Eagle Soldier Lesser Yaoguais
Description
Three men died on the same day, and their souls met in the underworld.
Kneeling before the judge, the judge pointed to one soul and said, “In life, you were a thief, robbing and injuring others, bullying the innocent. Now, I sentence you to the Mountain of Knives to atone for your sins.” The man wailed, “My kins burnt gold and silver paper ingots for me, and they could fill ten storerooms. If you show mercy, all that wealth is yours.” The judge remained unmoved, flicked his sleeve, and had the underworld soldiers take him away.
The judge then pointed to the second soul and said, “You shall be reborn as a human.” The soul protested, “I diligently practiced Buddhism, did many good deeds, and never harmed any living being. Why must I endure the suffering of reincarnation?” The judge replied, “A human may see a hundred springs, but the grass knows only one. Being reborn as a human is already a privilege. Do you wish to be reborn as a beast?” The soul was displeased and said, “Life as a human is arduous. I practiced Buddhism and it should grant me escape.” The judge snorted coldly, “Today, Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha is not here. Whether you escape or not is not up to you.” He flicked his sleeve, and the underworld soldiers took him away.
Finally, the judge pointed to the last soul and said, “In life, you stole mind cores, and made pills which harmed lives. Now, I sentence you to the Pool of Blood to cleanse your sins before you can reincarnate.” Just as he was about to have the underworld soldiers take him away, a celestial captain in golden armor flashed into the hall, threw a military order on the table, and said, “He has attained profound enlightenment. This is a summons from the Celestial Court. The Admiral has sent me to escort him to become a celestial soldier.” Hearing this, the soul was overjoyed and quickly followed the celestial general out.
Poetry
Immortals and mortals, all shrouded in haze,
Trials they must pass through life’s winding maze.
How many find wisdom, break free from the chain,
Escaping the cycles of suffering and pain?
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