“When it comes to setting up tablets for infant souls, the expectant parents in the mortal world need not place such tablets at home. This will only delay the infant souls’ transcendence, and may even attract other wandering souls to dwell on the tablets. As for erecting memorial tablets in a Buddha hall so the infant souls may receive incense offerings and listen to sutra recitations, this will certainly be effective, but only if the Buddha hall is pure and all rituals are carried out in accordance with dharma principles. Only under such conditions can it bring about the effect of transcendence. Nowadays many venues in the mortal world claim to be authentic Buddha halls, boasting highly spiritually attuned masters who specialize in liberating infant souls. Yet their actual deeds are merely schemes to swindle money. Those who entrust them will waste their money, time and energy, and may even be possessed by demons and evil entities. The infant souls from abortions hold resentment solely toward their expectant parents. The initiator of the trouble alone can resolve it. Instead of paying others to repent to the infant souls on their behalf, the expectant parents should offer sincere repentance themselves, which yields faster and better results.
“When aborted infant souls arrive at the Wailing City of the Wrongfully Dead, most take the form of approximately six-month-old mortal infants and retain this shape until they are reborn or transcend. Infant souls in the Wailing City of the Wrongfully Dead subsist on contact food. If their expectant parents in the mortal world make offerings to them, the infant souls can absorb the essence of the food. Tragically, these abandoned infant souls receive no offerings at all and live in unending agony, wailing bitterly each day. The infant souls’ lingering resentment quietly drains their parents’ blessings and virtues day by day. When these mortal parents pass away, they will be trapped in another painful cycle of karmic grudges. Therefore, I urge all mortal beings never to commit abortion. Anyone who has had an abortion must practice goodness and accumulate virtue to atone for misdeeds through virtuous works. Those who spread these messages of the nether karmic laws and lead wrongdoers to sincere repentance may have their offenses lessened by the nether authorities.”
After joining my palms in gratitude to the Magistrate, I returned by white lotus flower.
25 / Views on Female Chastity and Premarital Sex According to Netherworld Laws
“Amitabha!” I, Ayù, pressed my palms together in greeting to the Magistrate. Today I wished to ask how the netherworld views female chastity and premarital sexual conduct.
The Magistrate replied, “Women ought to uphold the three obediences and four virtues. The virtue spoken of here refers to chastity. If a woman loses her spouse or goes through a divorce, yet resolves to remain single for the rest of her life, preserving her chastity until her passing, the netherworld will record a meritorious merit of safeguarding chastity in her Register of Life and Death. Provided she commits no major transgressions in the mortal world, she may ascend to heavenly realms after passing away, or receive blessings such as being reborn as a male. By contrast, women who abandon chastity will suffer depleted blessings and shortened lifespans while alive, and set harmful examples for their descendants. Regrettably, chastity is no longer valued among modern women.
“Contemporary society suffers from a grave lack of teachings on karmic cause and effect, as well as traditional moral education upheld in ancient times. In ancient times, women abided by the three obediences and four virtues, emphasizing womanly virtue, womanly speech, womanly work and womanly appearance. Back then, even women’s gait, bearing and tone of voice were subject to norms. Today’s women are no longer confined within the household. Most join the workforce, holding advanced academic credentials and demonstrating strong professional competence; some even outperform men in various fields. The old adage that an uneducated woman is virtuous no longer holds true. Lacking sufficient moral cultivation, many modern women are influenced by televisions and online media amid technological advancement, growing indifferent to chastity.
“Women must conduct themselves prudently. When their romantic circumstances change, they must reflect deeply on themselves and refrain from improper conduct. The loss of chastity constitutes sexual misconduct. Such misconduct plants boundless karmic seeds destined to bring suffering in the hell realms. It is my sincere wish that all women across the world may safeguard their chastity.
“Premarital sexual acts severely tarnish the radiance of one’s spiritual nature. At birth, every soul carries a radiant spiritual light in their virgin state, albeit with varying degrees of brightness. Gradually tainted by mortal worldly influences, this radiance fades, and may even turn murky. Once the spirit dims, misfortunes will befall the individual. Nevertheless, some people can, through spiritual practice, restore a dimmed spiritual nature to its original brightness within their lifetimes.
“Marriage exists primarily to grant humans the means to continue their lineage. Sexual relations within the bounds of human ethics serve for procreation. Even within marriage, sexual activity must not be excessive; otherwise, one’s blessings and lifespan will be diminished. From the perspective of the nether laws, people must strictly abide by the rule prohibiting premarital sexual conduct to safeguard personal virtue. Sexual relations ought only to take place after marriage begins on the wedding day. Any sexual intercourse prior to marriage constitutes sexual misconduct. Even if the two parties end up marrying each other later, the pre-marital intimacy still violates the precept against sexual misconduct, depletes one’s blessings and shortens one’s lifespan. Those engaging in premarital sexual relations with more than one partner of the opposite sex suffer greater loss of blessings, and plant negative karmic seeds that lead to hellish suffering. The exact consequences depend on each individual case and the specific forms of sexual misconduct committed.