During the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316), a man named Zhao Tai lived in Qinghe, according to the Buddhist Short Stories, News from the Otherworld.
One day, he felt severe chest pain and instantly lost consciousness. Since the body remained warm and the limbs retained their natural flexibility, the family realized that he was alive and decided to wait for his awakening.
After ten days, Zhao Tai came to his senses. He said that as soon as he lost consciousness, he was met by a man on horseback. Two escorts took Zhao Tai by the arms and led him east. After a long time, they finally reached the big city.
Passing the main gate, Zhao Tai saw many houses lined up with men, women and children. Five or six officials chanted each person's name in order.
A little later, Zhao Tai, along with thousands of other people, entered the underworld. There, in a large hall, a man in dark red clothes was sitting, he in turn asked each one what crimes he had committed and what good deeds he had done.
Zhao Tai answered honestly:
In the underworld, Zhao Tai was assigned to command two thousand people who transported sand and stones and built a dam.
Later, Zhao Tai was appointed head of the department, he was responsible for inspecting hell. And he learned that there are punishments at every level of hell. People are suffering terribly.
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Tongues were pierced with one, their bodies were bleeding; others were forced to embrace a red-hot iron column when they died, they were brought back to life and then subjected to this punishment again.
Someone was cut into pieces and boiled in cauldrons; and some climbed the palisade of swords, which cut the bodies into pieces.
All types of punishments were consistent with the crimes committed during life.
There is a city of transformation in hell. Only those who have finished serving their sentences come to this city and, in accordance with the deeds of a past life, receive a new look for the next rebirth.
Those who killed, robbed and committed robberies will become pigs and sheep that will be slaughtered; those who committed adultery in a previous life will become birds and beasts; those who did not pay their debts will become cows, horses and donkeys and will work hard and hard.
Zhao Tai asked the ruler of hell:
The ruler of hell replied:
The ruler knew that Zhao Tai was released for another thirty years of life, so he ordered him to return to the human world. Before returning, the ruler told him to tell people about the pictures of retribution he had seen in hell. To instruct them to do more good deeds and remember that good and evil, like shadows, constantly follow a person.
When Zhao Tai returned to the human world, he immediately recorded what he saw. Since then, Zhao Tai has convinced people that retribution for good and evil is inevitable.
