The soul edict falls into two color classifications: pale yellow and deep crimson. Pale yellow edicts are borne by nether officials from the Merit Bestowal and Transgression Judiciaries, who travel to the mortal realm to escort virtuous departed souls down to the netherworld. Only deep crimson edicts are entrusted to Ox‑Head and Horse‑Face. A pale yellow edict signifies the deceased mortal accumulated substantial good karma; a deep crimson edict denotes grave karmic evil deeds, dooming the spirit to undergo torment across all manner of hellish realms.
Every soul edict bears exhaustive records: the mortal’s identity, place of residence, exact year, month, day, hour and second of their passing, as well as the specific karmic events that brought their earthly life to an end. Guided by the precise time and location inscribed on the edict, Ox‑Head and Horse‑Face directly seize the soul and escort it back to the netherworld to receive its karmic retribution.
[Illustration with Chinese inscriptions]
[Chinese inscription accompanying the illustration]
Heaven sees all good and evil, loyalty and treachery; No one escapes the impartial law of cause and effect.
Contents
The Inexorable Nether Laws (Volume I)
Preface
0 / The Author’s Preface
1 / The Origin of Writing The Inexorable Nether Laws (Part One): Ascending to the Thirty-Three Heavens by the Buddha’s Divine Power