The First Hall of Judgment: An Interview with King Qinguang

This is a record of an interview with King Qinguang of the First Hall of Hell, who sought Chao Du [Spiritual Deliverance] at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and his duties in the underworld. Recorded by Practitioner Su on July 20, 2015.

Practitioner Su speaks:

"Today, we begin our interview with King Qinguang of the First Hall. May I ask, King Qinguang, where are you from?"

King Qinguang speaks:

"I am a native of Nanchang, in the province of Jiangxi."

The Transformation of the Ten Kings

"May I ask, how long have you served as a King of Hell?"

"Practitioner Su, do you not remember? The previous King of Hell also came to this Buddha-land to seek Chao Du! The Buddha is filled with such great compassion; the previous ten kings of the ten halls have all already attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

"You are referring to the time the ten kings came to the Hsiang Kuang Buddha-land to seek deliverance?"

"If I were to speak of this to the world, people would find it absolutely inconceivable. They have never heard of a King of Hell coming to a Buddha-land to seek deliverance, for the office of the King of Hell is one that commands immense awe and fear. Because the previous kings sought deliverance here, the current ten kings have also come here to seek the same path."

A Life of Filial Piety

"So, the ten kings are all newly appointed! Very well. King Qinguang, you mentioned you are from Nanchang, Jiangxi. At what point in your life did you pass away and enter the underworld?"

"I passed away at the age of fifty-three."

"You passed away at fifty-three? Did you immediately become the King of the First Hall, or did you have to serve in another capacity first?"

"In my life, my character was one of extreme benevolence and filial piety. Although I had not heard the Buddha’s teachings at that time, I had also not committed any great wrongs. When I passed away, I did not suffer from any particular illness. I only knew that my family were devout followers of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. I saw someone leading me to this place, clearing the path before me. I asked the one who was guiding me, 'Why are you bringing me here?' He replied, 'Because you were exceptionally benevolent and filial during your life, you have become an official. Now, you are to serve as the King of the First Hall, as the previous King has already attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land. We have been searching for a successor, and your character and wisdom are suitable for this position.' I was terrified! I had never handled such cases before; I did not know what to do!"

The Dignity of the Underworld

"I must say, you carry yourself with such great dignity!"

"In truth, because I was an official during my life, this sense of authority comes quite naturally to me."

"Your presence is truly magnificent, I assure you."

"Actually, my heart is still quite nervous! Because of this face—it is not exactly a friendly one—I have to maintain a very stern appearance. Practitioner Su, may I relax a little now? Guards, please step aside!"

"Haha! Please, feel free to relax. The magnetic field here at the Buddha-land is very peaceful."

"They are laughing, too! They are wondering how a King of Hell could be interviewed. The guards, the judges, they are all watching me. Look at the White Impermanence holding his fan, and the Black Impermanence with his iron abacus! Haha! Well, King of Hell, so be it."

The Reality of Karmic Retribution

"Today, our interview with the ten kings is intended to be published to save the world, to let people know that the hells truly exist! Before you passed away at fifty-three, you were a family man with grandchildren, were you not?"

"Indeed, I was."

"How many sons did you have?"

"I had three sons."

"It sounds like you had a very happy family. You were filial, and your children were filial to you as well?"

"Yes! I was very devoted to my parents. Even when I was over fifty, while my mother was still with us, I would greet her every single day, serve her tea, and check on her health and well-being. This is the way a child should show filial piety."

"This example of yours—once this book is published, people will know they must learn from you, learn from our King of the First Hall. We invited you first to speak about the path of filial piety in the human world."

"Practitioner Su, when you publish this, please make sure to include this: I did not study the Buddha’s teachings, but I watched my mother, who was a sincere devotee of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. We had a statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in our home, though I had no interest in it at the time. That is why studying the Buddha’s teachings is so beneficial!"

"You can hear us giving Dharma talks from the halls of the underworld, can you not?"

"Yes, I can hear you, Practitioner Su. The guards allow me to listen to your teachings. Practitioner Su, please do not forget that we, the ten kings, are discussing at our meetings how to follow you to the Western Pure Land!"

"That is a certainty. I am a person of my word; what I say, I will do. This is the truth. Today, you mentioned you had three children. You were an official, and at fifty-three, you passed away and went directly to the underworld to serve as the King of the First Hall."

