Disclaimer: My translations are not official nor endorsed by 2OR, so please just treat it as a ‘fan-based’ translation. Please enjoy, and I hope it serves as a good filler until the official English version comes out.
問：2019年2月8日，在觀音堂上香磕頭跪拜佛菩薩時，眼見關平菩薩聖像晃動，佛台前面不時發出耀眼金光。金光消失後，佛台上方觀世音菩薩及護法菩薩身影顯現在佛山上，半空中傳來護法意念：『汝領觀音旨意，今晚地府聽審。』
當晚入睡時，魂體被金光包圍送入冥界，來到馬XXX閻王殿。馬XXX閻王坐在案前等候（衣著打扮好像我們國家執法部門的高級官員）。
閻王爺：『今天有一孤魂擅闖妳法門道場，護法菩薩通知地府，遣送孤魂下來冥界。因孤魂冤死，在佛台前苦苦哀求觀世音菩薩慈悲救度，妳法門菩薩特安排妳靈體今晚下來地府告知陽世一些事情。』
Enquiry:
On the 8th of February 2019, when I was offering incenses and paying respects to the Buddha at the Guan Yin Temple, I saw the statue of Guanping Bodhisattva shake, and the Buddhist altar in front of me occasionally radiated a brilliant golden light. When the light dissipated, a shade of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Dharma protectors appeared on the landscape painting at the back of the Buddhist altar, and I received a thought message which said, “Under the order of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, please attend the hearing in Yama’s court.”
When I fell asleep that night, my spirit was enveloped in a golden light, and I was sent to the underworld and arrived at Yama’s court in [Country]. The Yama of that country was waiting for me (he was dressed like a senior-level law enforcement officer in my country).
Yama said to me, “Today, there was a forsaken spirit that trespassed the Wayplace of your Dharma door, and the Dharma protectors reported it to the courts and deported the forsaken spirit to the underworld. Because the forsaken spirit died wrongly, it was pleading Guan Yin Bodhisattva for her mercy and succour in front of the Buddhist altar. The Bodhisattvas of your Dharma door specially arranged your spirit to attend this hearing and report it to the people in the living realm.”
孤魂：『我幾日前夜遊，因喝酒困倦，駕車時分心導致自己撞向路中間的護欄，頭部猛烈撞擊後出血昏迷在車內。我靈體飄蕩在外，不知自己已死，眼見家人悲傷哭泣才得知自己死亡，跟隨家人回家。見家人佈置靈堂，親人朋友陸續到來，家中周圍非常多野鬼，我雖已死，可是還是害怕。媽媽請來道士念誦超度。突然，一股力量讓我迷迷糊糊飄到冥界入口，又迷迷糊糊飄回陽間，見到一處建築物樓上大放光明，有佛經念經聲，我想找人超度，跟著一個全身發金光的陽人飄入建築物裡。這家廟的護法神（周倉菩薩）立刻顯現阻擋，非常高大，金光閃閃。不久，一個很慈悲的女音傳來：『莫阻擋，是與童子有緣之眾，請他進來。』
The forsaken spirit said, “A few days ago, I was driving in the middle of the night. Because I consumed alcohol and was tired, my attention was divided, and I crashed into the guardrail that separated the lanes. My head suffered a great shock and bled, and I became unconscious inside the car. My spirit was floating outside, and I didn’t know that I died. It wasn’t until I saw my family crying and grieving that I realised I was dead. I followed them back home and saw them arranging the funeral. Other relatives and family came, and many other wild spirits were surrounding the house. Although I died, I was still afraid. My mum invited a Taoist a priest to perform an ascension ritual. Suddenly, an unknown force made me drowsy, and I floated to the entrance of the underworld. Then in a state of drowsiness, I floated back to the living realm, and I saw a large building that was radiating a brilliant light. A murmuring of Buddhist sutra recitations could be heard from it. I wanted to find somebody to help me ascend, and I followed a person who was radiating light into the building. This temple’s Dharma protector (Zhoucang Bodhisattva) immediately manifested and stopped me. He was huge, and he was radiating golden light. Not long after, a very compassionate female voice could be heard saying, “Don’t stop him, he is a sentient being with an affinity with the golden child. Let him in.”
