18 / Never Engage in Angling — The Solitary Souls Angling Fish in the Sword‑Sea Hell
Grateful for the empowerment of the Buddha, I departed riding a white lotus flower.
“Namo Amitabha!” I paid homage to the Magistrate.
Ayù: “Today I wish to ask the Magistrate: What karmic retribution awaits sentient beings who take pleasure in angling? I have seen some angling enthusiasts in the mortal world treat angling as mere recreation. Fully aware that seawater near cities is contaminated and contains hazardous heavy‑metal substances, they haul fish onto the shore for amusement. Some scrape off partial scales, gouge out eyes, slice off fins and eviscerate the creatures before tossing them back into the sea. Will such deeds cause one to fall into hell? If this corresponding hell exists, I hope to tour it.”
The Magistrate: “Angling counts as the act of killing living beings. Whether people angle for fun or to eat the catch, they accrue black karma of killing and shall fall into hell to undergo punishments. Here lies the distinction between the two cases. If one angles purely for amusement without wounding the fish or maiming its limbs, allowing it to swim back to the ocean and live normally, the ensuing karmic retribution is comparatively lighter. Even so, such actions terrify the fish’s mind, namely, its consciousness, forming bad karmic bonds between the angler and the fish.
“If anglers fish for entertainment with no intent to kill, each time they hook a fish, one month’s worth of their blessing rewards is deducted, including provisions and all manner of worldly enjoyments for that month. For instance, if an angler is supposed to get a pay raise the following month, the black karma brought about by his angling will render the pay‑raise impossible. Furthermore, the angler may also face unreasonable reprimands from superiors, suffer ostracism from colleagues, and be disliked by others. Due to the karmic rebound from harming fish, his body will naturally experience sudden, unprovoked bouts of pain. If this angler runs a business and is about to close a deal with a major client the following month that will earn him one million, this blessing reward will also be wiped away by the black karma generated from angling. Even those born with abundant past-life blessing rewards will encounter numerous obstacles and can only painstakingly earn three hundred thousand.
“If anglers maim the hooked fish out of playful amusement, they lose one month of blessing rewards and suffer various physical ailments in return. The specifics of karmic suffering follow this rule: every agony endured by the wounded fish is reflected back onto the angler through karmic force. Anglers will develop headaches, dizziness, various oral illnesses, symptoms of mental disturbance and other conditions. People born with cleft lips receive this deformity as retribution for angling in past lives. All other physical pains they endure match exactly the injuries inflicted upon the fish. If one angles for the purpose of eating the catch, each instance shortens one’s lifespan by a minimum of seven days and diminishes three months’ worth of blessing rewards. Those who catch large numbers of fish, or pregnant fish, face harsher punishments under the netherworld’s Nether Laws, judged according to the detailed records kept by their attendant deities.
“The bodily aura of habitual anglers gradually fades from red to grey. A dim bodily aura brings constant setbacks in daily affairs, restless sleep, excessive suspicion and a quick temper.
“At the moment of birth, every person bears a round bodily aura, whose shade varies from individual to individual. One’s bodily aura embodies their blessing rewards as well as good and evil karmic forces. A full, bright aura that stretches wide and far signifies abundant virtuous karma, great blessing rewards and noble conduct. The Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas of supreme wisdom possess the most perfect auras of all.
“As mentioned before, two attendant deities follow each mortal day and night from birth until the end of their lifespan. They accompany people everywhere—even to the lavatory, during bathing and sleep. One attendant deity has a male appearance, positioned on the mortal’s left with a pale white aura, tasked with recording all virtuous ideas and deeds each day. The other has a female appearance, standing on the right with a pale black aura, who keeps track of all evil thoughts and misdeeds.