"As I said, someone guided me there."

"Someone guided you?"

"Yes! He looked just like a judge—the kind of judge who served as a secretary when I was an official. I had no reason to doubt him, so I simply followed him."

"So your spirit left your body, and that was the end of your life. Congratulations! Today, you can help many civilians. Just as we are now interviewing the twenty-eight heavens and explaining the entire universe, the Buddha’s compassion reaches from the highest levels down to the beings in the hells. The holy name of Namo Amituofo can transcend space and time. Why must one study the Buddha’s teachings? To understand life! People in this world satisfy their own desires and create all sorts of negative karma. Since you manage the hells, it is easy for you to guide and teach them. You must teach them to uphold the five virtues so they can escape the suffering of the hells!"

"Indeed! The hells naturally focus on counseling Goodness, explaining what causes lead to what effects. We tell them that they are simply eating the fruits of their own actions—they are suffering the consequences of their own deeds."

"Exactly! No one can help them; they must endure the retribution for the sins they have created. Therefore, we must teach them well. In this Five Turbidities and Evil World, we must let beings know that the ten kings truly exist, and that the laws of karma and cause and effect follow them like a shadow. The retribution of good and evil is real and not false. When the causal conditions align, one must receive the fruit. This interview with the ten kings will be able to help many suffering beings."

"The laws of karma are clear and distinct; they truly follow one like a shadow!"

"We continue to operate as we always have. We allow the beings to see their own actions, the situations they created, and the extent of the impact they had. Naturally, we also allow them to voice their grievances here. As for the other beings who arrive in the hells, we have them recorded first, and the judges inquire into their matters in great detail. That is how it is done. We do allow for what you might call 'emergency cases' to be inserted into the queue, but only if the matter is of significant consequence. If it is a minor incident, we simply tell them, 'Wait a moment,' or perhaps, 'The process is actually quite fast.'"

The Overcrowding of the Hells

"Practitioner Su: Listening to you, it sounds like the hells are currently packed to capacity!"

"King Qin Guang: Packed to capacity indeed!"

"Practitioner Su: There is so much karma being created."

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, the human world is already full of hellish situations, let alone our actual hells."

"Practitioner Su: I have a question. I heard a story about someone who beat the drum to cry out against those who framed and harmed him. The King of Hell, upon understanding the truth of the matter, said, 'Go back and take your revenge!' Does he really go back to seek revenge on those who harmed him?"

"King Qin Guang: If the grievance is justified, then of course it is permitted. If it is unjustified, it depends on the karmic connection. If it is certain that this person has suffered a true injustice, they are indeed sometimes allowed to return to the human world to seek justice. Sometimes, this is the only way for the aggrieved spirit to find what you call 'peace'—to be willing to accept the retribution."

"In truth, there are times when their grievances have nowhere to be heard, and they end up here. Those who have truly suffered injustice are like lonely wandering spirits, drifting everywhere. It is difficult for them to clear their names. When they have such an opportunity—when they are brave enough to come here and request a trial—we look at the scale and nature of the event. Once we understand the facts, we naturally wave our sleeves and say, 'Go!' That is how it happens."

"Practitioner Su: 'Go!' And then he can go and take his revenge."

"King Qin Guang: That is correct! Once the facts are understood, it is permitted."

The Cycle of Karma and the Alaya Consciousness

"Practitioner Su: With all this back-and-forth revenge, don't you feel that the hells are overflowing? The sins and karma being created are immense. It is terrifying. Today, I am interviewing the King of the First Hall, King Qin Guang. We have also interviewed the beings of the Twenty-Eight Heavens, and in all of them, we have seen your past lives. We hope that you, King Qin Guang, can speak about your own past lives. Looking back from the life where you passed away at fifty-three, have you ever fallen into the hells in the lives that followed?"

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, you are asking the King of Hell if he has ever fallen into hell? This question is... ah!"

"Practitioner Su: Because you are also part of the six realms of existence. Why do I ask this? I want to explain it to the public. How a person appears in the world is extremely important. If you lack Goodness in your heart, and you are not careful—if you make bad friends or have heavy habits—you will create karma and fall into the hells. Every single person I have interviewed from the Twenty-Eight Heavens has been the same."

