soldiers of Hades and dumped inside each cauldron, a loud shriek follows and the soul sinks below the boiling oil. The boiling oil is merciless and very soon what is left is just a whitish skeleton. Can I ask Officer why these sinful souls have to suffer thus in this Prison?

Officer: This Boiling Oil Small Prison is in the Seventh Tribunal and is considered the worst punishing place here for sinful souls who, when they were alive, were regarded as monstrous beings.

Yang Sheng: Generally, what monstrous sins did they do?

Officer: They were either robbers, bandits, highwaymen, plunderers, murderers, people who committed incest, avaricious government officers, grasping underlings, etc., those who administered poison to fellow beings, disobedient, unfilial children - all such people when they die, their souls will be sent here to be punished.

Yang Sheng: Except the above category, are there other types of sinners who will be sent here?

Officer: Those who use black magic on others are also sent here.

Yang Sheng: Can you allow a few sinful souls who are still waiting their turn to be dumped into the cauldrons, to speak up?

Officer: No problem. I will ask a General to bring a few for you to interview.

General: Yes, sir...... A few are here, Yang Sheng you can ask them what you like.

Yang Sheng: Can I ask you, Old Lady, why are you here?

1st Soul: When I was alive, I was a pimp running a brothel. I obtained girls by buying them when they were quite young and also by trickery and seducing. When I died, my soul was first sent to 'Dung and Urine Pool' to be punished, then to the 'Disembowel Small Prison', and now I am sent to this 'Boiling Oil Small Prison'. Tai Shan Wang of this Tribunal is very cruel. When living, I cared only to get as much money as I could. I did not believe either in Saints or Devils. Now that I am dead, I realise that no one can ever escape the Prison in Hades.

Officer: You did not have any bit of sympathy or conscience. You did not give a thought to using the bodies of innocent girls for men to play with for the sake of money. By getting money in this manner, where were your morality and human nature? If you are not dumped into the cauldron of boiling oil, there is no way of getting rid of the sins inside your body.

Yang Sheng: Can I ask you, Mister, being so young, why are you here? Your body is covered with blood, both hands wrapping your body, exclaiming in pain, hair disarranged and looking like a ruffian; I don't know what nature of man you were when you were alive.

2nd Soul: Recalling my past, I regret bitterly. When I was alive, I mixed with ruffians and bad hats, spending our time in gambling. When I lost in gambling, I took to borrowing money with no intention of repayment and also resorted to robbing and plundering. After a series of these malpractices I was caught by the authorities and was shot dead. Even now, my body is painful after being shot. After death, I was sentenced to undergo punishment in several Tribunals and I am now in the Seventh Tribunal to be punished in the Boiling Oil Small Prison. I am now very frightened. I hope human beings will realise that one cannot profit by robbing others. One must always remember the kindness of parents and good teachings and advice of school teachers. Do not be like me who did not care much for kindness of parents nor the good teachings and advices of school teachers. Because of my attitude and bad behaviour, I am now suffering in Hades.

Jigong: The laws of the country are very strict, you had yourself to blame and ultimately you had to eat bullets. One redeeming factor is that you still have a bit of conscience left and when you are reborn you should take up ascetic practice.

Yang Sheng: Can I ask you, another Mister, why are you here?

3rd Soul: When I was alive, once on account of jealousy, I caused the death of two persons. Eventually during trial, death sentence was passed on me. After I died, my soul passed through the sufferings in several tribunals until now I am here in this Boiling Oil Small Prison to undergo further punishment. When I see the bubbling boiling oil in the cauldron, my flesh and skin begin to tremble. I regret that because of my sudden fit of jealousy which resulted in the death of two people, I am now in such great trouble.

Officer: People in ancient times had said that for murdering a person you have to pay with your own life. When you were about to kill someone, you regarded his life as small as ant but now, seeing the bubbling boiling oil, you get so frightened. Your sin is so great that you have to be dumped into the cauldron of burning oil.

Yang Sheng: This Old Mister, what sins did you commit that you are here?

4th Soul: When I was alive I had an old master who taught me black magic and eventually I became very proficient. People called me Master Magician. For the sake of money, I used my sorcery to make people mad, caused trouble in families, broke up marriages. All these malpractices I was able to do on payment, and also through my magic arts, I used charms on women and committed adultery. With my power, I did what I liked. When I died, my soul was brought before Tai Shan Wang. He was very angry with me and wanted to punish me but I used my magic powers to fight him. How was I to know then that I was to be surrounded by soldiers of Hades who beat me terribly and now I am sent here to be punished. Today I will be dumped into the cauldron of boiling oil. Aya! It is very terrible.

Officer: You are one who did not believe in the existence of Heaven and Law. You used your magical powers to harm people and you were a master in that art. Out here in Hades, we hate most those who use their magical powers to harm others. Such magic jugglers when they die, and their souls are sent to Hades, will surely be sent to this Boiling Oil Small Prison to be punished. I hope people who practise the black arts will learn from their masters how to help people, not to harm them. Then only when they die will their souls travel the Path of Divine Principle, otherwise if they follow the Evil Way, there will be no salvation for their souls.

Yang Sheng: Will Officer please tell me this; These sinful souls when dumped into the cauldrons of boiling oil will soon become whitish skeletons and when taken out and divine water is sprinkled on them, they revive, what feeling will these souls have on revival?

Officer: When these souls are dumped in, the suffering is terrible; the skin and flesh disintegrate, leaving only whitish skeleton. At first when the souls are dumped in, the feeling is very much like smothering in water until the body becomes hot and no feeling is left. To black magicians this treatment has the effect of dispersin their magical powers.

Jigong: It is now time for us to return.

Yang Sheng: Thank you, Officer and Generals, for helping us. It is time to say goodbye.

Jigong: Quickly get up on the lotus flower platform, Yang Sheng.

Yang Sheng: I'm safely seated, dear Master, we can start to return......

Jigong: We have arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down. Soul, return to your body.