孤魂：『我逗留在念經堂裡，這個人（童子）從口中流轉出來的經文陣陣金光，也看到有人進來念經，在念經時都有金光，分別只是光圈能量不一樣（大團金光和小圈金光）。我請求她們超度，觀世音菩薩把這個人（童子）的經文能量（《大悲咒》《心經》）轉換成一團團的大光團，注入我的身體裡（靈體），我心中痛苦悲傷之情消失，感覺平靜安寧。過後，就被護法神送走了。』
閻王爺：『查了你的記錄，還未過七七四十九天，你暫時跟鬼差待在X處，不可隨意回陽間亂闖，除了自己家中。七七四十九天過後，我再查你罪孽記錄，如果無大過錯，等投胎緣分到，再通知你投胎。我這裡是馬XXX冥界，要守這裡的規矩。你跟他走吧。』
I temporarily stayed at the recitation hall; as this person (the golden child) was reciting, gold light was coming out from her mouth. I also saw other people coming in to recite sutras. When they were reciting, they would radiate gold light. The only difference is that the energy of their halo is different (large or small halo). I asked for help to ascend. Guan Yin Bodhisattva collected that person’s (the golden child) sutra energy (Great Compassion Mantra and Heart Sutra) and formed rings of light with it, which infused into my spiritual body. The suffering inside my mind slowly disappeared, and I found myself feeling calm and peaceful. Afterwards, I was deported by the Dharma protectors.”
Yama said, “I checked your records, the 49 days has not passed yet. You can temporarily follow the underworld officers to office X. You mustn’t casually return to the living realm and loiter apart from your house. After the 49 days has passed, I will check your records again for your sins. If you haven’t committed any significant wrongdoings, then you will wait for when your affinity of reincarnation has matured, and then we will notify you to reincarnate. This is the underworld in [Country], so you must abide by the laws here. You may follow him now.”
說完，孤魂被冥界鬼差（華族）帶走。
閻王爺再指向桌前的烏龜和甲魚靈體：『這是2019年2月5日大年初一妳法門道場放生的龜類靈體，在你們念經做放生儀式時，觀世音菩薩顯化，金光能量注入龜族靈體，得知這幾隻龜族前世都是法師、道士。觀世音菩薩慈悲，把這些犯錯被打入畜生道的龜類靈體今晚調到閻王殿，讓牠們說自己前世所造之孽以警陽世修道人，也以此功德讓這些眾生下世得回人身。』
After he finished, the forsaken spirit followed the underworld officer and left.
Yama then pointed at the tortoise spirit and the soft-shelled turtle spirit in front of his desk, “They are spirits of the turtles which your Dharma door had liberated on the 5th of February 2019. When your fellow practitioners recited sutras and performed life liberations, Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s power manifested and her energy was infused into their spiritual bodies. She then realised that some of those turtles were venerable monks and Taoist priests in their previous life. Guan Yin Bodhisattva is merciful; she arranged those sinned spirits who were reincarnated into the animal realm to be at today’s hearing so that they could give their testimonial about the sins that they committed and warn the people in the living realm, and with that meritorious deed, they could reincarnate in the human realm after death.”
