Issue 297

After 49 days, without any surviving relatives doing any meritorious deeds on their behalf to rescue them from their distress, to save evil-doing living beings from their suffering. Besides that, during their lives they themselves didn’t plant any good causes, didn’t do good deeds. Now their own karma calls forth these hells. Their first task is to cross this sea. Naturally, they must first go to this great sea of suffering to endure the karmic retribution they deserve.

Hundred thousand yojanas east of this sea is another sea in which they will undergo twice as much suffering. East of that sea is yet another sea where the sufferings are doubled yet again. What the combined evil causes of the three karmic vehicles evoke is called the sea of karma. This is that place.

Hundred thousand yojanas east of this sea is another sea in which they will undergo twice as much suffering. The suffering in the other sea is much more severe than this one. If you think that being chased by evil beasts and yakshas in this sea is suffering, wait till you see the other bodies of sea, and you would know that the suffering there is manifold compared to this one. East of that sea is yet another sea where the sufferings are doubled yet again. The suffering there is much more than the previous sea.

What caused the existence of these seas? This is what the combined evil causes of the three karmic vehicles evoke… The three karmas are the karma of body, the karma of mouth and the karma of mind. There are three evils committed by the body, namely: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct. There are three evils committed by the mind, namely: greed, hatred, delusion. There are four evils committed by the mouth, namely: frivolous speech, false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech. Frivolous speech consists of inappropriate words between men and women. False speech refers to exaggerations and lies. Harsh speech refers to scolding people. Divisive speech refers to telling A that it’s B’s fault and telling B that it’s A’s fault, provoking conflict between people. It is one person saying two different things, e.g., tattling to A about B and tattling to B about A. Altogether, the four evils by the mouth, the three evils by the body, and the three evils by the mind, constitute the Ten Evils. These ten evils are also called the evil causes of the three karmas. These are the seeds that create evil.

How come there is this type of sea with evil waters and so many evil beasts and yakshas? These come forth from the evil causes committed by people. Plant good causes and reap good retributions; plant evil causes and reap evil retributions. People deserve what they get since they create their own offense karma. . . is called the sea of karma. Together, the three seas are called the sea of karma. These are all created by the power of people’s karma. This is that place, the sea of karma.

The worthy woman asked Ghost King Poisonless, ‘Where are the hells?’ Poisonless answered, ‘Within the three seas are hundreds of thousands of hells, each one different. Eighteen of those are known as the great hells. Five hundred subsequent ones inflict limitless cruel sufferings. Following those are hundreds of thousands that further inflict limitless sufferings.’

The worthy woman again questioned the great ghost king, “My mother died recently and I do not know where she has gone.”

The worthy Brahman woman asked Ghost King Poisonless, “Where are the hells?” Ghost King Poisonless answered, “Within the three seas are the great hells.”

What is the sea of karma? The sea of karma is a conglomeration of living beings’ karma. Sea is symbolic of a large number; there may or may not be an existent sea necessarily. It represents the accumulation of karma that is boundless as the great sea. These three seas are created by people’s three karmas of body, mouth and mind. So Poisonless told the Brahman woman that within the three seas are the great hells. How many hells are there? There are hundreds of thousands of hells. Each one is different; each one has its unique setup. In other words, each person experiences a unique hell specific to his/her karma. Hells are neither existent nor created before a person dies. The hells manifest based on each individual’s karma; each experiences retribution based on his or her offense karma.

For instance, there is a hell of molten copper. In this hell are hollow pillars of molten copper, with a fire blazing inside. What kind of individuals fall into this hell? Licentious individuals. The power of their karma makes these individuals see the molten copper pillars in the form of people. Lusty men see them as beautiful women. As he runs forward to embrace them, he is scorched through to the skin and flesh, and he is stuck. Lusty women see them as extremely handsome men, an old friend, or long-lost friends from the past. Without regard for anything, she wants to get close to them, but when she does get close, she gets burned to death by the fire of desire.

In the hells, there is a form of opportune wind created by a wondrous way. After being burned to death, the lusty men and women are revived when the opportune wind blows. After they are revived, they still need to go through the same retribution. However, they have forgotten the punishment that they had just gone through; they only remember the benefits they perceived. So, this goes on repeatedly. They make the same mistake and suffers the retribution there. This is how the molten copper hell works. There are many different kinds of hells, each with its unique feature.

