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Tokyo, Japan
The Hon. Dr. Hideyasu M. R. "Hide" Sasaki is a computer scientist working in Gov't of Japan for Artificial Intelligence Initiative and Catholic lawyer admitted to practice in New York, the United States.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

I happened to find a book written in Japan 1,100 years or more before by a Buddhist monk. Its title is known as Nihon Ryōiki. The translation in English of the book title means Japan's ghost and monster stories. One of its three-volume 116 stories reads that a man who died one day revived next day and told what he saw in Inferno. First, this guy crossed a golden bridge that led to the Palace of King of Hell. That King asked him why he was summoned there. His wife who had been dead accused him of divorce without any righteous reason. The King cross examined them and judge him innocent. He was released from the accusation. Second, he was on the way to return home when he saw his father accused of his theft, abandonment of his family, disgrace to the poor. Many evil spirits tortured his father by scourging him everyday. He was asked by his father to cloth and feed the poor for his release from the torture. Finally, he was allowed to be back home thanks to his past devotion to Buddha by pray.

I am very much impressed with some major elements hidden in that Buddhist record, which are so common with Catholic Church's description of reasons for accusation in inferno and purgatory: serious sins like divorce, theft and looking down the poor. Probably, Buddhist's idea of hell comes up with the concept of purgatory in the Church. It is a surprise to me to find that by chance.

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