甲魚靈體A：『我還未墮落成為甲魚時，196X年出家為尼。聽人說念佛可解脫生死，就在昔XX區XX佛寺念佛，緣分成熟剃度出家。出家後，當地佛教團體見我謹守本分，處理法務井井有條，就推舉我成為住持。過後起貪念，拿取寺廟錢財，還有接受信眾非法供養之物（奢侈品，在佛律中是不如法，出家人不能奢華享受）。修行三十餘年，86歲壽終，地府鬼差拿手銬帶我下去冥界，先入火燒地獄懲戒我貪取佛門財物，地獄刑滿出獄後轉投甲魚。因過往念佛業力，蒙念佛人救度，菩薩金光加持讓我想起自己所造罪孽，低縮頭在放生現場懺悔。觀世音菩薩天眼觀察得知我前世是個出家人，讓我現身說法，下世投人道。我懺悔貪念一起，墮入萬劫不復之地！』
The soft-shelled turtle A said, “Before I descended to becoming a soft-shelled turtle, in 196X, I was a nun. I heard from others that reciting Buddhist scriptures could liberate us from life and death, so I went to [Temple] in [Province] to recite Buddhist scriptures. Then when the affinity matured, I was initiated to become a nun. Afterwards, the local Buddhist organisations saw that I adhered to the rules strictly, and I was diligent at fulfilling my responsibilities, and so they elected me to be the head of the temple. Soon, I became greedy and enriched myself with the temple funds and also the offerings of followers (like luxury goods, which are forbidden in the disciplinary rules of Buddhism, as monks must not indulge in luxuries). I cultivated for over 30 years, and I passed away at age 86. The underworld officers cuffed me and took me to the underworld. I was first sent to the hell of burning flames to punish me for taking possessions under the name of the Buddha. Then after my sentence was over, I was released and reincarnated into a soft-shelled turtle. Because I had recited Buddhist scriptures before, and also I was saved by Buddhists, the Bodhisattva’s blessings and made me remember my past sins. So at the place where the life liberation was performed, I repented. Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s divine eye saw that I was once a monk in my previous life, so I was given the opportunity to share my testimonial so I could reincarnate back as a human in the next life. I repent for my greed; it had doomed me.”
閻王爺：『妳隨這位鬼差回去妳現在的龜體吧。』
靈體被抽出體外後，甲魚和烏龜會陷入沉睡狀態，等魂體歸身又會恢復神智。清醒後，甲魚和烏龜會忘記自己來過閻王殿，可是功德已經自動記錄在甲魚和烏龜的阿賴耶識中（靈魂意識），等牠們龜身受報完畢後再次投胎就可得人身。
Yama said, “Now you may follow the officer and return to your turtle body.”
When the spirit had been taken away from the physical body, they would be in a state of coma. When their spirit returns to the body, then they will recover their consciousness, but when they wake up, they will forget about their trip to Yama’s court. But their merit-virtues are already recorded in their foundational consciousness, so after they have exhausted their karma of becoming a turtle, they could reincarnate as a human.
烏龜靈體B：『我還沒投烏龜時，在清末年代是個道士。我追求神通學，在一間道教廟宇拜三君，用神通異能幫助信眾窺陰陽兩界。身為道士有許多規矩條例要遵守，尤其是在起壇做法事時更要禁欲、清食保持靈體乾淨。對於神通也有許多限制。可我貢高我慢，有了異能後不守祖師爺師訓，我見色起意，看中貌美女信徒，用神力施法誘騙進去暗室行苟且之事。我犯了天律地律（天律：亂用神通邪術。地律：邪淫），死後被打入無間地獄懲戒，地獄懲戒刑滿出獄後投鱉，鱉身亡又投龜類，如此不知投生龜類多少世才遇觀世音菩薩慈悲救度我出畜生道。我於放生現場見天空金光萬丈，菩薩金光能量入我靈體，憶起前世許多罪孽，淚流懺悔。如今受報完畢，感謝觀世音菩薩救度。』
The tortoise B said, “Before I was reincarnated as a tortoise, at the end of the Qing dynasty, I was a Taoist priest. I pursued studies of supranormal powers; I paid respects to the three sages in a Taoist temple. I used supranormal powers to help followers gain access to information in the living realm and underworld. As a Taoist priest, there were many disciplinary rules that I had to adhere to, especially when I have to conduct a ceremony or ritual where I was forbidden to have any desires, and I must eat a clean diet to preserve the purity of my spiritual body. There are also many restrictions when using supranormal powers. But I was arrogant after I got special abilities, I didn’t obey my master. When I saw any beautiful female followers, my lustful thoughts would take hold of me. I would use supranormal powers and conduct rituals to swindle them to my hidden chambers where we would conduct intimate actions. I violated the laws of heaven and earth (Heavenly law: misuse of supranormal powers to conduct deviated rituals. Earthly law: I committed deeds of sexual misconduct). After I died, I was sentenced to the Hell of Avici to be punished. After I was released, I reincarnated as a terrapin. When my terrapin body died, I reincarnated as another kind of turtle. I don’t remember how many times I had reincarnated as a kind of turtle until I encountered Guan Yin Bodhisattva who mercifully granted me succour to liberate out of the animal realm. Where the life liberation took place, the sky radiated a golden light, and the blessings on the Bodhisattvas infused into my spiritual body. I then recalled the sins that I committed in the past, and I cried and repented. Now my karmic retribution has been exhausted; I’m grateful for Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s succour.”
