I am layman Buddhist/pagan.
The summary is based on what I perceive is 'important' in the book.
Conversation in between Deity JiGong, Yang Sheng and Prison Guard/Officer.
If there is contradiction of meaning convey, the book prevails.
There are times I might questioning parts of the points inside the book doesn't mean I don't believe it. I need enlightenment on the doubts that I raise.
VISIT TO THE 10TH PALACE AND VISIT OF REINCARNATION CENTER
Narrated by JiGong:
The Six Paths of Metempsychosis (devas, human, asuras, beasts, hungry ghost and hell beings) are like non-stop revolving of a wheel. Those caught in the wheel without way to escape will become a “demon of the wheel” for life. I hope that within death, man will discover life. Therefore, when being rotated by the Reincarnation-Wheel, the soul must know how to survive, and not be like a blind man who walks into the tiger’s jaws. The best solution is to avoid hell, or have sufficient time to repent for previous errors. In this manner, he will have a chance to proceed further, to the exploration journey into the future.
Narrated by Zhuan Lun Wang (King of Reincarnation-Wheel)
This Gate of Reincarnation is operated with absolute impartiality. The destination of each soul is based on his karmic affinities. The decision that he will be sent east or west, south or north depends on his action in his former existence.
Narrated by JiGong:
Devout ascetic practitioners, after death, will proceed direct to Heaven to reap fruits of their ascetic practices, others who do not have much principles and morality, after death, have to passed through all Tribunals and 8 offices of Reincarnation Center. There are officers run the operation in each offices.
Signboard : Zhuan Jie Shuo (Reincarnation Center)
Many souls escorted by Guards. These guards presenting great number of documents to the Officers.
Procedure of transmigration of souls. When the human dies, the beneficent Deity of his locality, Deity of the City, Guards of Hades, or messengers of Death will bring the soul to Gui Men Guan (Portico of Demons). They will be reported to Registration Office, pass through all Tribunals, to be punished according to magnitude of his/her sins and then to 10th tribunal to await retribution.
8 offices in Reincarnation Center.
1. Verification Office
The souls will be sent here after gone through all punishments in previous 9 Tribunals. This office verify whether all punishments had been meted out, if there is punishment not served or missed out, the sinful soul will be sent back to respective Tribunal to serve his/her term.
2. Virtuous Acts Investigation Office
The extent or any of the virtuous acts done by a soul will be assessed so that, when they are reborn, by way of good luck, can be accorded to them. Those with good virtuous acts will be reborn in good family/good life/less suffering life/wealthy family.
These awards dished out are duties and responsibilities of this Office.
3. Magnitude of Sins Office
Assess what sins a soul had committed when alive on Earth - to judge whether a sin was light, heavy, minor or serious.
3.1. If one done small good deeds and never commit grave sins. Reborn with just enough to eat and wear, will get protection from parents. Husband/wife relationship normal. Children will take care of him/her.
3.2 If one merits and demerits even/balanced. Reborn with enough to eat and wear, family - ok, husband/wife - ok, surrounded by children, but have to slog for living.
3.3 If one had no merits whatsoever, but had string of demerits. Reborn with many difficulties e.g. family broken early, widow etc.
3.4 If committed grave sins. Reborn a deformed pauper with some form of disability - dumb, blind, lame, deaf etc.
3.5
3.5.1 If one discarded the five human relationship - husband/wife; brother/sister; parent/children; friendship; loyalty to country
3.5.2 Eight virtues - filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty to country, trustworthiness, courtesy, righteousness, chastity and shame.
and further virtues on woman soul - three degrees of dependence - her father, her husband and her children.
These, will be regarded as committed grave sins and will be reborn as beast/animals e.g. via female womb, eggs, sea creatures, worms. This is called retaliatory recompense.
4. Love and Hatred Office
Decides whether a person, on rebirth, will have gratitude or take revenge.
If a person, who had good deeds done to him by others, dies, his soul will be upon reborn, having gratitude and repay the good deeds he had previously received.
If a person, when alive, had been insulted, maltreated or oppressed by others, after death, his soul will retain hatred, upon reborn, will take revenge on those who previously done him wrong.
In case of female, when alive wronged by a male, dies in deep anger and hatred, her soul when due for rebirth can refuse to be reborn as human but prefer to be revengeful ghost so that she can go to Earth and cause sudden death or 'unexpected calamity' to the male. Her request will be entertained after assessment by this Office.
5. Life span Office
Decides life span of a person to be reborn - whether to have long or short life, die with agony, die from death sentence, die of murder etc.
6. Allocation of family relationship Office
Allocates various duties and responsibilities of members of family e.g. parents/children, husband/wife, brothers/sisters. All these are results of cause and effect.
Born filial, disobedient, good nature partner, unfaithful partner etc.
Example: Mr A give financial assistance to Mr B. When Mr B dies, he indebted to Mr A as in his lifetime he did not settle with Mr A. In Hades, if Mr B not very sinful person when alive, on being reborn, will be children of Mr A so that he could be filial son and repay his debt to Mr A.
Example: Mr C when alive cheated Mr D and resulted in death of Mr D. Mr D can be reborn a son of Mr C and when grown up, use up Mr C's properties.
7. Reward and Punishment Office
Deciding classification of metempsychosis (transmigration of soul, after death, to another body) a soul should be reborn.
If a person when alive, did many charitable deeds, he will be reborn into a family having a history of many generations of nobility and wealth. Likewise, an evil person will be reborn into families having history of poverty and suffering in several generations.
Those who very sinful will be reborn as beasts/animals for generations or reborn as worms, insects, fish etc.
8. Evidence of Rebirth Office
Issue evidence that a soul has right to be reborn into various human categories e.g. born as officer; scholar; farmer; artisan or an animal (skin and fur, feathers or scales)
For further details, please visit Journey #56
The