"Of course, you have already attained the position of the King of the First Hall, but even in the human world, there comes a time when one's life ends. It is all part of the cycle of rebirth! Everyone has a time when their lifespan reaches its end. I am asking about your time in the human world—in which past life did you create karma? I want to grasp the Alaya consciousness of each individual to understand how terrifying that consciousness truly is."

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, when you ask this, I must admit that I often see the beings who come to the hells to suffer retribution—these spirits—and sometimes I truly do not know what to do! Some come and go, yet they are never able to change their evil habits. It is exactly as you say: it is the Alaya consciousness at work."

"Practitioner Su: Exactly. This individual Alaya consciousness is very troublesome. We must unravel it."

"King Qin Guang: Because you, Practitioner Su, give Dharma talks, we are able to hear them even in the hells. We have been listening for a long time. Of course, I will not hide it from you, Practitioner Su: I, too, have fallen into the hells."

"Practitioner Su: I see. How many lives ago was that?"

"King Qin Guang: Are you asking the King of Hell to look back through his past lives?"

"Practitioner Su: Yes, how many lives ago?"

"King Qin Guang: Seven lives ago!"

"Practitioner Su: Seven lives!"

"King Qin Guang: Indeed! In this current life, I am the King of Hell."

"Practitioner Su: What were the circumstances of your fall into hell seven lives ago?"

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, the First Hall also oversees what is known as the Hell of Pounding and Burning."

"Practitioner Su: The Hell of Pounding and Burning—that is for adultery. This world is very bitter. You see, no one can escape it; those who commit adultery all receive retribution. It is terrifying."

"King Qin Guang: I suffered retribution in the Hell of Pounding and Burning. Sigh!"

"Practitioner Su: It was also because of a relationship between a man and a woman, wasn't it? Were you a man or a woman then?"

"King Qin Guang: I was a man. I was a woodcutter. I would go up into the mountains to gather firewood, carrying it down to sell. One day, while passing through the mountains, I came upon a small hut. It started to rain, so I went inside and met a couple. They were kind-hearted people. Seeing me soaked, they quickly brought me a cup of hot water—boiled tea—to help me warm up. Although they were poor, they even gave me a set of clothes to change into. I was deeply grateful."

A Moment of Weakness

"The rain grew heavier, and it became impossible to head down the mountain. The husband, a man named Lin, saw that I was anxious to return home and urged me not to worry. He invited me to stay the night in their humble home. I could not refuse, so I stayed. He had some homemade wine and offered me a few cups. In truth, I rarely drank and had never really experienced what alcohol was like."

"Practitioner Su: Did the alcohol cause you to lose your senses? You shouldn't have been drinking, right?"

"King Qin Guang: After drinking, I fell asleep, and the husband fell asleep too. It was the middle of the night, and the wife needed to relieve herself. She was a kind-hearted woman, and she came to check on me to see if I had enough covers, worried I might be too cold. When I saw her, I suddenly grabbed her and took her to another room, and so..."

"Practitioner Su: Rape. You let your inner tiger loose!"

"King Qin Guang: It was the alcohol that harmed me. I don't know why I did it. She didn't scream, and he didn't scream either!"

"Practitioner Su: If she didn't scream, it means she had taken a liking to you too."

"King Qin Guang: (Nods)"

"Practitioner Su: Namo Amituofo! So you two were together for a long time, weren't you?"

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, you have such Wisdom. I hadn't even said it, and you already knew. Shame! Shame! Shame! I am ashamed! I am ashamed! Sigh! Jailers, do not listen! This is for the sake of the interview, do not listen! Jailers, withdraw! Withdraw!"

"Practitioner Su: Everyone has these things; even the jailers have them. It is very tragic!"

"King Qin Guang: They are laughing out loud, ha ha ha!"

"Practitioner Su: Everyone has them. I have asked all of you, and every one of you has fallen into the hells. Not one has escaped."

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, now you know why I oversee the First Hall."

"Practitioner Su: I know. Now, all ten halls must speak about whether they have fallen into the hells; everyone must be prepared. Because the beings of the Twenty-Eight Heavens have all spoken, and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have all revealed it, being a human is not so simple. This individual Alaya consciousness is truly terrifying. Later, did you develop a close relationship with his wife, and that is why you killed the husband?"

"King Qin Guang: (Nods) Practitioner Su, you know everything!"