烏龜靈體C：『我未墮落惡道成為烏龜時，在清朝XX年是個山林強盜。在山X，Z國打劫過路遊眾。後來，被官兵追捕四處逃命藏在青X省，躲入一間寺廟假意剃度出家成為和尚。出家幾年，規規矩矩，受佛法薰陶也是發心懺悔不做惡事。可惜，我淫根太重，寺廟男女善信很多，我看到女子貌美嬌弱，夜晚心魔一直侵擾。過後，沒能克制自己淫慾，我於夜晚眾僧入睡之時，潛入女善信房間用迷藥暈倒迷姦婦女。一天夜裡，不知怎麼跑到寺廟外的山林，自己跳入山崖死亡。死後，進入無間地獄懲戒，懲戒刑滿出獄轉投龜族，一直輪迴投生，被殺害不知有幾十世了，直到今天方得救度。我在放生現場，菩薩金光籠罩，讓我想起自己所造之孽，一直在岸邊低頭懺悔不肯離開。求觀世音菩薩慈悲憐憫，我知錯了，受畜生業報被殺害已有兩百餘年。』
The tortoise C said, “Before I descended into the lower realms and became a tortoise, during the Qing dynasty in the year X, I was a bandit in the mountain [X] in [Country Z], and I would steal from any travellers in the area. Later, I was pursued by the police. To escape and save myself, I hid inside a temple in [Province] by pretending that I wanted to be a monk, so I was initiated and lived a monastic life. After a few years, I behaved and remained orderly. I was affected by the teachings of the Buddha-Dharma, and I repented for the unwholesome deeds that I did. Unfortunately, my root of lust was too great. Many male and female believers visited the temple. When I see a woman who was beautiful and frail, I would be disturbed by my inner demons at night. One day, I couldn’t control myself. In the middle of the night, while everybody was asleep, I sneaked into the room of a female follower and used drugs to intoxicate her and then raped her. In that same night, in a daze, I fled from the temple into the mountain, and I jumped off a cliff and died. After death, I was sentenced to the Hell of Avici to be punished. When my sentence was completed, I reincarnated into a kind of turtle and had been reincarnating as so ever since. I don’t even recall how many times that I had been killed until today, I received succour. Where the life liberation took place, the Bodhisattvas’ light enveloped the whole area. The memories of my sins resurfaced, and by the shore, I was lowering my head and repenting and didn’t leave. I begged for Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s mercy. I know I was wrong. I had been suffering from my karmic retribution of becoming an animal and being killed for over 200 years.”
閻王爺：『童子，可以離開了。有什麼事，我會派冥界鬼差通知妳法門護法菩薩。』
夢醒，早上4時多。
感恩師父，感恩觀世音菩薩。
弟子 2019-02-09
Yama said, “Honoured guest, you may now leave. If there are any matters, I will dispatch an underworld officer to notify the Dharma protectors of your Dharma door.”
I woke up from my dream; it was 4 am.
I’m grateful Master; I’m grateful Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
9th of February 2019.
答：大家要知道，天網恢恢，你做的事情菩薩都知道。我再三和你們說，投人不容易。為什麼放生放烏龜甲魚比較厲害一點？因為很多有修的人，但是做錯事情了，他可能就會投那些長壽的動物。真的要好好懂事情。人的靈體可以離開肉身，看到自己，七七四十九天可以看到家人在拜你、哭泣……但是和家人講話，家人聽不見；家人看不見他，但他能看見家人的情況。
Master’s reply:
Everybody must know that nothing escapes Heaven. The Bodhisattvas know everything that you did. Let me emphasise again that being reborn as a human isn’t easy. Why is it that liberating turtles are more efficacious? It’s because many of them had cultivated before, but they committed wrongful deeds, so they are likely to reincarnate as an animal with a long life span. You must know the ways of the world. A person’s spirit can leave the physical body and see themselves. In the 49 days after death, you can see your family paying respects at your funeral and cry. But they can’t hear anything you say, and they can’t see you, while you can.