Eighteen of those are known as the great hells. Each hell has eighteen separate spots. Five hundred subsequent ones inflict limitless cruel sufferings. Following those are hundreds of thousands that inflict limitless further sufferings, likewise limitless albeit a little less severe.

The worthy woman again asked the great ghost king, “Oh big brother ghost king! My mother died recently and I do not know where she has gone. I do not know where my mother’s soul went. Out of your kindness and compassion, please tell me.”

The ghost king asked the worthy woman, “When the Bodhisattva’s mother was alive, what did she habitually do?”

The worthy woman replied, “My mother held deviant views. She ridiculed and slandered the Triple Jewel. Even if she occasionally believed, she would soon become disrespectful again. She died recently and I still do not know where she was reborn.”

Ghost king Poisonless heard the Brahman woman’s query about where her mother has been reborn, which of the six destinies on the wheel of rebirth. The ghost king asked the worthy woman, “When the Bodhisattva’s mother was alive, what did she habitually do?” The ghost king knew that the Brahman woman was able to go to the hells because of the power of her awesome virtue and vows, so he addressed her as a Bodhisattva. “What did your mother do when she was alive? What occupation was she in? How did she conduct herself?”

The worthy woman replied, “My mother held deviant views.” Although she was my mother, I cannot cover up her mistakes. She held deviant knowledge and deviant views, which are the Five Sharp Servants pertaining to the body, the extremes, the precepts, the views, and the deviances. Those with deviant views of the body have these traits, i.e. Never accept a losing deal, always think of what’s best for the body, want to eat nutritious food to prevent poor health, feed oneself chubby, think chubbier is healthier. These people are constantly thinking of game plans to benefit their body, e.g., living in a good place, eating good food, wearing nice clothes. From morning to night, they strategize on these for their body. This is the deviant view of the body, not wanting the body to be on the losing end or getting hurt.

People with deviant views of the extremes hold views that were prejudiced. When people say that smoking cigarettes is unhealthy, they would disagree and say the contrary. They would say that smoking was the best and criticize you for not knowing the wonder of it, for if you do, you will not give it up. Their explanation seems to make sense. Extreme views may be delivered with ingenious explanations to the point of flawless reasoning, but they are actually prejudiced.

View of precepts here refer to deviant view of precepts. When they see Buddhists who abstain from meat, they would say, “What’s the big deal with not eating meat? Look at those people who don’t even eat salt. That’s real skill. If you don’t believe me, try it out.” They intentionally ridicule and slander the Triple Jewel. In general, they always find fault with everything you do. There are actually no problems, but she will look with a microscope to find any miniscule fault possible.

Deviant views. For example, everyone says it is right to be filial to our parents. They would contradict, “Why? Parents procreate because they sought momentary pleasures, and you think they are good to you! Do not bother with your parents. They deserve to get old and die. The sooner they die, the better; otherwise, they just add to the consumer list.” They gave such lengthy explanations, arguing with you about filiality. They insist, “It’s wrong to be filial. Why be filial to elders? That is stupid.” This is a deviant knowledge and deviant view.

And ridiculed and slandered the Triple Jewel. When she saw people bowing to the Buddhas, she would say, “Ah, is that a Buddhist? Buddhists do everything just the same! They are no better than anybody else; they eat, drink, gamble and prostitute like everyone else. What good is it to believe in the Buddhas?” She piles a list of faults on Buddhists so that Buddhists seem like criminals who commit worse things than the Ten Evils and the Five Rebellious Acts. This is a form of ridicule. She slandered by saying Buddhism cheats on people. She said the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha are all fake. She said, “The Buddha is made of clay, the Dharma is words on paper. Sangha members are humans too! How are they different from regular people? Why should you believe them? Why should you bow to them? You are so stupid.” She scolded you harshly to the point that Buddhists are afraid to let others know that they are Buddhists to prevent embarrassment.

A few years ago, one elderly man who came to listen to the sutras on Sundays asked to take refuge with me, but I never agreed. Why? He said that he wanted to take refuge secretly so that no one knew. Taking refuge is not stealing, why should it be secret? I do not have any secret refuges here, so I told him to think things over before taking refuge. This is strange! He says that he is a Catholic with long time Catholic friends who will call him a deserter if they knew that he believed in Buddhism. If you do not say so, you are deceiving them, that makes you even more of an offender. He says that he is still getting some charity there. How can someone like this be a Buddhist? How pathetic!