"Practitioner Su: Oh my! Oh my! Namo Amituofo! After killing her husband, the two of you didn't have a good ending, did you? You both went to the Hell of Pounding and Burning?"

"King Qin Guang: The woman went to the Hell of the Bed of Fire."

"Practitioner Su: And you went to the Hell of Pounding and Burning?"

"King Qin Guang: (Nods) Yes, the Hell of Pounding and Burning."

"Practitioner Su: How many hells did you go to? You must have used some kind of poison to kill him."

"King Qin Guang: That is true! I used poison. In truth, I didn't dare to kill him all at once, because the husband, Brother Lin, was actually kind-hearted."

"Practitioner Su: Looking at the Causal Conditions, was there a connection from a past life? Otherwise, how could you have ended up at his house? Ah, past connections, right? Did he harm you in a past life?"

"King Qin Guang: Practitioner Su, now that I have heard the Buddha’s teachings, I realize that everything is a matter of Causal Conditions. It is what we call 'you pay me, I pay you.' Karmic retribution follows one exactly like that!"

"Practitioner Su: I now feel that practicing the Buddha’s teachings is very important; it allows one to find their true self. If you haven't realized your true self, you will be reincarnated for ten thousand kalpas, unable to find who you really are. It is all over!"

"King Qin Guang: It is hard to say when the seeds of the Alaya consciousness will sprout."

"Practitioner Su: Sometimes you just cannot grasp it. Now that I practice the Buddha’s teachings, I see people whose habits are hard to change, unable to turn their karma around. It is truly terrifying. The study of Consciousness-Only is about finding this very thing. This is serious!"

"King Qin Guang: Regarding the study of Consciousness-Only, you, Practitioner Su, can explain it much more thoroughly."

"Practitioner Su: It is frightening! You see, everyone nowadays cannot pass the test of emotion. Things have become very serious! Why must we practice the Buddha’s teachings? It is to find our true selves!"

"King Qin Guang: Indeed! Explaining the true nature of all laws of the world is very important. Only by finding one's true self can one stop creating karma."

"Practitioner Su: After coming up from the hells, did you go to the animal realm?"

"King Qin Guang: Yes, I went to the animal realm to be a dog."

"Practitioner Su: How long were you a dog? Did you come straight from hell to be a dog?"

"King Qin Guang: After suffering the retribution, I became a dog. Just like the dogs people see in the world today, when the desire arises, they sometimes engage in acts of adultery right on the spot."

"Practitioner Su: Yes, that is how dogs are. It is terrifying! Seeing it now is truly terrifying! How many lives were you a dog?"

"King Qin Guang: I was a dog for two lives."

"Practitioner Su: Did someone help you take refuge?"

"King Qin Guang: Yes, a passerby did."

"Practitioner Su: Helped you take refuge in the Buddha. Good. King of the First Hall, may I ask, at fifty-three, you were very filial to your parents. Were you born into a scholarly family?"

"King Qin Guang: It was a scholarly family."

"Practitioner Su: Looking back at the life before that fifty-three-year-old life, how were you able to be born into a scholarly family and be so filial?"

"King Qin Guang: The life before the King of Hell was a scholarly family. I became the King of Hell after fifty-three, so I am looking at the life before I became an official."

"Practitioner Su: I see. Were you a good official?"

"King Qin Guang: Yes! The life before I became an official, I was a businessman. I opened a small tea shop."

"Practitioner Su: Oh! Was the tea shop large or small? Was it for passing travelers? A tea shop for people coming and going, with small snacks to eat, right?"

"King Qin Guang: Yes, yes! A small tea shop. The snacks were things like steamed buns, hot buns, and tea—tea that was poured quickly, freshly brewed, steaming hot."

"Practitioner Su: Yes, yes, yes. I see it, I see it."

Practitioner Su: "You have taken those words to heart. I am opening up your heart and clearing away the waste. Take refuge in the Buddha, and you will not enter the hells; take refuge in the Dharma, and you will not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts; take refuge in the Sangha, and you will not fall into the animal realm. Rebirth in the Pure Land will allow you to be reborn and transformed. Call out, Namo Amituofo."

Liu Quanshan: "Namo Amituofo."

Practitioner Su: "Completely refreshed. Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo. Do you feel a bit better?"

Liu Quanshan: "My heart has opened up so much. Namo Amituofo, such compassion!"

