Many small chambers lined both the left and right sides inside the Platform of Oblivion. The rooms on the left were reserved for beings with great blessings who drank the sweet Meng Po’s soup. Looking at the chambers on the left, I saw that each had a table and stools. A cup of sweet Meng Po’s soup rested on the table, and two female attendants offered it to the souls. Those with abundant blessings were allowed to drink within the private rooms, much like VIP suites in the mortal world, enjoying special treatment. Each chamber on the right also held a table and seats, with a cup of five-flavoured Meng Po’s soup placed upon it. Only one female attendant served the souls here, for these were beings of ordinary blessings who might also take their refreshment inside the rooms.
We walked onward and arrived at Meng Po Pavilion, where Goddess Meng Po was.
“I, Ayù, press my palms respectfully to Goddess Meng Po!”
Goddess Meng Po smiled at me. The Magistrate told me that she usually stayed at Meng Po Pavilion, where incidents frequently unfolded. Sometimes souls refused to drink Meng Po’s soup. All souls who came to the pavilion carried meagre blessings and heavy karmic obstacles, so far more ghost officers were stationed here, each armed with pointed pitchforks.
I watched many souls queue up before Meng Po Pavilion. They appeared utterly exhausted and tormented by raging thirst. Some lacked all bodily strength. Those who could still walk advanced on their own and picked up the soup when their turn came. Ghost officers supported the feeble souls to the pavilion and fed them the soup.
A shrill scream suddenly rang out. A female soul had refused to drink, and two ghost officers struck her. Alas, she suffered terribly! One officer struck her legs with a pitchfork, and she tumbled to the ground, blood flowing from her wounds. The other ghost officer immediately lifted her with his pitchfork and forced her to swallow three cups of soup. The Magistrate said this female soul would suffer chronic leg pain and throat ailments in her future mortal life. Souls who resisted Meng Po’s soup not only endured beatings from the ghost officers but were also compelled to drink two extra bitter cups as punishment. Afterward, they bore lingering physical afflictions as a karmic consequence. Once they drank the soup, the souls grew dazed, and ghost officers escorted them away to be reborn.
I noticed a broad river stretching before Meng Po Pavilion. Souls who fell into its waters would return to the human world for another lifetime.
The Magistrate said: “Our time today has run out, Ayù. You may visit again another day.”
I pressed my palms together and bowed reverently to the Magistrate. And then I returned by white lotus flower.
8 / The Dreadful Karmic Retribution for Wasting Food — The Hell of Abundant Grains