1 / The Origin of Writing The Inexorable Nether Laws (Part One): Ascending to the Thirty-Three Heavens by the Buddha’s Divine Power
Grateful for the Buddha’s supporting empowerment, I departed riding a white lotus flower.
Amitabha! I pressed my palms together in greeting to the Magistrate., a netherworld judicial official who aids the Yama Kings in handling judicial affairs.
I asked the Magistrate, “When Great Emperor Fengdu, the Nether Sovereign Yama King, submitted a memorial to the Heavenly Emperor proposing the compilation of The Inexorable Nether Laws to exhort and enlighten mortals, what instructions did the Heavenly Emperor deliver?”
The Magistrate replied: “I am bound for the heavenly realm to report official business to the Heavenly Emperor. I shall take you along to have an audience with him.”
I joyfully thanked the Magistrate, and we flew toward the heavenly realm. At an altitude of roughly six thousand meters above the earth, a pure, tranquil peace grew palpable. I spotted heavenly people gliding through the air, and also saw palaces and houses that radiated light—exquisite and beautiful, unlike the dull, lusterless dwellings of the mortal world.
Presently we arrived before the gate of a grand palace. Above the gate were three large Chinese characters: “Di Shi Tian,” a Chinese name for Sakra. Two imposing, majestic heavenly generals stood guard armed with weapons. They appeared to recognize us and greeted us with courteous smiles. The Magistrate explained that we sought an audience with the Heavenly Emperor. The two generals said the Heavenly Emperor had left prior instructions that we might enter directly without further announcement. The generals stepped aside; the gates opened automatically; and we proceeded inward.
This palace was not only immense but extraordinarily solemn, shimmering radiantly. I caught sight of celestial maidens, each possessed of peerless beauty and extraordinary bearing. Even the most gorgeous Miss World from the human realm would instantly pale in comparison upon arriving here. The bodies of heavenly beings are also born through transformation. The atmosphere this place gave was utterly different from that of the hell realms. All heavenly beings dwell in ease and freedom, every one of them looking joyful and content, for no suffering exists within the heavenly realms. The garments worn by heavenly beings floated lightly in the air, bearing no trace of stitching. As the Chinese idiom puts it, “heavenly robes are seamless.” When I toured the heavenly realm, I thought the human realm was filthy beyond measure; yet when I visited the hells, I felt the human realm was far better by contrast. Hence, humans ought to keep ascending. The higher one ascends, the purer the realm becomes; the lower one sinks, the more tormenting the realm grows.
A heavenly maiden came over to lead us onward; the palace really was vast. Presently, a resplendent golden hall came into view ahead, and we stepped inside. The heavenly maiden reported to the Heavenly Emperor that a hell magistrate of the netherworld and Shangguan Yuhua, a mortal woman from the mortal world, had come to pay homage.
Seated highest at the center of the great hall was the Heavenly Emperor. His sacred appearance radiated solemn compassion. He wore an ancient Chinese imperial crown, rectangular in shape, with strands hanging down at the front and back. One could not gaze upon his form without feeling profound reverence. Soft, gentle seven-hued light emanated from the fabric of his robes. Though seven colors intertwined, they were never harsh to the eye, layered with distinct depth and dimension. Observing him filled me with profound peace and ease. The mind light radiating from the Emperor’s heart could envelop the entire heavenly realm.