A Family Reunion in the Pure Land

Practitioner Su: "Would you like to see your wife? Your wife, Ye Shi Chunmin, also needs to go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. You are currently the father of the King of the First Hall of Hell. I can guide your wife to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss during our Thrice Yearning Ceremony this Sunday. So, today, being Monday, you can still listen to the sutras properly. First, ascend the lotus seat to listen to the Dharma. Take refuge in the Buddha, and you will not enter the hells; take refuge in the Dharma, and you will not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts; take refuge in the Sangha, and you will not fall into the animal realm. Ascend the lotus seat, and be covered."

King Qin Guang: "I am grateful to Practitioner Su."

Practitioner Su: "Be grateful to Namo Amituofo. Everyone is happy; it is only right. Those who are interviewed today have the right to help their own family members. Is there anyone else who needs to be saved? Just these two?"

King Qin Guang: "Practitioner Su, please help save someone. When I was a dog, there was a benefactor who helped me take refuge. Benefactor, please, I ask Practitioner Su to come and help save him."

The Dog Named 'Fu-Fu' and the Benefactor

Practitioner Su: "I can, no problem. Give me his name, and I can save him. When you were a dog, what did people call you?"

King Qin Guang: "(Writes down: Fu-Fu) The person who helped Fu-Fu take refuge was my neighbor, Uncle Zhuang Youyi. Back then, I was a dog named Fu-Fu. They originally called me 'Fu-Er' [Wealthy Child], but because they were quite fond of money, they felt 'Fu-Fu' sounded better. So they called me 'Fu-Fu, Fu-Fu,' to bring in wealth. My neighbor, the uncle, was named Zhuang Youyi. Now, Zhuang Youyi is a cat."

Practitioner Jiaxian: "So, who are we looking for now?"

King Qin Guang: "The neighbor, Uncle Zhuang Youyi, who helped Fu-Fu take refuge. He is still in that village of ours."

Practitioner Su: "Still in that village in Jiangxi?"

King Qin Guang: "This one is not in Jiangxi. This was when I was a dog, so it was in..."

Practitioner Su: "Zhuang Youyi, Zhuang Youyi. Does he know your name was Fu-Fu?"

King Qin Guang: "He was my neighbor, so whenever my owner called me, he knew it."

Practitioner Su: "Zhuang Youyi, the dog Fu-Fu is looking for you."

Zhuang Youyi: "(Emits meowing sounds)"

Practitioner Su: "Take refuge in the Buddha, and you will not enter the hells; take refuge in the Dharma, and you will not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts; take refuge in the Sangha, and you will not fall into the animal realm. Let the Buddha-water irrigate you and restore you to your original form. The head—take refuge in the Buddha, and you will not enter the hells; take refuge in the Dharma, and you will not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts; take refuge in the Sangha, and you will not fall into the animal realm. Restore to original form, Namo Amituofo. Unzip the zipper, restore to original form. Zhuang Youyi, your former dog is now the King of the First Hall of Hell! He has come to save you. The one saving you is the dog Fu-Fu, the dog you liked, the one you helped take refuge—now he is a King of Hell!"

The Trap of Attachment

Zhuang Youyi: "How did you become a King of Hell? Aren't you the doggy Fu-Fu? Every time, I would pet you like this and even help you take refuge in the Buddha."

Practitioner Su: "How did you end up becoming a cat? Tell us, how did you become a cat? Zhuang Youyi, how did you become a cat?"

Zhuang Youyi: "My spirit was snatched away."

Practitioner Su: "Oh! Just now, the spirit of Liu Quanshan, the father of the King of the First Hall of Hell, was snatched away and locked in darkness. Many spirits are being snatched away right now; it is absolutely terrifying! As soon as there is attachment, one enters that space. I must tell everyone now: do not have improper thoughts. Thinking is terrifying; once you think and have attachment, your spirit is snatched away."

"It is like this now: you were snatched away to become a cat. He has brought you here. For now, stay in the Fragrant Light Buddha-land to listen to the sutras. On Sunday, during the Dharma assembly, you will go to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss together with his father, Liu Quanshan, and his mother, Ye Shi Chunmin."

Zhuang Youyi: "I don't know what the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is?"

Practitioner Su: "Can you chant Namo Amituofo? King Qin Guang, guide him. Tell him to chant Namo Amituofo. Didn't Namo Amituofo just save you?"

