At that moment, the Virgin Mary spoke with a gentle and compassionate voice: “Every part of your body, skin and hair is received from your parents. Child, your mortal lifespan has not yet ended, yet your spirit has already descended to the netherworld. Do you know that your parents in the mortal world suffer as though pierced by ten thousand arrows?”
Tears streamed uncontrollably down the youth’s face as he wept: “If only time could turn back, I would never view any pornographic publications again. Today I shall confess my sins thoroughly before the Holy Virgin Mary. I long to repent to my parents, yet I can no longer communicate with them. I have been gravely unfilial! I deserve to die! My parents loved me deeply. Whatever I desired, they would grant my wishes. We enjoyed abundant material comforts. I lived in a large residence, with two servants attending to my daily needs day and night. I deeply felt my parents’ affection for me. Now I can only hope to repay their kindness of raising me in the next lifetime.
It all began out of mere curiosity. I was only six years old when I encountered pornographic websites on a computer and started to masturbate while seeing them. At first, I thought it was merely amusing, but I soon became addicted. The addiction turned into a habit, and I masturbated nearly every day. I would even sneak into school restrooms to commit this grave error. My parents were occupied with work, leaving home early and returning late each day. After school, only the servants accompanied me. Whenever my parents were away, these two servants often chatted on the telephone with their friends. Seeing me stay in my room, they assumed I was well-behaved and left me undisturbed.
This continued until I turned ten. I began to suffer lower back pain, constant exhaustion and lack of strength, and perpetual drowsiness. I even needed a walking stick to move, looking just like an aged old man. My mother took me to countless physicians, yet none could cure my condition. Eventually, a Chinese medicine doctor diagnosed severe kidney depletion and premature senility. Only then did my parents learn about my habit of masturbation. Though I was reprimanded, my parents loved their son dearly, and they continued seeking famous doctors everywhere to treat me. I also began to recognize the harm of masturbation and stopped for a period of time. Seeing me behave, my parents loosened their supervision over me.
While I was taking medicine, pornographic images and voices constantly surfaced in my mind and would not fade away. I knew it was wrong, yet I could not restrain myself, and secretly resumed masturbating. Every time after the act, I would feel utterly drained and dizzy. Finally, at twelve years old, Ox‑Head and Horse‑Face dragged me to hell bound by heavy iron chains to endure punishment. I had always committed this act secretly inside my room, hiding it deep in my heart and telling no one. It feels such a relief to speak of everything today. Many of my classmates visit pornographic websites without their parents’ knowledge. I wish to depart this place. Holy Virgin, I beg you to save me and take me to the Kingdom of Heaven. In heaven, I will tell my classmates never to browse pornographic websites and never to commit the evil deed of masturbation again!”
The Virgin Mary instructed him: “Your parents in the mortal world still yearn for you every single day!” The youth said: “Holy Virgin! I earnestly beg you to deliver me. I no longer wish to go to the Kingdom of Heaven. I want to help my classmates and exhort all young boys to avoid pornographic websites and refrain from masturbation. If I fail to do so, let my hands be cut off and my mouth rot away.”
The Virgin Mary proclaimed: “It is excellent that you possess the resolve to reform completely. All transgressions arise from the mind; they are created by the mind. You must cultivate vigilance at the instant thoughts arise. Abide in right mindfulness at all times, and you will naturally remain undefiled by depraved thoughts. Your vow to persuade sentient beings to abandon the vicious habit of sexual misconduct is a virtuous aspiration. However, swearing that your hands will be cut off and your mouth rot away if you fail constitutes an evil vow. The moment you utter an evil vow, you lose right mindfulness. We may make vows, yet we should only form virtuous aspirations and never evil ones. Both virtuous and evil vows constitute a cause, and every cause inevitably bears its fruit. Once a person makes a vow, that vow will come to fruition one day. A vow is an invisible force that drives us lifetime after lifetime. One may constantly renew virtuous vows, which nurture and elevate the radiance of our spiritual nature. Evil vows must never be spoken, for they initiate a vicious cycle whereby we reap what we have sown. In worse cases, those who make such vows harm other people and living things, damaging others as well as themselves. Evil vows are a cause of decline, while virtuous vows are the foundation leading our lives toward brightness.”
Through the empowerment and salvation of the Bodhisattva, the dim crimson radiance surrounding the youth’s mind had faded to pale white, and his spirit was ascending upward. I asked the Magistrate: “This youth descended into hell only recently and has not yet completed his karmic punishments. Why is he able to attain liberation and ascend so swiftly?”
The Magistrate replied: “The youth’s original mind-nature was not deeply flawed. His parents were overly occupied and failed to provide timely proper positive guidance. Lacking right understanding and right views, he strayed onto the wrong path and fell into hell. Now he encounters deliverance from Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. Supported by the Bodhisattva’s majestic spiritual power, coupled with the youth’s sincere repentance, these two combined forces enable such rapid ascension.”
“I have learned a great deal once more today! Thank you, Magistrate, for your patient explanations.”