Zhuang Youyi: "Yes! Namo Amituofo. Buddha! Buddha!"

Practitioner Su: "So you must hold onto Namo Amituofo." (Zhuang Youyi chants aloud) "Cleanse your throat again. Keep chanting Namo Amituofo, and you will be saved."

Zhuang Youyi: "(Crying) I have heard this sound before—Namo Amituofo."

King Qin Guang: "Yes! Benefactor!"

Zhuang Youyi: "I seem to have chanted Namo Amituofo before."

King Qin Guang: "Benefactor!"

Zhuang Youyi: "How did I end up wandering and becoming a cat?"

King Qin Guang: "Benefactor, you helped me take refuge; you have forgotten."

Zhuang Youyi: "Why is this voice so familiar!"

Practitioner Su: "Indeed! Namo Amituofo. You were able to help others take refuge because you knew how to chant Namo Amituofo, do you understand? How did you become a cat? Let's look at the situation of how you became a cat."

Zhuang Youyi: "I loved my woman. The woman I loved kept a cat, and that cat was so cute. In my dream, my woman was holding her cat, and the cat kept leading me in, leading me in, and my spirit was snatched away."

Practitioner Su: "And then you died?"

Zhuang Youyi: "I got sick, and after I died, I became a cat. So, for those who study the Dharma, if the emotion is not severed, it is terrifying!"

The Truth of the Universe

Practitioner Su: "Did you hear that? Namo Amituofo! If you don't let go, you are finished, right? Speak it out for others to hear. Many spirits are being snatched away right now. King Qin Guang, come and verify this."

King Qin Guang: "It is true! Many spirits are being snatched away because they are attached to the 'reality' of things and enter that space!"

Practitioner Su: "Attachment is very terrifying now. Good, you must listen to the sutras this week. Please ascend the lotus seat to listen to the sutras. After listening, we will send all three of you together on Sunday. My Buddha is compassionate! Take refuge in the Buddha, and you will not enter the hells; take refuge in the Dharma, and you will not fall into the realm of hungry ghosts; take refuge in the Sangha, and you will not fall into the animal realm. Please ascend the lotus seat. Cover them. The King of the First Hall of Hell is here, and you have saved three people. Today, everyone is happy."

King Qin Guang: "I am grateful for the compassion of Namo Amituofo, and grateful to Practitioner Su."

Practitioner Su: "I am very happy to have met you. Today, you can say that you will also help our Fragrant Light Buddha-land. In the future, if I need to save people, you must all be on standby at any time. Only by accumulating merit together can we ascend to the Land of Real Reward."

King Qin Guang: "Indeed! The Fragrant Light Buddha-land is truly inconceivable. Practitioner Su, your compassion and mind-capacity are immense. We all know of your compassion from listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma. Only you, Practitioner Su, can save everyone who is capable of being saved."

Practitioner Su: "My Buddha is compassionate! Now, everyone has the responsibility to save the world! Therefore, the Kings of the Ten Halls of Hell must also come to save the world. This book is being published today to let people know about the Ten Kings of Hell. Is there anything you would like to say to the people of the world? I invite the King of the First Hall, King Qin Guang, to give teachings. We are reaching the conclusion."

King Qin Guang: "The so-called hells are created by one's own heart and character. Whatever cause you plant, you will reap that fruit. Good causes yield good fruits, and negative causes yield negative retribution; this is the Truth of the universe. Most importantly, those who come to the hells to receive retribution are there because of their habits! If habits are not changed, if one's habits and personality are not transformed, the evil one creates is like a cycle. If one does not change, one cannot transform one's own karma. Therefore, as people say, 'Before birth is registered, death is already destined.' There is no need to fear coming to the hells to receive retribution. As long as one has a good heart and performs good deeds, always acts with a good heart toward others, and benefits others with Goodness in all matters, there is no need to worry about receiving this hellish retribution."

Practitioner Su: "The teachings today were excellent. Now, we invite King Qin Guang to take his seat. We will now invite the King of the Second Hall of Hell. Let us chant the Buddha-name ten times to send off King Qin Guang of the First Hall. Gratitude to the First Hall."

(Practitioner Su leads the fellow practitioners present in chanting the Buddha-name ten times to send off King Qin Guang.)